40 Fresh Face Tattoo Ideas for Those Looking to Make a Statement

Face tattoos are not going to be for everyone, clearly. However, you might be curious about the possibilities of these designs as more and more folks are exploring face tattoo ideas today. We wanted to discover what other face tattoos work well for others to better understand the best placement, designs, and sizes that will work best for most people. We have found some truly remarkable face tattoo ideas that we think you are going to love!

Most people are looking for small face tattoo ideas so we will start by showing you the tinier ones before moving on to large face tattoo ideas. There’s no right or wrong way to go about it. Just work with a tattoo artist to help realize your vision and you won’t regret it. Take a look at these fresh face tattoo ideas for ink inspiration.

Small Face Tattoo Ideas

Choosing Placement

This micro tattoo of a bird looks great back on the cheek near the ear. Face tattoos are by nature in your face but back by the ear is a more subtle placement.

Play with Different Shapes

Here, we find cute little sparkles done with a very fine and steady line. These look so great like this person’s got a twinkle in their eye.

Queen of Hearts, Red Ink

Why have just a heart tattoo when you can be the Queen of Hearts? Red ink always looks great for tattoos so we urge you to think about other ink colors than just black for tattoos.

Between the Eyes

How do you feel about getting something right between your eyebrows? We like the half moon but we are not completely sold on this placement.

Symbols

The heart is a symbol for love which made us want to look for other symbols might work for some people as face tattoos. How about the symbol for your sign of the zodiac? We think it looks fun here!

Striking

This tiny tattoo of a bolt of electricity feels appropriate. We love how small it is on the face and how sharp the lines appear. We definitely feel something similar could work for many.

Seeing Stars

This tidy little star on the cheek looks fantastic. We feel like the shape of this design will allow you to go smaller than other star shapes. What a dream!

So Sad?

We are not sure we love the teardrop tattoos as they do feel emotional. However, tattoos are all about self-expression so feel free to go with your heart, of course. We do appreciate how neat and clean it looks.

Cheer Up, Folks!

We guess being emotional at this time is completely understandable, but we keep coming across some rather joyless designs! We find a tiny little broken heart in this example. It does look great, however.

Whispers in the Ear

We doubt a lot of people are aching to get snakes tattooed on their faces but to each their own! This snake done in all black ink is a bold choice. Remember that outlines of shapes will appear much lighter and subtler than those completely filled.

Botanical

Check out that leafy element over this person’s eyebrow. Because it is slightly tucked into the brow, it doesn’t jump out as much. If that’s what you’re going for, you might consider doing a similar design for your tattoo. Tattoos that celebrate nature are always recommended!

Thorny

What you think about these two face tattoos? We like the flower over the barbed wire, but we do appreciate how light the lines appear. They’re some really sharp tattoos.

The tragus area of the ear is a smart place to get a tattoo as it is like a small little landing pad just asking for a tattoo. Face tattoos that are further from the center of the face read less obvious as well.

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Paper Planes

Softer shapes will look more appealing than sharper, more geometric designs. That being said, this paper airplane tattoo looks fantastic.

Brush Strokes

Look closely, it’s easy to miss the two brushstrokes that have been tattooed beneath this woman’s eye. Can you see them? They look so unique and unlike any face tattoo we have ever seen before. Bravo!

Little Letters

While we do not recommend getting an entire word tattooed on your face, these cute little letters seem dainty enough. It’s unclear whether this person got someone’s initials or just loves Texas. We like a touch of ambiguity!

X Marks the Spot

Check out the very lightly applied cross under this person’s eye. It appears almost airbrushed on. A cross or X like this may work for you. We are into it!

From the Hairline

We love the idea of the tattoo extending from the hairline out onto the face slightly. We imagine something like this is not easily visible when this person’s long hair is let down. Is this too much?

Subtle Squiggle

Check the very, very, very light tattoo just next to this person’s eye. A very thin squiggle like it would look great when applied by a talented artist.

Mandala-Inspired

One of the most popular face tattoos we saw over and over again while researching this list are the mandala-style tattoos that extend from the ear onto the face. The shape of the design helps accentuate the face’s natural shape which looks lovely.

Radiant in Red

This heart tattoo looks stunning in red ink. It appears bright and full of passion and life. We cannot sing red ink’s praises loud enough!

Asterisks

We love the way these teeny-tiny little asterisks look beneath and next to the eyes. In a pinch, we venture something this small could be covered up if you felt the need.

Dots

Chrissy Teigen just got little dots tattooed on her fingers and we think they look great on the face as well. Sort of like a beauty mark in the way they make you pay attention to different pleasing parts of the face.

RELATED: Chrissy Teigan Just Got Finger Tattoos, Let’s Discover More Ways to Decorate Your Digits with Ink

More Daring Subject Matter

While we do love the more subtle face tattoos, this little butterfly tattoo turned out great. We think because it is an organic shape it works better than something like a dagger. We urge you to follow your heart but to think really hard before getting that beautiful face tattooed! It’s a big commitment, but for the right person, it will help them express themself even more!

