Covering Your Tattoos for The Holidays? Here’s How the Pros Do It

By Hannah Baxter

Published on 12/19/2023 at 5:45 PM

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Despite the fact that 35 percent of Americans have a tattoo (and 22% have more than one) there are still some people who have to make their negative opinions on body art known, often loudly and in front of the rest of your extended family. Now that the holidays are in full swing, many of us are heading home to visit with various relatives, and frankly, it's totally understandable if you'd rather avoid any unnecessary confrontation by covering up your tattoos before your family spots them. The romance and career inquiries are taxing enough — let's just take body modifications out of the equation, shall we?

However, if your ink is in a place that's not easily covered by your outfit, or you'd rather not make a wardrobe change in order to hide the design on your arms, legs, et cetera, it's probably time to turn to makeup. But concealing a tattoo is a little more nuanced than your average concealer application, especially if you want the coverage to last through a round of drinks, dinner, and dessert. Keep scrolling for a professional's advice for covering up your tattoos for the holidays — or at least until your most judgemental family members depart for the evening.

What Products Do You Need to Conceal a Tattoo?

Because tattoos are highly pigmented, they are a bit trickier to conceal than a pimple or patch of hyperpigmentation. That means that a concealer alone isn't necessarily going to cut it. Instead, keep a roster of products on hand to layer and build up the coverage, while still keeping the finish as natural-looking as possible. As makeup artist and esthetician Nina Soriano explains, "I definitely recommend a series of color correctors, pigmented foundations, concealer, and powder foundations, plus a setting spray, in order to conceal the tattoo thoroughly."

If your tattoos are in vibrant color, as opposed to just black and gray, Soriano suggests reaching for the Makeup Forever 12 Flash Color Palette ($99). "[It's] a staple in my kit and fantastic for mixing the right color correction to even out a tattoo," she says. Just pull up a color wheel example on your phone and use the color opposite from it on the wheel as the base before applying any concealer or foundation (color theory, baby). This will neutralize some of those bright tones and help your complexion products work better to hide the tattoo.

How Do You Layer Your Makeup to Conceal a Tattoo?

After you've color corrected your tattoo (if it requires it) Soriano says to move onto a liquid foundation, such as the Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Longwear Foundation ($49), that matches your skin tone. Then apply a layer of concealer, like the Revlon ColorStay Flex Wear Full Cover Concealer ($13), to build up the coverage, but be careful not to make the layers too thick. "Dense layers don't blend well," explains Soriano, which can make the spot where your tattoo lives look lumpy and flakey. If you feel like you need more coverage, add another thin layer of concealer only where the tattoo is darkest, blending thoroughly with your brush or sponge.

"Next I will add a foundation powder to add some additional coverage, and to set the liquid foundation," says Soriano. Makeup Forever HD Foundation Powder ($43) is her go-to since it is also richly pigmented. To finish, add in a setting spray such as the Urban Decay All Nighter Waterproof Makeup Setting Spray ($36) to help hold all the layers together and keep the coverage looking smooth and skin-like for hours. "In a pinch — and it's a cute makeup artist trick — I like to set all of the layers with a hairspray, which stops it from transferring onto clothing," she adds. With plenty of patience, and ultra thin layers of makeup, you'll be tattoo-free just in time to sit down for dinner and debate some other heated topic with your family, all in the spirit of the holidays.