Are you looking for a way to try out tattoo designs without the lifelong commitment of permanent ink? Inkbox temporary tattoos may be the perfect solution. In this comprehensive Inkbox tattoo review, we‘ll take an in-depth look at the quality, variety, ease of use, skin safety, pricing, and overall customer experience of Inkbox tattoos to help you decide if they‘re worth a try.
What is Inkbox?
Inkbox is a Toronto-based company founded in 2015 that specializes in high-quality, semi-permanent tattoos. Unlike many temporary tattoos that look fake and only last a few days, Inkbox has developed a proprietary tattoo technology using organic compounds to create realistic-looking tattoos that last up to 1-2 weeks.
The special ink developed by Inkbox sinks into the top layer of your skin, creating a tattoo that looks authentic. The ink is made from a fruit-based formula consisting of just two simple ingredients – genipa Americana fruit extract and a water-based gel solution. There are no needles involved and the tattoos are painless to apply at home yourself.
Quality and Longevity
I‘ve tried many brands of temporary tattoos in the past, but I have to say Inkbox‘s tattoos are a huge cut above the rest in terms of quality. The lines are crisp, the shading has dimension, and the designs look like authentic tattoos, not cheap temporary tattoos. Many of my friends couldn‘t even tell my Inkbox tattoos weren‘t real at first glance.
Inkbox advertises that their tattoos last 1-2 weeks, which was consistent with my experience. Most of mine lasted close to the full 2 weeks before noticeably fading. Factors like placement on your body, how carefully you apply it, and how much friction the tattoo experiences seem to impact longevity. For example, tattoos on my wrist lasted about 10 days while one on my upper arm made it a full two weeks. Even as they faded, the tattoos still looked like real ink – just slightly faded, like a real tattoo healing. The fade was natural, without unsightly peeling, cracking or flaking like most temporary tattoos.
Overall, I give top marks to Inkbox for tattoo quality and longevity. They definitely live up to the hype and deliver tattoos that truly look real while lasting much longer than competitors.
Huge Variety of Designs
Another area where Inkbox shines is the incredible variety of tattoo designs available. At the time of writing this, they offer over 7500 designs in their online catalog. You can browse by style, theme, placement on the body, color, artist, and more to find the perfect tattoo. They have everything from minimalist line art, to intricate lace and mandala designs, to colorful watercolor style tattoos, to classic American traditional tattoos.
Some of the most popular design categories are:
- Quotes and words
- Animals
- Florals and nature
- Symbols and icons
- Geometric patterns
- Pop culture references
- Astrology/zodiac
- Tribal designs
If you can‘t find a premade design you like, Inkbox also offers a custom tattoo service. You can upload your own art or describe your idea and work with an Inkbox artist to bring your personalized tattoo vision to life. Custom tattoos cost more than premade designs but are ideal for meaningful, one-of-a-kind pieces.
For an even more hands-on experience, Inkbox also sells bottles of their freehand tattoo ink, which you can use to draw or paint your own tattoo designs directly on the skin. The freehand ink takes more skill to use than the printed tattoos, but allows ultimate creativity.
With such an extensive and diverse design catalog, customization options, and DIY freehand ink, Inkbox makes it easy for everyone to find or create temporary tattoos that fit their unique style.
Easy Application Process
The quality and aesthetics of Inkbox tattoos are great, but how complicated are they to actually apply? The good news is, Inkbox has designed their tattoos to be pretty foolproof to put on.
Each tattoo comes packaged individually with instructions, alcohol wipes to clean your skin before application, and a tattoo collection card to save your design on before disposing of the backing. The tattoos have an adhesive backing you peel off to reveal the ink-coated side that goes on your skin.
