Posted on Oct 23, 2017
Celebs Who’ve Rocked Fake Tattoos
On the red carpet, at public events, and just walking down the street, celebrities have been showing off temporary ink, helping the trend to grow like wildfire. Here are some of our favorite temporary...
On the red carpet, at public events, and just walking down the street, celebrities have been showing off temporary ink, helping the trend to grow like wildfire. Here are some of our favorite temporary tattoos rocked by famous ladies and gents.
1) James Franco
Never one to shy away from something new, workaholic and overachiever James Franco rocked two sleeves of fake tats to the book release of his poetry collection Straight James / Gay James last year, per GQ. Having done everything from create art as an actor and director to producer and writer, it only makes sense that Franco would want to use his body as a canvas for expression, too.
2) Nial Horan
According to Clevver, Nial Horan was the only member of boy band extraordinaire One Direction who did not have a tattoo. That is until he showed off this temporary tat on Twitter back in 2013. A fan sent the tattoos to Horan, and he actually used them with friends!
3) Liam Payne
Another One Direction alum, Liam Payne, hasn’t shied away from permanent ink, but posted this image of a temporary lion tattoo on Instagram back in 2015, along with the caption “Fake tattoo day.”
4) Katy Perry
Perry inked herself with a fake tat that misspelled singer Josh Groban’s name in 2009. Rumors swirled that she and Groban were an item back then, but they never officially dated. In fact, she recently told late night host James Corden that her new song “The One That Got Away” is about Groban. Today, they are “good friends,” according to Perry. But now we know she wishes they’d been something more. The proof is in the tat!
5) Lauren Conrad
Fashion designer and The Hills alum Lauren Conrad employed temporary tattoos to keep her friends safe during her Bachelorette Party. She posted a photo of these funny temporary tats on her website, captioning the snap, “just in case anyone had a little too much fun…”
6) Zayn Malik
One Direction defector Zayn Malik had some fun with a temporary face tattoo that said “Mom” in 2016. He posted the pic to Instagram with the caption “Like I Would,” all but saying it’s a fake.
7) Bella Thorne
Actress Bella Thorne accessorized a beautiful gown with a temporary henna tattoo at the premiere of The Hunger Games: Catching Fire in 2013.
8) Cara Delevingne
Model-turned-actress Cara Delevingne wowed with an intricate array of temporary tattoos at the 2015 Met Ball. The annual fashion-forward event brings out some seriously creative outfits, and body art made Delevingne’s look that year. The theme of the night was “China: Through The Looking Glass.” Cara and designer Stella McCartney enlisted the help of tattoo artist Keith “Bang Bang” McCurdy, owner of NYC’s Bang Bang Tattoos, to design the tattoo. McCurdy told Cosmopolitan that he wanted the design “to be a delicate, subtle homage to the theme,” using birds to balance out the cherry blossoms and branches. McCurdy first designed the tattoo in Photoshop, then used stencils sparingly, but mostly drew by hand with four markers on Delevingne’s body. “We didn’t use anything fancy,” McCurdy said, “and it looks like there are more colors, but there’s trickery in the eye.” From start the finish, the application process took 11 hours, finished with a clear sealant over the artwork to lock it into the skin, making it last for 10 days. “I’ve been trying to build a bridge between fashion and tattooing for a few years now,” McCurdy said, “and I feel like I’m coming a lot closer.” By making tattoos an integral part of a high-fashion outfit, we think he’s a lot closer, too!
9) FKA Twigs
FKA Twigs followed in Cara Delevigne’s footsteps at 2016 Met Ball, pairing her outfit with a giant, temporary back tattoo. Inspired by geometry, the tattoo fit in well with the night’s theme, “Manus x Machina: Fashion in an Age of Technology.” Artist Anastasia Durasova, the brains behind the design, told Nylon, “In order to prep the skin for the tattoo transfer, I took a piece of cotton and swabbed FKA twig’s upper back using the TEMPTU PRO 70 percent Isopropyl Alcohol. Then I used the TEMPTU PRO Application Pads to transfer the tattoo proof onto her skin. Next, using a thin paint brush, I used the TEMPTU PRO Dura makeup in Black and Dark Blue, to trace the tattoo proof. I then set the tattoo using the TEMPTU PRO Colorless Powder.” FKA also had geometric designs temporary tatted on her hands, which she showed off in an Instagram post.
10) Cate Blanchett
Is Cate Blanchett wearing temporary tattoos on the red carpet? Technically, no. But this dress, designed by Yacine Aouadi, is meant to make you think she’s rocking tattoos. Blanchett wore it to the premiere of Carol at the New York Film Festival. Black designs over sheer sleeves create a visual trick that make this regal movie star look like she’s all inked up, and we’re here for it.
11) Simon Helberg and Jocelyn Towne
Temporary tattoos got political at the 2017 Screen Actors Guild Awards, when The Big Bang Theory actor Simon Helberg and his wife, actress Jocelyn Towne, temporary inked the phrase “LET THEM IN” on Towne’s chest and paired it with a sign that said “REFUGEES WELCOME.” The tattoo came on the heels of newly-sworn-in President Trump’s travel ban. We say she deserves Best Dressed!
12) Kendall Jenner
Supermodel Kendall Jenner wore temporary star tattoos in various places on the runway during the Tommy Hilfiger Women’s Fashion Show during Spring 2014 New York Fashion Week. Temporary tattoos have become an “it” accessory on the runway, with some designers inking models with the same patterns that appear on merchandise, like Scott Campbell For Louis Vuitton did in 2010, and Victoria’s Secret model Emanuela de Paulo rocking temporary tribal tattoos in 2010.
