Like diamonds, death and taxes, tattoos have been "forever", but apparently - there is a solution to that as well. Start-up company Ephemeral has developed a paint that fades after a year and has so far raised about $ 20 million in a round of funding just four months after opening its first studio in Williamsburg, Brooklyn.
The funding came after Ephemeral became famous at TikTok and the company's chief executive, Jeff Liu, says "the problem they have solved is universal".
"A study found that 60 million Americans considered it a tattoo, but were hampered by the fact that it is permanent, whether for cultural or religious reasons, indecision or family disapproval."
New funding for Ephemeral will go towards the development of color paints (the company only offers black paints for now) and the opening of a second studio in September in Los Angeles.
"Our goal with this fundraiser is really to expand broadly and quickly to enter as many markets as we can," says the CEO of Ephemeral. "And so while we may not discover the exact cities we will be going to, the goal is to be able to enter at least 10 to 20 markets with this fundraiser."
How it works
Getting a tattoo in Ephemeral is like getting any other tattoo. So the experience involves needles and tight teeth.
The company spent six years on 50 formulations and hundreds of tattoo tests to perfect its paint, made up of medical grade, bio-absorbent polymers that slowly dissolve and are completely removed from the body's immune system for 9 to 15 months.
Some features are that artists can work “somewhat slower” to create fuller lines and the healing time can be slightly longer than that of traditional tattoos, averaging 4-6 weeks. Paleness begins to appear in the first 3-6 months and this is also affected by skin tone. For example, in people with darker skin color, the fading may start faster.
How much do they cost?
Ephemeral specializes in two types of tattoos: the "Subtle Style" model ($ 175 - $ 225) offers more minimalist, simpler work, which normally takes no more than an hour to complete, and the "Statement Piece" tattoos ($ 350– $ 450) are larger and usually last an hour and a half. The price is all-inclusive, from personalized design consulting to reward and a "post-tattoo care" bag.
Source: Bloomberg
