“A woman should wear fragrance wherever she expects to be kissed”-Coco Chanel
Laura Reynolds looks at some of the cheapest beauty products available
Ian Angell, first year Philosophy student
An anchor, a dagger, a heart that says ‘mum’. Unless you are a London Gangster or Popeye, nobody should get these tattoos done, they lack all the originality and artistic value that many supporters of tattoos prize. Other tattoos, however, should arguably also be avoided, unless they have been given due consideration. When you get a tattoo, it is actually for life. Yes they can be removed, but this is expensive and most people who regret their tattoos would be unable to justify spending the hundreds or thousands of pounds required to get this done. (One could, of course, do as Jordan did and simply get their tattoo crossed out as she did with Peter Andre’s name, but I doubt many tattoo owners would fail to see the vulgarity in doing such a thing.) I do wonder how the boy I went to school with, who got ‘SLIPKNOT’ emblazoned across his bicep, will feel when he is 40 and has kids and a mortgage. Not quite so cool to be a fan of a forgotten hard rock band when you’re on your way to pick up your daughter from ballet in your Renault Megáne.
Furthermore, future employers and other people you meet professionally are unlikely to look too kindly on visible tattoos. While they may not all be the words ‘LOVE’ and ‘HATE’ thuggishly scrawled across your knuckles, these people are unlikely to ‘get’ the significance of this tattoo to you and will, unfortunately, make unfair assumptions. Also, you never know who you will meet in your life, and it is important to remember that future girlfriends/boyfriends may hate your tattoo, especially if it is anything to do with a former partner. If you are absolutely certain that the tattoo you are getting is something you want to see on your body for the rest of your life, and this is unlikely to hinder your life in any way, then by all means get a tattoo. Otherwise ask yourself “Is it really worth bothering?”
Matthew Wykes – First year Sociology student
The most frequent question I get when talking about tattoo/s that I have, or wish to have, is “Won’t they be all faded and wrinkly when you’re older?” First of all I would like to point out that that you will be all faded and wrinkly with or without the tattoo/s. Secondly is it not a show, albeit blatant, of how you have lived your life? A tapestry of ink. I for one want certain tattoos for the meaning they hold to me, not to the onlooker. For example, the tattoo I have now is on my arm so I see it pretty much every day and that is how I like it. It reminds me of who I am and what I strive to be.
Another reason is that people find them disgusting and ugly no matter how they look. Granted, in extreme cases I do find full body tattoos not to my taste, but still it is their own choice and for this reason they should be allowed do what they wish to their own body. In addition to this those who find them vulgar do not realise that the person with the tattoo is not doing it for you, they are doing it for themselves in the majority of cases. Or why would people have ones on parts of their body where you would only see it by the pool or have those who are intimate to them see it? Sure there is no end of bad tattoos in the world but again, can we not bring it into a larger context in the sense that for some, modern art is tripe, while for others an awe to gaze upon with the same in the case of tattoos. People are entitled to not like tattoos but whether it be a minority or not, some still do like them. Live and let live!
4 tips for if you decide to get a tattoo
1. Don’t decide to get one whilst drunk. Though most reputable tattoo parlours will turn you away if you appear to be intoxicated, there are those that will happily take your custom. Waking up in the morning with a splitting headache and ‘I love Lambrini’ tattooed on your bum does not say class.
2. Try before you buy. If you’ve decided on a design, have a temporary tattoo to decide if you like it or not. They can last for up to 2 weeks, are easy to remove and let you get used to the idea of having a picture or words on your skin all the time.
3. Be realistic. Are you really going to be able to sit through hours of pain whilst having the Mona Lisa tattooed onto your back? Consider your pain threshold and choose your design size accordingly. You can always add to the design later, once the original has healed.
4. If you’re not considering a career as a rock-star, fashion designer or a tattoo artist, make sure the tattoo is somewhere that’s easily covered. When deciding between two applicants with exactly the same qualifications, 9 times out of 10 an employer will choose the one without a daisy chain tattoo around their wrist.
Great article. Personally, I'm a bit of an addict to shows like Miami Ink, and they totally changed my opinion of tattoos. My biggest value with them would be don't get one for the sake of having one - make sure you really want what you're going to get and that it does have significance to you personally.
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