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Semicolon Butterfly
Temporary Tattoo
What a semicolon tattoo means
A semicolon marks the place where a writer could have ended a sentence and chose to keep going instead. Project Semicolon, founded in 2013, adopted that mark as a symbol for mental health struggle and survival, and it has been worn ever since — by people in recovery, and by the people standing beside them.
It is a quiet symbol. Most people who see it will not know what it means. The ones who do will know immediately.
The semicolon butterfly
The butterfly has long been worn to mean transformation. Paired with a semicolon, it is commonly worn to carry both ideas at once: the sentence continued, and something changed in the continuing.
Warr;or
Temporary Tattoo
The symbols in this collection
Every Temporary Tattoo here was picked for its meaning. These are the symbols people ask about most.
- Semicolon The sentence could have ended here. It didn’t.
- Semicolon butterfly Continuation and transformation together.
- Warr;or The semicolon set inside the word itself.
- Rise Up Phoenix Rising from what burned down.
- Unalome A winding path that straightens. The route was never direct.
- Faith Hope Love Cross, anchor and heart — belief, steadiness, love.
- Words keep going, still I rise, it’s okay to not be okay, don’t give up, you are not alone.
Actually, I Can
Temporary Tattoo
Who wears these
People in recovery
Worn to mark time, to mark a decision, or to mark an anniversary that matters only to you. Some people wear one on a hard day. Some wear one on the day they are proud of.
People who have survived
“Suicide survivor” means two different things to two different people — someone who lived through their own attempt, and someone who lost a person they loved. There are designs here for both.
People carrying someone they lost
A name, a date, a symbol that belonged to them. Worn for a few days around an anniversary, or on the day of a walk or a service.
People showing up for someone else
Visible support is its own message. Teams, families, support groups and workplaces wear these together so that the person who needs to see it, sees it.
Keep Going
Temporary Tattoo
Wearing them for awareness days
These get worn most around the dates the conversation gets louder: Suicide Prevention Awareness Month in September, World Suicide Prevention Day on 10 September, and Self-Harm Awareness Day on 1 March.
Because these are Temporary Tattoos that last a few days rather than a lifetime, they suit group settings — walks, fundraisers, campus events, staff training days — where a lot of people want to wear the same symbol at the same time.
Our NAMI Kit sends $5 from every kit to the National Alliance on Mental Illness. If you are ordering for a group, get in touch about bulk.
What to expect
Each Conscious Ink Temporary Tattoo lasts 3–7 days on average, based on proper application, placement area, skin type and activity level. They look real, they are safe, non-toxic and vegan, made with FDA-certified colorants, and made in the USA.
The upper wrist and forearm hold longest and stay in your eyeline through the day. Avoid creases and anywhere clothing rubs. Every order includes intention-setting instructions. See how to apply.
“Reaching out for help may trigger anxiety. Not doing so… tragedy.”— Frank Gjata, Conscious Ink founder
One more time, in case you scrolled past it
These are symbols — a way to mark something, remember someone, or make support visible. They are not treatment, and they are not a substitute for talking to someone.
Call 988 or text 988 for the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, any hour, anywhere in the US. NAMI and AFSP both have resources for people supporting someone else, which is its own kind of hard.
Outside the US, the International Association for Suicide Prevention maintains a directory of crisis centres by country.