Question about waterproof factor ...

I'm seeking input on everyone's experiences - any and all opinions, please ).

Thank you!

At a pool party, how long do we make the kids wait after receiving their glitter tattoo before jumping back in the water?

I really want these tattoos to last and last, and I spend a lot of time on proper prep of the skin, etc.

What's a decent length of time? What has been your experience at actual pool parties?

THANKS!!

Also, when it says an expiration date on a bottle of Prosaide, what exactly does that mean? I have a small amount left that "expires" in August 2012, yet when I use it on myself to apply GTs, they look and last just fine. Is there anything really meant about an expiration date, or is it just something required to be on the bottle?

I would love to hear what others have to say about this as well. I put a glitter tattoo on my daughter in the morning and then she went in the pool later that afternoon. The tattoo stayed on for the first 1 1/2, but after that it started to come off . I was so disappointed, but did I just apply it wrong?

There is no way to know how long a glitter tattoo will last because:

1) Each person's skin is different.
2) Lots of kids pick at them, either consciously or unconsciously.
3) All clothing or towels that contact the skin cause friction and that affects the glitter and glue both.
4) Staying in chlorinated water (or the bathtub, for that matter) for long periods of time is going to affect both the skin and the tattoo both.

There is no correct answer and no guarantee to give to your customer. I usually just tell them that it will look pretty good for a couple of days and then it will start to wear away, but bear in mind that anything you do, whether swimming or bathing, affects your skin and that means it will ultimately affect the tattoo.

I have been doing a lot of pool parties lately, and tell the kids they can go ahead and jump right back in to the pool.

I first make sure their skin is dry, so if I have to pat them dry with a hand towel or paper towel I do. Then clean the skin with the alcohol, and make sure that is dry also.
Thin layer of glue, pat in the glitter.

The party I did on Monday, was booked off a party I did two weeks ago. The birthday girl still had remnants of her glitter tattoo panda, and the mom was bragging to all the other moms about how great they are, how long they last.

Thanks for the input, everyone.

I want to make absolute certain that what I tell people is true, so that's why I'm seeking all this input. I've read up everything I can about GTs, and I've done them for a year now. I have no trouble doing them (and I LIKE doing them!).

Here's something I read which I'd like to mention here. I read that an extra step is indicated if the person is wearing sunscreen/ bug spray. In this case, it's best to use a spray bottle of water and spritz the area, and then scrub with a paper towel. I do this a couple of times to fully remove the sunblock, and then I follow up with the alcohol pad.

I had one experience a long time ago, where I applied GTs to two children at a festival, and the dad came back the following day and told me that both tattoos had soaked completely off in the pool that evening. And I had fully prepared their skin with the alcohol pads, and applied everything correctly, and that's what got me reading up even more. I can only assume that the kids had on sunblock, and that the alcohol pad had done little more than to mush it around and not remove it. So their tattoos were applied over an invisible layer of sunblock.

It's not brain surgery, I know, or the end of the world, but my heart kind of wilted when that dad came back and told me that. I care SO MUCH about delivering great service, and this was sad for me. Of course I apologized and offered the money back, which he would not take. So I offered a major discount on a birthday party, which I hope they'll take me up on some time. They were very nice about it, and just wanted to give me feedback, and I appreciated it, lots.

Anyway, that water and paper towel step is something to consider. I know that all of us on here are very professional about things. I saw two kids at a festival recently where I worked the Sunday night, and the other painter worked the Friday and Saturday. And these girls held out their arms and said "We got these Friday night." They were unrecognizable tattoos - just smears of glitter - and they'd only been done two days before. The little girls brought it up when I was doing the alcohol step, saying, "The other person didn't use that."

Again, GTs are not the be-all and end-all of the world, but, giving the best service when that's what you promise IS.

Thanks for the input!

Great post jj
Putting sunscreen and/or lotion on top of a GT will also start wearing it away wont it?
I would think that most soaps have conditioners and even some pool waters?

I've even heard people say that bug spray will take them right off

MoMoMac, if the client then puts sunscreen or lotion on top it will soften up the adhesive and the GT will then come off. Likely the same with bug spray, since most contain oils.

I caution the parents and kids about putting lotion of any kind over them, and tell them with sunscreen to shield the tattoo. With my own kid I just shield it with my hand while applying sunscreen.

Thanks!

Thank you to everyone who helped me with feedback. This is a wonderful forum. I would've said so sooner, but I was at a festival all weekend, and just spent two days washing DUST off everything (the title of this story is: How to Turn a Two-Day Festival into a Four-Day Event

Thanks for the advice!!!

I tend to use a baby wipe before the alcohol pad. I work for an amusement park on occasion and lots of fairs where the kids have an assortment of stickiness and lotions/sprays on them pretty consistently.

I generally recommend they wait 15 minutes before going in the water. If I am doing a pool party I tell the organizer the tattoos seem to last longer if they are kept dry for 15 minutes and suggest I apply the tattoos before the children eat. I have had a pretty good response to this and it works well for everyone. Most of the parties I have done the food is buffet style so the children line up for me, get a tattoo, then get food. The last parents loved the idea and remarked how much easier it was to help the children with the plates since they were not all trying to get food at once. Plus the kids in line are generally consulting each other in what to get and which colors to choose so there is generally not much impatience.

Bug spray, sunblock and heavily chlorinated pools decimate the tattoos. I recommend SPF 45 and higher if they wish to remove them quickly.

In my opinion the best way to make a glitter tattoo last is to just leave it alone. No soap, lotion, sunblock, bubble bath, oils, creams etc. If the parent is extremely concerned about the tattoo lasting and the area around the tat being sunburnt I suggest they cover it with a large bandaid.

I have had families come back on their way out of the amusement park with a tattoo that is coming off, I offer to fix it or give a refund. So far no one has wanted a refund. I fix or replace the tattoo and everyone is happy.

I hope this helps!