If you’re considering getting a tattoo design but aren’t quite yet committed enough to take the jump and go permanent, there are a few other options that you can try.

It is valuable to recognize, however, that when searching for a genuine "try-before-you-buy" tattoo option, semi-permanent tattoos just aren’t available.

Available on the internet as well as in hair dressing shops and side-walk stalls, this product is just a figment of someone’s imagination. Although claims for these tattoos suggest that they’ll only last 6 months, the reality is that whenever you inject a dye under a layer of skin – it stays there until you have it professionally removed. So if you’re not absolutely convinced it’s what you want, forget about it!

The only genuine alternatives to permanent tattoos are henna tattoos which usually become pale in about a month or stick on tattoos which often vanish within a week. If you’re especially imaginative, however, you can try some experimenting with permanent crayons.

Henna Tattoos

A fun way to try out your design is by using a Henna tattoo. Henna is a natural colorant that is derived from a plant.

The dye will more often than not begin to lighten after about seven days. Most of the time, it will completely vanish within a month. Henna stencils can be used on any part of the body and in general do not cause any skin reactions.

The only real problem with using Henna is that it is not available in different colors. Even though it is possible to merge various shades of Henna, it naturally comes out orange on the skin and deepens to a reddish brown shade within about 48 hours.

There are also some people that are currently marketing a "black henna" product. Cautions about this product are extensive and its use could potentially cause dangerous side effects.

The product that is currently being {sold as "Black Henna" is actually a material called para-phenylendiamine or PPD, which is really black hair dye. While some of these products may contain henna, most do not.

This artificial dye is not approved for use on the skin and has been known to cause serious side-effects including itching, blistering and possible scarring. Whether you decide to apply your Henna tattoos yourself or have them done professionally, make sure that PPD is not being used.

Henna kits and stencils can be bought on the internet starting from about $20.00.

Stick-on Temporary Tattoos

Although most adults associate stick-on tattoos with the postage stamp kind that usually came with the chewing gum wrapper and washed off with water, these temporary alternatives to permanent tattoos have truly evolved and the variety of shapes and designs available might be a surprise to most consumers. The temporary tattoos available to choose from today actually use vegetable dyes and an glue that we typically find in Band-Aids.

These tattoos not only look credible but will actually stay on for up to 3weeks. While it’s much cheaper to buy these tattoos in bulk, individual prices vary depending on the size and design. A 5x9 inch armband floral tattoo in one color for example, can be purchased online for as little as around a dollar.

Many shops will also custom design your temporary tattoo; however, they usually require a minimum purchase for custom work.

A cheaper and painless alternative to a permanent tattoo, you’ll find stick-on tattoos look more lifelike than ever. Taking this option gives you the option of changing not only the area of your tattoo but the design too in just a few minutes.

Air Brush Tattoos

Even though we’ve all seen the airbrushed t-shirts and paintings at the booths at the fair, airbrush tattoos are also becoming incredibly popular as a substitute to permanent tattoos. Using the same process as is used with t-shirts, a stencil is positioned on the skin and an airbrush applicator is used to fill in the color.

While the design normally only lasts roughly 7 days, airbrushing is considered to be the technique that produces an end product as close to the look of an actual permanent tattoo. Airbrush tattoos are more expensive than stick-on tattoos but are nowhere near the cost of a permanent tattoo. Prices for airbrush tattoos normally range anywhere from $20 to $100.

Other options

If none of the alternatives above are quite what you’re asking from a temporary tattoo, you can always try drawing your own. Permanent textas work great for temporary designs that you can come up with yourself or apply using a stencil, while Crayola washable markers are a easy way to try on a design or area that can be removed immediately.

When it comes to temporary tattoos and body art, the options are only limited by your own creativity. Adding a little body sparkle or a few stick-on crystals can add to the uniqueness of your artwork. One thing is definate - nobody else will be sporting the same thing!

While any one or maybe even all of these options may just fulfil your yearning for some body art, if you’re still inclined to have a permanent design, it’d be clever to have it personalized into one of the temporary formats that I’ve suggested.

Bearing your tattoo for a few weeks gives you the opportunity to measure the feedback of others, along with your own satisfaction level, and will even allow you to experiment a little with the location of the design before you make a commitment that might very well change your life.