Some ingredients to avoid in nail polish are dibutyl phthalate, toluene, and formaldehyde. However, short term exposure to these products is relatively safe, because these chemicals are often found in cleaning products, so just take caution in the amount of polish you apply to your skin. If you are pregnant, do not apply tattoos with nail polish. Nail polish brands that contain none of the above toxins are: Color Madnic Luscious nail lacquer, Zoya professional nail lacquer, OPI Birthday Babe nail lacquer, Cali nail polish thinner, Essie Starter Wife 596 nail lacquer, and Out the Door topcoat. These are safe to use on your skin, even for long exposure.

Henna is more expensive, especially if you get it done at a fair, carnival, or another outing. You can buy henna kits online, that over time are worth the money spent on them. You can also purchase tattoo pens, which are specifically created for tattoos and will create a tattoo that lasts longer. [3] X Research source

If you aren’t interested in drawing or printing out your tattoo, or don’t trust your art skills, you can usually find stencils at a craft or dollar store.

If you are doing your tattoo on a part of your skin that doesn’t stretch, like the inside of your arm, you should be able to get an accurate tattoo by just taping down the stencil to hold it into place.