Tattoos have been a form of self-expression for centuries, but permanent ink is lifetime commitment. Many people prefer temporary tattoos as a more flexible option. Because alcohol markers are cheap and they come in many colors, they are a popular choice for temporary tattoos. However, the information online about how safe alcohol ink is when used on skin is contradictory, so I’ve done a lot of research and compiled it here to help other people like me, who are looking to express their creativity without permanent tattoos.
Most alcohol markers aren’t labeled skin-safe, but for most people they are not dangerous to use on skin in moderation. Sharpies are certified AP non-toxic, and Ohuhu has verified that their markers are safe to use on skin. Another option is using skin-safe temporary tattoo paper, which allows you to draw on the paper and not directly on your skin.
Can you use Sharpie markers safely on skin?
Sharpie markers are certified AP non-toxic according Sharpie’s website, and also confirmed in this MSDS safety sheet. Sharpies are probably the number one pen that people like to use to draw on themselves, because they come in so many different sizes and colors. The Sharpie website states that the markers are non-toxic, but still not recommended for use on skin. However, if you read the MSDS safety sheet, it states:
This product is certified by the Institute to be labeled in accordance with the voluntary chronic hazard labeling standard ASTM D-4236 and is labeled with the AP Non Toxic Seal. Products bearing the AP Approved Product Seal of The Art and Creative Materials Institute, Inc. are certified in a program of toxicological evaluation by a medical expert, subject to review by the Institute Toxicology Advisory Board, to contain no materials in sufficient quantities to be toxic or injurious to humans, or to cause acute toxicity or chronic health problems.
Material Safety Data Sheet # 3000
The safety sheet also states that soap and water can be used to clean up sharpie ink that is on skin. It may take a few rounds of soap and water but Sharpie actually comes off of skin without too much trouble or irritation. You can also use hand sanitizer to remove Sharpie ink pretty easily.
If you have dermatitis or skin allergies, be cautious about putting any kind of ink on your skin, and consult your doctor first to make sure it won’t make your condition worse.
Can you use Alcohol Markers on Skin (Copic or Ohuhu Markers)
Alcohol markers such as Copic and Ohuhu brand markers are not advertised for use on skin, but the inks are not dangerous if they get on your skin.
The Copic marker website FAQ section states:
“The ink components are similar to those in ethanol used for disinfection and do not accumulate in the human body. The ink used is low-odor, and non-toxic.”
https://www.copicmarkers.com/our-markers
Ohuhu’s website was a little bit harder to find information on the ink itself, so I reached out to the customer service team directly, because I own Ohuhu markers and wanted to make sure they were safe before I used them on myself. I received this email reply, which was similar to the info I found from Sharpie and Copic:
Basically, Ohuhu markers are safe to use on skin, but no company wants to actually recommend it for skin use because that’s not what it’s been tested for. After researching this far, I decided to try it out for myself.
How to use Alcohol Markers on Skin
If you are going to try making your own alcohol marker tattoo, there are a couple of things I learned from my first few tries that may help make your first tattoo easier.
1. Stay away from sensitive areas, especially your eyes, nose, or mouth. Since these markers aren’t created specifically for skin use, I personally wouldn’t use them on my face at all just to be safe.
2. Use a regular pen for any rough outline if you are drawing directly on your skin. You can go over these pen marks later with an alcohol marker, but the regular pen marks come off much more easily if you make a mistake.
3. Pay attention to how your skin stretches and changes in the area you want your tattoo before you start, especially if you are drawing over a joint that bends like your elbow, knee, or wrist. I did my first alcohol marker tattoo on my thigh with my leg in a bent position. When I was done I straightened out my leg and realized that parts of the picture looked different when my leg was straight versus when it was bent.
4. Use a Sharpie for the outline if you want a crisp black line around your drawing. I like using the Ultra Fine Point Sharpies, but if you want your drawing to be only black and gray, it might be helpful to have a variety of Sharpie tips.
5. Be careful not to go over your outline too much with your colored markers, because they can muddy or rub off that black color. You may need to go over the outline one last time when you are done just to make that line more crisp.
6. Pay attention to the marker colors – don’t just go off of the color on the marker cap. Many times the color of the ink will be different than the color on the cap, and these colors will look different on your skin than they will on a piece of white paper.
7. Use colored alcohol markers to your advantage. You can blend and build on the different alcohol ink colors on your skin just like you would on paper, which can create a very cool watercolor effect on your skin. Sometimes the colors will bleed a little bit past the edges of where you want them to go, so go slowly at first until you get a feel for it.
8. Don’t be afraid to “take chances, make mistakes, and get messy!” – after all, it’s just ink and it washes off after a day or two.
Using Alcohol Markers Plus Temporary Tattoo Paper
If you want to use alcohol markers for temporary tattoos without drawing directly on yourself, you can use Temporary tattoo paper to draw or print your design on, and then stick that to your skin. This will also help the tattoo last longer than if you just draw straight on your skin.
There are several different brands that you can find on Amazon or in craft stores, and these sheets of sticky tattoo paper are skin-safe and designed to come off after a few days. You can use them in a printer to print images out from a computer, or you can draw directly on the paper with alcohol markers or Sharpies.
Once you have a design that you like, just use the adhesive side and stick it to your skin. If you make a mistake or need to remove the tattoo paper, it comes off with some rubbing alcohol or baby oil very easily.
Removing Alcohol Ink Tattoos
Sometimes your vision for a tattoo might be better than the actual execution, or a drawing might have a few mistakes that you aren’t proud of. Regardless, if you need to remove an alcohol ink drawing on your skin, you can use soap and water and a little bit of gentle scrubbing to remove the ink. Some colors stay longer than others, but almost all alcohol ink will fade off of your skin in a couple of days even without scrubbing.
Remember to