To apply:
- Clean the area of skin with the alcohol wipe and let dry completely
- Carefully peel the clear plastic top sheet off the tattoo
- Press the adhesive side of the tattoo down on your skin and smooth out any air bubbles
- Hold a wet cloth against the back of the tattoo and press down with firm pressure for at least 10-15 seconds until the paper backing is fully saturated
- Carefully peel off the paper backing while the tattoo is still wet
- Leave the gel/ink on your skin for at least an hour for peak color, then gently rinse off the excess with lukewarm water and pat dry
I found Inkbox‘s adhesive backing and wet-cloth method much easier to get right than traditional water-transfer temporary tattoos. There‘s no risk of the tattoo slipping or bunching up as you apply it. As long as you follow the instructions and make sure to hold the wet cloth on long enough, it‘s hard to mess up.
Skin-safe and Non-toxic Formula
Lots of temporary tattoos, especially cheaper ones, contain toxic ingredients you probably don‘t want seeping into your skin. Inkbox takes pride in their tattoo ink formula that contains just two natural, skin-safe ingredients.
The key active ingredient is an extract from the genipa Americana fruit, which grows in the tropical rainforests of South America. Indigenous tribes have used the fruit‘s juices for centuries to dye their skin with temporary tattoos for rituals and ceremonies. The extract reacts with the skin‘s proteins to create a dark blue/black stain that fades naturally as your skin regenerates, with no harsh chemicals involved.
The only other ingredient is an alcohol-water-based gel solution that transfers and binds the fruit extract to your skin. Inkbox tattoos are vegan-friendly, paraben-free, cruelty-free, and don‘t contain any artificial dyes or preservatives. They‘ve also been FDA and Health Canada approved.
Of course, it‘s always a good idea to patch test any new product before applying it more broadly, in case of any sensitivities or allergies unique to your skin. But compared to most temporary tattoos, Inkbox offers a much more natural and skin-safe way to rock tattoos without the long-term consequences of real ink.
Pricing Breakdown
Compared to many cheap temporary tattoos, Inkbox‘s tattoos are definitely pricier – but you get what you pay for in terms of quality, longevity, and skin-safe ingredients. Inkbox‘s signature tattoos (which last 1-2 weeks) range from $15-$26 for a small, single-use tattoo, or $22-$38 for a larger design, depending on the complexity.
You can save a bit by buying tattoos in pre-made bundles of 2-10 tattoos in the same style. Bundles are great if you want a matching set, for example to try out a few placements of the same design, or if you and your friends/significant other want to get matching tattoos. They also sell event kits with themed designs for things like bachelorette parties, festivals, pride celebrations, and more.
Freehand ink, for drawing your own temporary tattoos at home, costs $20 for a 0.1oz bottle or $30 for a 0.5oz bottle. Custom tattoos, made-to-order based on your specifications, are $48+. So there are options for a range of budgets depending on the level of customization you want.
Inkbox also has sales fairly often, and you can get 10% off your first purchase if you sign up for texts or emails. Shipping is free on US orders over $35. All things considered, Inkbox‘s pricing is very reasonable given how high-quality and long-lasting the tattoos are.
Customer Reviews
I‘m just one opinion, so I also dug through reviews from other Inkbox customers to get a bigger picture of people‘s experiences with the brand. The vast majority of reviewers on Inkbox‘s site give the tattoos 5 stars. The tattoos have an average rating of 4.8 out of 5 stars across over 41,000 reviews, which is pretty impressive.
Positive comments that came up frequently:
- Tattoos look incredibly realistic and detailed
- Surprisingly long-lasting without fading
- Easy to put on, even for non-artistic people
- Huge selection of designs for every aesthetic
- Responsive customer service
- Fast shipping and delivery
- Skin feels normal/tattoos are comfortable to wear
- No regrets trying risky placements or designs since they‘re temporary
Negative reviews were few and far between, but a couple issues that popped up:
- Some extra sensitive-skinned folks had reactions/rashes from the tattoos (always patch test!)
- Occasional inconsistencies with longevity of the tattoos fading faster than expected
- A few people had problems with tattoos transferring unevenly/patchy (seems to be rare and may come down to user error)
Overall though, the vast majority of people seem thrilled with their Inkbox tattoos and highly recommend them. Inkbox‘s reviews are some of the most consistently positive I‘ve seen for any temporary tattoo brand.
