The Real Reason You’re Obsessed With Flash Tattoos

Flash Tattoo devotion reaches far and wide — you can find the dainty gold, silver, and black designs on mothers, teenagers, tiny children, celebrities, non-celebrities...you get the idea. Vogue has written about wearing them to work, while the White House reportedly gave packs of them away during its annual Easter Egg hunt. It's easy to see their shiny appeal: They don't require much work, commitment, or thought compared to real-life tattoos. And they're pretty. But according to a new report by Racked, the obsession is more than just skin-deep. The website consulted Viren Swami, PhD, a psychologist at the University of Westminster in the U.K. who researches why people get tattoos. He says that — similar to the permanent kind — these temporary tats reflect a sense of individual style. But, more than that, it's the transformation process and social aspect — as a conversation piece, both in real life and on social media — that appeals to users. (Founder Miranda Burnet attributes a lot of the company's success to Instagram.) These reasons, combined with how readily available they are, makes these temporary tats an all-around marketing slam-dunk. "Accessible and practical and fashionable; that’s the winning trifecta," Sarah Owen, trend editor at fashion-forecasting group WGSN, told Racked. "That is the recipe to success, the reason they are so popular." Flash Tats have only been around since last summer, but the hype doesn't look to be slowing down anytime soon. According to the Racked article, this summer the company sold 700 items in just one day online alone, and is constantly churning out new, innovative styles and collaborations. (Last we heard, Swarovski-crystal tats were its latest innovation.) Will Flash Tats make it to next summer? It's likely — especially if power-players like Beyoncé and Rihanna (each of whom has her own collection) keep wearing them. And, in case you're still not convinced, we hear they also make great additions to Halloween costumes...