Want the look of a tattoo, but not forever? This is possible thanks to temporary tattoos, which transfer a design to your skin when you rub them on. When you were a child you might have used something like this, getting a little cartoon on your arm or leg. They've moved on a lot from children's items, the adult versions look just like a permanent tattoo.

Once you know you can have a tattoo, but just for a few days, it frees you up to think of all sorts of uses...

Fancy dress parties

Going to a fancy dress party as Cheryl Cole, Amy Winehouse or David Beckham? Get some transfer designs that match a tattoo of a celebrity and you'll look a lot more like them, and cause quite a stir until people realise you didn't like them enough to get permanently inked.

I've known tribute acts for Robbie Williams and Amy Winehouse use temporary tattoos to keep up with the stars without having to adorn their own bodies forever more. If they're good enough to pass muster on someone who tries to look like the real thing professionally, they'll be more than good enough for a fancy dress party or two.

Festivals

Too young to get a permanent tattoo showing off your favourite band? You can get a rub on version of their name, or a copy of one of their tattoos, to wear to a gig or party, or to school just to raise a fuss. For bonus points, don't tell people it's easily removed until your parents have jumped to all the wrong conclusions!

Hen parties

If you have a theme for a hen party you're going on, take some matching temporary tattoos with you so the whole group can get in the mood. If there's no theme, some fun designs can give everyone a laugh, especially if you can base some of the designs around events in the bride-to-be's life.

Stag parties

As with the hen parties, if you have a theme, temporary tattoos can add a nice touch which most don't think of, and can help identify the group when the beer has been flowing freely. You might prefer this trick: the friends of the stag made sure he was 'well lubricated' throughout the day. When he finally fell asleep, 'feeling no pain' as the saying goes, they applied a large temporary tattoo to his neck and left him to sleep off the day.

Next day, cue a horrified groom who's got a massive hangover and a tattoo he doesn't remember getting, and much hilarity among his equally hung over friends who are all trying not to tell him that he won't have to explain the new decoration to his future wife after all.

With a bit of thought, I'm sure you can come up with some way of using a short-term tattoo in your life.