If you’re looking for a dark horror-style tattoo but want to shy away from the conventional, consider a poison tattoo. Designs can vary from bold and colorful to grungy black and grey, but either way, the effect will be the same—an edgy tattoo that is sure to stand out. A poison tattoo could signify that you’re dangerous and not to be messed with, like the potion inked onto your skin, or it could symbolize a vice or temptation you give into instead. If that’s the case, you could choose to have something else marked as “poison,” like alcohol or playing cards. The skull and crossbones have been used to symbolize poison since the Middle Ages, and originally appeared on tombstones. Naturally, people began to associate the symbol with death, and deadly substances began being marked with skulls and crossbones as a warning sign. The XXX sometimes used dates back to 1643, when breweries marked the strength of their beers using X’s. Three X’s was the strongest beer, and again, people made the association between the marking on the bottle and the alcohol it contained. No wonder it’s common for bartenders to ask patrons, “What’s your poison?”
