Temporary ink for the hipster set

Always wanted a tattoo, but squirmed at the idea of that big needle?

Hila and Naftali Nachum have found the solution: Natural, soy-based, temporary tattoos.

Think of it as high-end body decorations for design-loving, organic-eating hipsters.

They didn’t actually invent these skin etchings that stay on for about a week, they’re just the first to introduce them in Israel via Dix.it, their website.

Unlike a regular tattoo, which is a puncture wound made deep in the skin and filled with ink, these are more similar to the temporary dragons, flowers and robots favored by kids, printed on paper coated with a transfer film that allows the decal to slide off onto the skin when moistened.

The Dix.it tattoos are just cooler. And vegan.

Made from soy-or plant-based inks, the pull of these faux tats is in the design, with a full selection of crisply-drawn, whimsical and clever etchings and images.

The Nachums came up with the idea about six months ago while walking in their hometown of Tel Aviv. They spotted someone on the street with “tasteful tattoos” on her arms, said Hila Nachum. While she liked the overall look, she didn’t like the idea of getting inked.

“That’s not my style,” she said.

But the idea of temporary tattoos intrigued her and after reading up on the effects of standard tattoo ink on skin, Nachum decided to do some research on alternate tattoos.

Turns out, they were gaining in traction. One Brooklyn-based company, Tattly, has turned temporary tattoos into cocktail party favors and artsy gifts, designed by a team of professional artists who get a cut of every sale.

The Nachums decided to set up their own temp-tattoo site. They took a $50,000 loan to set up their business, hiring illustrators and graphic artists in the US and Europe to create more than 140 images for kids and adults. They’re also planning on working with local graphic designers.

The Dix.it tattoos are funny and charming, and include a selection of both clever and snarky sayings, etchings of origami animals, colorful ice cream cones, bold pineapples, familiar pretzels and, of course, a few foul words. These are tattoos, after all.

The tattoos are sold at NIS 25 per pair or NIS 59 for a set, and shipped for free, given that they arrive in a slim envelope. Gift cards are also available.

For now, the site is only in Hebrew, although Hila Nachum said they’re planning on launching Dix.it in English in about five months.

“Tattoos are a strong retail product,” she said. “And like me, people are scared of getting tattoos, so this is a real solution.”