These Dainty Ear Tattoos are Better Than Earrings

By Zoe Weiner, Self

Who needs piercings?

You'll never have to worry about losing an earring again, thanks to the latest trend in ear embellishments: helix tattoos. These ear tattoos are delicate, subtle, and so pretty.

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Instead of jewelry, people are using dainty ink designs to glitz up their ear cartilage. As Elle UK first reported, tattoo artists are creating delicate artwork on the teeny, tiny curve on the back of people's ears. The negative-space designs range from intricate florals to simple, minimalist lines that mimic the look of a piercing. These minimalist designs are even more subtle than the usual tucked-behind-the-ear tat, like Hailey Baldwin's "G", or lobe tattoos, like Cara Delevingne's diamond.

There are dozens of photos of the ear tattoos trend on Instagram, which prove that a tattoo artist can put anything on the back of someone's ear as long as the artist has a steady hand and a small enough needle. Stick-and-poke lines and dots seem to be the most popular option, possibly because they look even more delicate than the average tattoo:

A post shared by ◾Blackwork by Fliquet Renouf◾ (@bodyillustration) on Jul 9, 2015 at 9:16am PDT

A post shared by Tjitske (@tjitske.jelsma) on Apr 20, 2017 at 10:24am PDT

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A post shared by Indy (@indyvoet) on Mar 6, 2017 at 10:56am PST

Winding florals can make an ear look like a work of art:

A post shared by Tina-Marie Sollosy (@serpentinamarie) on Apr 23, 2017 at 8:36pm PDT

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Guess it's the smallest tattoo I've ever done 🙈 Thank You @ghostporcelain / Uwaga uwaga ! 😊Skończyłam zapisy na kolorowe tatuaże. Wszystkich zainteresowanych zapraszam do prac w b&w :) #blackworkerssubmission #blackworkers #blacktattooart #blackbearstudio #wiilsubmission #equilatterasubmission #tttism #tattrx #blxckink #onlyblackart #instinctsubmission #blackwork #lublintattoo #lublin #poznan #dotworktattoo #inkstinctsubmission #darkartists #thinkbeforeuink #btattooing #tattoo

A post shared by Joanna Litwin ❄ (@zszywka_tattooing) on Feb 7, 2017 at 12:50pm PST

A post shared by Karolina Smędzik-Borowiec (@karolinasmedzik) on Apr 20, 2017 at 11:45am PDT

Teeny-tiny paw prints are pretty much the cutest thing ever:

A post shared by Dave Valentine (@davevalentinestattoos) on Apr 28, 2014 at 1:19pm PDT

Or, if you're looking for something completely different, you can decorate the entire area with tiny dots:

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A post shared by @tattoo__________ink on Apr 24, 2017 at 9:56am PDT

New and unique ear decorations have become increasingly popular in recent years. Piercing trends like "Constellation Piercings" (multiple earrings placed close to one another on the lobe) and daith rings had a major moment in 2016. Meanwhile, the less-permanent ear makeup popped up on runways, like Proenza Schouler, Anthony Vaccarello, and Louis Vuitton.

Even though helix tattoos probably won't ever totally replace piercings, they definitely offer a new and unique way to bring your ear party to the next level. Plus, they can't fall out. If you're looking for a less permanent way to spice things up, you can easily recreate the look (especially the minimalist version) with a supersharp eyeliner and a little bit of patience.

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