What to expect with Ephemeral Tattoo: The first ‘made to fade’ tattoo studio in Atlanta

Thumbnail graphic courtesy of Cait Jayme.

I’m a tattoo fan. Ever since I was a kid, I’ve loved the look of bold, dark art inked on your body. I’ve been collecting tattoos since I was eighteen and don’t ask about my failed stick and pokes. The tattoo side of TikTok is my favorite way to watch others design, ink and receive beautiful pieces. It was there I learned about Ephemeral, the world’s first ‘made to fade’ tattoo studio.

Launched in 2021, Ephemeral uses medical-grade, biodegradable ink that’s designed to fade in 9-15 months. It’s applied with a typical tattoo gun, and ink is deposited under your skin like a normal tattoo. Aftercare is the same too, following the normal line-up of unscented soap and strong moisturizer. 

In late May, a team member reached out to me, asking if I was interested in writing a review of the ‘full Ephemeral experience’ at their new Atlanta location. I heard so much about them already, I was excited to drop by the studio and get the scoop for The Connector. All I had to do was offer up my body! Fair trade, right? 

As soon as I confirmed an appointment, they sent me a design form. There, I answered a variety of questions, including my experience with ink, inspiration images, placement and budget. It was very in-depth and quite impressive. With other tattoo shops, I’ve been surprised with my design the day of the appointment, which is about as nerve-wracking as it sounds. Ephemeral’s design process was streamlined and professional. They cater especially to people with little to no tattoo experience, and I can see this being very welcoming to someone who would be nervous for something that’s not even permanent.

The big day came a few weeks later. The shop is located in the Ponce-Highlands area, right next to the Plaza Theatre, a personal favorite, and Jeni’s ice cream. After passing under the neon red sign, you’re welcomed by a panel of friendly front desk personnel. They check you in (remember to bring an ID), then seat you in one of their fashionable lounges.

That’s another thing I want to stress … this place is chic. It’s like a 90’s music video, with thumping music and colorful lights. If the Backstreet Boys ever came back, I would tell them to hit up Ephemeral for their next filming location.

I was soon approached by their impressive snack cart. Candy, crackers, fancy Boxed water, it reminded me of snack tables in the greenrooms of diva celebrities. The only thing that was missing was a bowl of all-green M&Ms. 

Colton Southworth, the studio leader of Ephemeral Atlanta, greeted me a little while later. The first thing I noticed about him is his full sleeve of tattoos. And before I could ask, he confirmed my thoughts. “Yeah,” he said. “All Ephemeral!”

He’s allowed every artist in the new studio to test their skills on his own body. On his left arm, he’s got the logo of the shop proudly displayed. Like the warmness of a proud dad. For a first timer, I felt incredibly welcomed. Even as someone with a few tattoos already, I was very comforted by his attitude. Southworth was able to answer all the questions I had, and then some. After a thorough overview of what to expect, he passed me on to Naomi, my tattoo artist for the day. 

She welcomed me to our private booth, which was sectioned off from the rest of the studio. Imagine a really cool, bright cubicle. From there, she showed me the design she had sketched up from my Design Form. I gave her the okay, then she transferred the work onto my skin. She asked me several times if I was happy with everything before I got started, which unfortunately isn’t always the norm with tattoo artists. At my confirmation, she got to work. 

As she began inking, I talked to her about her background. Naomi is a self-taught artist, and has been tattooing since last year. Originally, she was a pre-med student at UGA, and stumbled upon tattooing when looking for a side hustle. She ended up falling in love, and never looked back. 

Ephemeral reached out to her on Instagram, impressed with her work, and asked if she wanted to join the team. “I was skeptical at first, because who asks to hire you over Instagram?” she said, referring to the countless of bots that fill every Facebook-user’s mailbox. “But once they talked to me a few more times, I realized they were serious.”

Before, she was self-taught and worked out of her family’s office. Now, at Ephemeral, she’s working in a studio for the first time and absolutely loves it. “I’m getting the full shop experience,” said Naomi. “They’re so welcoming. No drama, at all. I love it.”

If you’ve been tattooed before, you’re used to seeing the small cups of ink that rest on the workstation. Typically, artists use the same cup for the whole session, but at Ephermal, it’s replaced constantly, since the trademarked ink dries faster than normal. The process also takes a little longer too. My design, which was only about three inches, would normally take an hour in a normal studio. Here, it ended up being about three hours. Keep this in mind while making an appointment. Time flew by with someone as personable as Naomi, but I thought it was important to mention. 

Once your tattoo is finished, you’ll be introduced to aftercare. They take it seriously, as it’s essential to have your design heal correctly to assure its full potential. Everything regarding aftercare is the same as a normal studio. Same soap, same lotion and everything is included in a little goody bag. Isn’t that adorable? They also threw in a handful of candy, a branded balloon and a Polaroid of my design.

Your tattoo will also be wrapped in a hydrocolloid patch, which is made from the same material as those super viral pimple patches. It’s instructed that you keep it on for two days, remove and clean the design, and then apply another patch. While you’re wearing the ‘HC patch,’ you’ll notice that it may fill with a bluish liquid. All cool, this is expected. A tattoo is an open wound after all, and this is your body healing over it. 

After removing the patch, my design needed to be cleaned twice a day with the included Mr. Bronner’s pure-castille soap, then covered in a thin layer of unscented lotion. For a few weeks afterwards, the tattoo was especially flakey, but after consistent lotion use, it calmed down. 

I am now a month out after getting my tattoo with Ephemeral, and I’m very pleased with the services I was offered. From start to finish, I was given a 5-star experience that was clean, streamlined and finely-tuned. My work looks beautiful, and I’m excited to keep y’all updated with how it fades. Stay tuned for my next article about the shop for a full fade timeline. 

To make an appointment with Ephemeral Atlanta, visit their website here. Happy tattooing!