The French pen maker Société Bic SA is inking a deal with the temporary-tattoo company Inkbox Ink Inc., buying the Toronto startup for US$65-million.

Tattoos have spent the past two decades shifting from an underground art form to a mainstream cultural identifier, just as likely to be tucked under an accountant’s sleeve as they are to appear on the arm – or face – of a pop star. Brothers Tyler and Braden Handley launched Inkbox in 2015 to offer consumers something a little less permanent: tattoos that last a week or two.

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Bic’s investment in temporary tattoos is a natural extension of its expertise in consumer goods with fleeting lifespans: not just ink-bearing pens, but lighters and razors the world over bear its black-and-yellow logo. It had already been exploring the temporary-tattoo market, selling stencil kits and markers designed for the skin to last a few days.

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