Here we go again… English pop and R&B recording artist, Cheryl Cole married England and Chelsea footballer Ashley Cole in 2006.  The marriage, marred by reports of Ashley’s infidelity, ended in September of 2010.  During their marriage, Cheryl acquired a rather large tattoo on the back of her neck with the words “Mrs. C”.  Since reports of her husband’s extramarital follies, Cheryl has publicly voiced that she desires to have the inked tribute to her ex-husband removed from her neck. All Talk No Action Cole has been talking about removing the tattoo for an exceedingly long time now.  Really, it is old news that keeps getting circulated to the top again.  The removal process involves laser treatment to have the ink removed from her neck.  Some are saying that she may opt to have the tattoo redesigned instead of having a “full” removal.  Friends and insiders report that Cheryl does regret ever having the tattoo and now understands the true meaning of permanency.  Although she understands that the laser treatments are painful and time consuming, Cheryl reports that she wants no memory of her cheating ex left behind as a painful reminder of what she went through.  We will believe the removal when we see it.  Seems like if she truly wanted it gone it would have been gone by now. Schedule Gap… Are You Kidding? We all know that Cole has a busy schedule, what with her new album set for release in March and a budding film career.  Perhaps the tattoo removal has not yet made it to the top of the priority list for this popular princess.  There are also rumors of this singer, actress and model launching her very own talk show.  Sources state that removal is slated for the first gap in her schedule.  We don’t see a gap coming any time soon for this ever so popular gal, who has also been working with Simon Cowell on a potentially new talent show. Moving On Since the split from Ashley, Cole has made the rounds but has not yet settled down into anything long-term.  Insiders state that Cole wants to focus on her career, not her love life.  Cheryl has supposedly dated a 25-year-old ‘Dancing with the Stars’ pro who helped her through her divorce.  Reports also linked Cole to Black Eyed Peas buddy Will.i.am, her co-judge on X Factor, Simon Cowell and singer Taio Cruz. Her latest sweetheart appears to be 21-year-old Patrizio Pigliapoco who is the driving force behind Cole’s American success.  The two have become close since Cole has spent a considerable amount of the time in the states working on her next new solo project. There have been many late night recording sessions with Patrizio in Los Angeles and the two are said to have become inseparable. Patrizio has commented that he sees no way that any man could ever cheat on Cole, as she is so incredibly beautiful and awesomely talented. So While it appears as though there is no evidence of a reunion with ex Ashley Cole, Cheryl is not exactly speeding to remove his mark from her neck.  Perhaps it is a sign of something to come, or maybe just a time factor?  We will have to wait and see.

Many tattoo artists have their own unique pigment blend that they use regularly, made to an exact recipe that they keep a closely guarded secret.  In reality the majority of dyes on the market today contain traditional vegetable dyes along with metal salts and plastics.  One of the newest dye adaptations is a UV reactive agent that makes the tattoo react to black light, plus inks that absorb light then release it for a glow in the dark effect for an added artistic dimension. Pigments and Carriers It would be very unwise to attempt a tattoo with pigment alone as a carrier assists in keeping the pigments balanced and fluid during application.  There are five main carriers that are used, either on their own or as a mixture; these are purified water, witch hazel, ethyl alcohol, glycerine and propylene glycol.  This is what each artist uses to develop a recipe blend that works the best for them and goes on to use throughout the majority of their career. Henna is possibly the most widely used pigment.  Derived from the Lawsonia Inermis plant it provides a natural and intense level of colour.  Henna is very safe to use as allergic reactions to it are very rare.  Used mainly for temporary tattoos and hair colouring henna is a very practical and harmless pigment. Some pigments can cause severe allergic reactions, especially across the yellow and red range of colours.  Red inks often contain mercury or other heavy metals such as iron oxide or cadmium; it is the addition of these metals to the inks that give them their permanence.  It is also the addition of these metals that is responsible for the majority of reactions.  Reactions can range from scarring and eczema to lifelong mercury sensitivity, including any existing tooth fillings.  Other colours also contain heavy metals like antimony, cobalt nickel, lead, arsenic and chromium, all of which can lead to reactions in the skin.  A huge variety of pigments are available readymade, called pre-dispersed inks, which remove the need to mix carriers and individually dry pigments to create inks. Safety With a vast colour palette available to artists there is literally nothing from nature than cannot be recreated on a living canvas.  There are over fifty different shades and pigments available with more being regularly added to the list.  However, though readily accessible there is very little available in the way of governance that regulates their supply and use.  In fact you would be hard pressed to find a product that has been licensed for injection into the skin as tattooing pigment is not regulated as closely as pigments used in the general cosmetics and beauty industry.  If you are considering having a tattoo, and have had any form of allergic reaction to any chemical based products in the past, you would be wise to check with your chosen tattoo artist to check just what ingredients are in the inks he or she will be using before you start.

If you were ever a fan of Barbie when you were a kid it’s likely that you’ve seen her go through many transitions over the years.  She’s been a teacher, a princess, a doctor and even an astronaut – all things that a parent would be happy with seeing their child grow into you may think.  This is why the latest Barbie has sparked quite a bit of controversy, not just with fans of the doll but with parents too – the latest Barbie is tattooed! Tokidoki Barbie A few years ago Mattel – the creators of Barbie – released a version of the doll that came with removable stickers called ‘Totally Stylin’ Tattoos Barbie’.  The manufacturers received a lot of praise for this doll and due to its popularity it’s hardly surprising that Tokidoki Barbie – our tattooed friend – is the latest creation by the brand.  Designed by Simone Legno, Tokidoki has a tattoo on her arm and further body art on her chest. Punk Princess Alongside the tattoos, Tokidoki Barbie also has bright pink hair and she is wearing a black sweater with a cute skull and crossbones design (the skull has been replaced by a heart).  Tokidoki also wears leopard skin leggings and a cute little mini skirt – she really is a punk princess and is set to be a big hit with kids around the world, or she would be if they were able to obtain one. Controversy The media has recently suggested that parents of Barbie fans are outraged by the new Barbie design, however we fail to see why they are so uptight over it.  Many are… wait for it… saying that Barbie will have a negative impact on the mind of a child and many are concerned that children will start to tattoo themselves.  We think this is a bit of an over the top reaction and as usual, people will come together to back a cause that probably doesn’t even apply to them. Limited Edition Whether it’s due to the controversy surrounding Tokidoki or whether it was Mattel’s plan all along, the Tokidoki Barbie is only being released via the internet.  Mattel claim that the doll is purely for adult collectors and there will only be 7400 dolls released.  So, unless your kids know where to find Tokidoki online you needn’t worry about them forking out for a DIY tattoo kit just yet – she won’t be on the local shelves in Wal-Mart or anything! Like we said above, this is not the first time that Mattel have released a tattooed Barbie so we are quite surprised by the controversy.  Aside from the tattoo it yourself Barbie that we mentioned above, Mattel also released a Harley Davidson Barbie back in 2008 which has a large pair of wings adorned on her back – we didn’t hear people getting angry then unless we just weren’t listening. We think the new Tokidoki Barbie is pretty cool if you like that sort of thing, and definitely not worth protesting over.  What do you think?