Top-Notch Customer Service
I thankfully didn‘t have any issues with my Inkbox order, but I still took some time to explore their customer service options and policies. Their support team is available by email, contact form on the website, phone, or live chat.
I tested out the live chat on a weekend afternoon and was connected with a friendly rep within a couple minutes who was able to efficiently answer my questions about saving custom tattoo designs for future re-ordering. Responses to email inquiries seem to take around 1 business day, which is pretty standard.
The help section on Inkbox‘s site is robust and well-organized, with detailed FAQs covering everything from tattoo application troubleshooting, to order changes, to returns and exchanges. There are also helpful instructional videos showing how to put the tattoos on.
One other thing I appreciate is how personable the support reps are. You can tell Inkbox has worked to build a strong brand voice that comes across in all their communications, from the website copy, to the order confirmation emails, to the support interactions. The tone is always friendly, informal, and a bit cheeky in a way that makes you feel like you‘re talking to a cool friend who‘s just really passionate about tattoos.
Speedy Shipping
If you‘re excited to get your hands on some Inkbox tattoos, you likely won‘t have to wait too long. Their free standard shipping for US orders over $35 is estimated at 4-8 business days, but mine arrived in just 3 business days.
Standard shipping to Canada is also free over $35 and estimated at 6-12 business days. For other international locations, standard shipping is free over $75 and takes 8-15 business days to arrive.
If you need your tattoos sooner, several expedited options are available at checkout for an extra fee, processed in order of fastest to slowest: Priority+ (next business day), Priority (1-3 business days), and Express (2-5 business days). Saturday delivery is also available for some US orders.
I‘m an impatient person, so I love that Inkbox ships out orders fast, provides a range of shipping speed choices, and tends to under-promise and over-deliver on the estimated standard shipping times.
Hassle-Free Returns
If you change your mind about your tattoo or aren‘t happy with it for any reason, Inkbox offers a 30-day "happiness guarantee." As long as the tattoo sheet is intact/unused, you can email them for a full refund on the purchase price within 30 days.
Final Thoughts
Having thoroughly tested Inkbox tattoos for this review, I‘m happy to report that they live up to the hype. Whether you‘re contemplating a real tattoo design and want to test run it first, looking to switch up your look temporarily, or just want to rock some cool body art without the commitment, Inkbox temporary tattoos are an incredible option.
The ultra-realistic designs, skin-safe formula, long-lasting results, easy application, and great customer service make Inkbox stand out from other temporary tattoo brands. While they‘re not the cheapest, I think the quality and overall experience is more than worth the price. I definitely recommend giving Inkbox a try for all your temporary tattoo needs!
Frequently Asked Questions
How long do Inkbox tattoos last?
Inkbox‘s tattoos are designed to last up to 1-2 weeks depending on the placement, how carefully you apply them, and your skin‘s unique chemistry. Most people find their tattoos look best for at least 7-10 days before gradually fading.
Are Inkbox tattoos safe for sensitive skin?
Inkbox uses a skin-safe, natural formula free of toxic chemicals, artificial dyes, parabens, and other common irritants. However, some people with very sensitive skin may still react to the plant-based ingredients. It‘s always a good idea to patch test the tattoo on a small area of skin first before applying a larger design.
How does Inkbox‘s tattoo ink work?
The active ingredient in Inkbox tattoos is an extract from the genipa Americana fruit. The fruit skins contain a compound called genipine that stains the top layer of your skin a dark blue/black color, creating a realistic temporary tattoo effect. As your skin naturally regenerates, the tattoo gradually fades over 1-2 weeks.
Can you shower/swim with Inkbox tattoos?
Yes, Inkbox tattoos are totally waterproof once applied and the initial sticky coating is rinsed off – so you can shower, swim, and exercise as normal without worrying about your tattoo coming off prematurely. The tattoo‘s longevity may be slightly shorter if it‘s submerged frequently in water for long periods though.
What‘s the biggest size Inkbox tattoo you can get?
Inkbox‘s largest pre-made tattoo size is about 3 inches x 3.5 inches. Their freehand ink bottles allow you to draw larger designs if you prefer. Custom orders can also be made in a range of sizes.
