One of the makeup techniques performed more often than anything else on film and tv sets is undoubtedly covering tattoos. Sometimes a movie or series can be set in a different time period.
Perhaps the performer’s tattoos are too modern or not in the style of the era portrayed. Or, copyright issues and the intellectual property that the tattoo carries prevent it from being seen publicly on a show (think The Hangover and Tyson).
The chosen approach to managing a performer’s visible tattoos is often left to the makeup artist to cover them. And as a makeup artist, you are usually required to cover them quickly. One of the products I constantly use to cover tattoos quickly and efficiently is the Jordane Tattoo Cover Palette.
.
This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying links. This means I’ll receive a commission if you purchase through my links, at no extra cost to you. Please read full disclosure for more information.
.
Currently, the palettes are available in the following color ranges:
- original
- desert yellow
- dark
- primary
- finishing touch
For this blog post, I have decided to pair my review of the Jordane Tattoo Cover Palettes with a basic step-by-step demo as well.
But first, let’s talk about the product in depth.
.
.
Jordane Tattoo Cover Palette
The Jordane Tattoo Cover Palette is a cream-based product. What sets it apart from other cream-based makeup products of a similar nature is that it dries and sets perfectly, and doesn’t shift. There is no need for powder if you apply it correctly either.
This makes it unlike most traditional tattoo cover products. Tattoo cover products that makeup artists may be more familiar with can be alcohol-based, or even PAX (acrylic and prosthetic adhesive).
This makes the Jordane Tattoo Cover Palettes appealing for anyone on the search for a good tattoo cover. And especially for the more amateur or hobbyist makeup artist among us.
Or if you don’t know anything about makeup and want to cover your tattoos for a certain event. This may be the product you have been looking for.
What I love about these palettes being cream-based is that they are easy to use.
And you can cover a tattoo in a relatively short amount of time.
All you need are the following items:
- Jordane Tattoo Cover Palette (obviously! It’s up to you to decide which of the available color ranges will be right for your skin tone)
- a spatula or palette knife for decanting and mixing colors
- a palette to work from (whether you prefer a wax paper palette or your own reusable one is entirely up to you)
- a beauty blender, powder puff, or sea sponge
- makeup brushes
- setting spray or sealer (if you’re getting really serious about sealing it)
- an astringent, 70% or 99% alcohol
- hairdryer (not essential, but useful)
How To Cover A Tattoo Using Jordane Tattoo Cover Palette
Step 1.
Prepare the area that you are going to cover with the Jordane Tattoo Cover palette. I like to use 70% alcohol or a mild astringent such as Sea Breeze. Kiehl’s Blue Astringent is another go-to among makeup artists.
This will free the skin of any dirt or excess oils, perfumes, or lotions present on the skin and prevent the makeup from applying well.
After all, the idea is that what you put on to cover the tattoo stays on. And any products already present on the skin can prevent your tattoo cover makeup from doing this.
Step 2.
Mix a red to orange color that is the opposing color on the color wheel to the deepest green or blue pigment in the tattoo you are about to cover.
The reason we do this is to neutralize the darkest pigment in the tattoo ink.
If we were to apply a straight flesh tone to match the skin, the blue/green tone would still come through, and that area would appear to have a grey tone.
Step 3.
Apply your red/orange color from your Jordane Tattoo Cover palette and spread evenly across the tattooed area. These products are quite dry, as far as cream products go. So you want to try and work fairly quickly. Spread your red/orange cream mix evenly, thinly, and quickly to get good coverage over the area in question.
Step 4.
Allow the red/orange layer to dry properly.
Step 5.
Apply a flesh tone that is a close match to your actor or client’s base skin tone as possible. Stipple the Jordane Tattoo Cover over the tattooed (and now orange corrected) area with a fine and even coverage.
Step 6.
You may need to come in with a second color to create a perfect realism of skin tone. Or even a third color, or mix a few different colors to reach a good match, and to blend the covered area into the bare skin successfully.
This may take a little trial and error.
Step 7.
If your client has freckles on their skin, you can utilize a “flicking” technique with a little alcohol or the activator that comes sold with the palette to thin down some of the brown tones.
Mix a nice freckle tone with some brown and a little blue mix.
Step 8.
Use a toothbrush-type brush, or a brush with very stiff bristles and load it with the liquid brown mix you have created.
Run your fingers over the bristles. This will cause the product to spray off the brush and onto your tattoo-covered area.
This technique takes a little practice, but once you have the hang of it, this method can be that extra step to help create a seamless tattoo covering. It will take a little trial and error until you find the perfect amount of alcohol or activator to get more translucency to your freckle color. And when you achieve that, it will be the perfect final step to help the covered area blend perfectly into the rest of your client’s skin.
Step 9.
I almost always like to give the makeup a light powdering at this point. As I mentioned, Jordane assures you that you don’t need to, but there’s something in me that always wants to powder. I think working on set, which usually equates to long shooting hours – anything that we can do as makeup artists to prolong a makeup’s integrity is helpful. And for me, powdering before sealing helps!
A minimal, but thorough powdering of the Jordane Tattoo Cover takes that tacky finish of a surface and will help preserve your work. And keep dirt from grabbing onto it. Keep it clean.
So go ahead, and give your makeup a light powdering with translucent powder and a puff. Only doing this once all of the cream product is completely dry on the skin.
Step 10.
I then like to blot off the powder with a damp Beauty Blender or Sea sponge.
When you have completed this step, the area should be free of powder to the eye.
Step 11.
A final light spray with your favorite setting spray will keep this baby covered and out of sight for the day.
So whatever spray takes your fancy, I like Ben Nye Final Seal or EBA Pro Seal as I know these products truly work and do the job with ease.
Be sure to dry the sealer off completely. You can use a hairdryer to speed up the drying process.
Once you can see that the sealer is dry, you can give the surface a little tap with the back of your clean hand just to check that the tattoo cover makeup is entirely dry, the makeup is sealed and your client, performer, tattooed customer is ready to take on the world. Tattoo-free, at least for the time being!
.
Want to read more about tattoos in makeup? Click here to learn the scoop on the KD 151 Tattoo Ink Pen.
.
This demonstration application using the Jordane Tattoo Cover Palettes took about 10 minutes. I didn’t really need to add any freckles as the performer’s own complexion was very even.
The Jordane Tattoo Cover Palette Verdict
Jordane Tattoo Cover Palettes are easy to work with, but you have to work fairly quickly. The range of colors available in the different palettes makes color matching any skin tone very achievable.
I used the Finishing Touch and Desert Yellow Palettes for this demo. But for makeup artists, I highly recommend having the set of palettes, so you are covered for when you need to cover!
Featured image by Mariano Nocetti via Unsplash
