Mane-ly tattoos

After Kylie Jenner was recently snapped donning a golden hair tattoo, temporary hair tattoos caught the attention of several fas

Temporary hair tattoos in shades of gold and silver, also known as flash tattoos, are the latest fad among the youth Hair colours, braids and extensions have been in trend for a long time now; the newest style statement to enter this segment is hair tattoos. Not permanent ones, but gorgeous temporary tattoos that can be used to get stunning, sparkly designs on your strands.

After American celebrity Kylie Jenner was recently snapped donning a golden hair tattoo, temporary tattoos in shades of gold and silver, also known as flash tattoos, have become a rage among the youth.

Make-up and beauty expert Sahibba K. Anand says, “Hair tattoos are the next ‘it’ thing and these are here to stay at least for this season. It works perfectly for party as well as a casual look. If you’d like to use it casually, you can pair it with some mono or duo-chromatic clothing and you’re sure to rock the look.”

For many, this trend is a good way to jazz up their locks on a boring day. Fashion design student Reema Chaudhari says, “A few weeks ago, I got bored with my hairstyle and was planning to cut it short. But I was not very sure and that is when I discovered hair tattoos. These are the perfect ways to tackle and add funk to the otherwise boring hair. What is more interesting is you can easily rinse it off if you are not happy with the outcome.”

Hair tattoos are quirky and add funk to the look, feels image consultant Shweta Singh of Perfect Impressions. She says, “At times, it is important to break the monotony of your look by doing such experiments. It’s contemporary and fun and makes you stand out from the rest. However, if you want to tone down the look, you can opt for lighter colours. It will definitely look casual and chic.”

To add to the glam quotient these hair make-ups work wonders, according to Sahibba.

She says, “If you do not want a dramatic change then perhaps a hair tattoo might just do the trick. It’s an easy and temporary technique to enhance your looks.” She further adds, “People with either short or long tresses can try this look. It looks good specially near the crown area.”

These easy to wear tattoos come in interesting designs and look great on Indian hair. Talking about the Indian hair type and ways to spot the look, Sahibba states, “Ladies with darker hair are best to sport this look. Those with lighter brown or streaked hair will not be able to show it off well. Also, people with curly hair will find it difficult, as the design would not be clearly visible.”

As the trend gains popularity among youngsters, there are experts like Karishma Mehndiratta, hair expert and educator who are apprehensive about the after-effects of such tattoos. She says, “These are super-fun and easy hair accessories but as a hairstylist I have my apprehensions as the glue in these products might harm hair and its roots. Most of the Indians do not use the right kind of shampoos and conditioners, thus I think it will only harm the hair further and take away the natural sheen and luster. These tattoos are not for regular use, as the glitter might not look good for a normal daywear. If you are the experimental kind, then opt for a hair colour spray than these tattoos.”

Agreeing with Karishma, Sahibba shares a tip to maintain healthy manes from these chemicals. “It’s generally advisable not to go overboard with anything. If you love the hair tattoos so much, try to oil your hair and use hair masks in between tattoo-use to avoid any harm caused by them.”