Large Face Tattoo Ideas

Accentuate the Features of the Face

Now, are you ready for some big, face tattoo ideas? Let’s kick things off with a dramatic one. We find a large snake with a nail through it coming up the side of the face. Notice how the opening of its mouth accentuates the eye? Very nice!

Over the Ear

Blossoms tumble out from over the ear in this botanical design. It’s one of our favorite face tattoo ideas and you will see a couple more like it. This makes us think of putting flowers behind our ears as children.

Burn Your Fire

You can be idiosyncratic with your face tattoo ideas. Any subject matter is game and the world’s your oyster. We liked this burning match with a gold and orange flame.

Cool Lettering

You don’t have to go with figurative subject matter for your face tattoo ideas. Words, cool lettering, phrases, and more can all be transformed into amazing tattoos. We find some very clean lines in this script tattoo. Bravo!

Kiss of the Dragon

Here is a dragon’s claw that covers almost half of the face. It is vaguely Asian-inspired and is full of energy. Take a look at the contrasting colors of blue and red. They really make this one pop.

Lettering Over the Eyebrow

Most face tattoo ideas are for the side of the face. But, that’s not a rule. Feel free to go over the eyebrow for something that really stands out. We find the word “Blessed” here but anything goes.

Taking a Stab at It

A dagger and a skull combine in this intriguing face tattoo idea. Face tattoos like this one read as tough and are popular among both men and women today. If your worldview is a touch macabre, lean into it.

Moody & Fruity

And now for one of our favorite face tattoos on the list. We find some fruit and flowers hear with a stem that’s been blasted over the year for a cool effect. Black, dark grey, and purple swirl together her in perfect harmony.

Spiked Stars

You can pick a theme and choose to repeat it in more than one location on the face. This person has clearly been into the spikes and we think they look rather cool on the side of the face and at the hairline.

Big Mandala

We shared with you some smaller mandala face tattoos but this big one means business. This is one of the most popular design schemes for the face and it’s easy to see why so many folks are attracted to it.

Neo-Traditional Flower

Neo-traditional tattooing combines old-school designs with modern sensibilities. You get the best of both old and new here. If you’d like a face tattoo that celebrates the history of tattooing, something similar could be the right move for you.

Flames & Things

If you want some coverage with your face tattoo, you could get a giant tattoo or you can get a few smaller ones that fit together well. Here, we find the newer tattoo, a flame shape, licking the border of an existing tattoo next to the ear. It’s pretty darn hot!

Front & Center

This is one of the least popular placements but we felt the need to share it with you as it is a possibility. A simple, black arrow cuts the face in half here. It’s a bold move but fortune favors the brave.

Neo-Traditional Dagger

Here’s another neo-traditional face tattoo but it’s much larger than the last one. We find a handsome chrysanthemum pierced by a dagger with an ornate handle. The shape of the blade echoes the nature curve of this person’s face which is very clever.

Castle Moment

We find a piece of a castle here tattooed in black, grey, and white ink for a haunting result. Tattoo artists are turning more and more to white today to highlight darker designs for a major contrast. Brilliant!

Now you have some great face tattoo ideas to take with you to the tattoo shop. Remember tattoos are all about self-expression so you want an original design that is all your own. It’s okay to get face tattoo ideas from this list but you don’t want to duplicate any of them. If you want even more ink inspiration, take a look at these cool behind the ear tattoos.

Check Out These Stunning Behind Ear Tattoos!

Make It Sting!

Do you have big Scorpio energy? If so, you might want to look into scorpion behind ear tattoos. This one is done in red ink which looks so fantastic!

Make It Sweet!

If scorpions aren’t your thing but a different insect is, consider butterfly behind ear tattoos! Don’t these three look so perfect in this spot? There’s a reason butterfly tattoos are so popular, they’re gorgeous!

Fun with Florals

How precious is this stylized rose tattoo? Once it’s healed, this going to look like it’s always been there. Minimalist designs work perfectly for behind ear tattoos.

Seeing Stars

Simplicity really is bliss and that’s the case for these behind ear tattoos of abstract stars. Go minimalist for a more decorative and ornamental vibe.

For the Boys

We’ve seen a few behind ear tattoos for women but we must stress that this type of tattoo is for everyone! Behind the ear tattoos for men tend to be slightly larger but we find a small example here in the form of a black tree.

Best Shapes for Behind Ear Tattoos

The best shape for behind ear tattoos is a curved crescent moon that sort of cups and hugs the ear. Here’s a sharp example of how excellent this type of shape looks in the placement.

Angels

Here are more examples of behind the ear tattoos for men. How cute are these little diamond-holding angels?

A Sense of Humor

It’s always good not to take yourself too seriously. This person has decided that funny behind ear tattoos are the way to go! We find the word, “lobotomy” hiding behind the ear.

Constellations

Constellation tattoos are popular astrology-themed tattoos. We find them as behind ear tattoos fairly often. Here’s a cute example of one for Scorpio.

Make Waves

How refreshing does this wave look? Notice how crisp and delicate the lines are in this tattoo? It’s likely the result of a stick and poke tattoo that’s applied without a tattoo gun and, instead, completely by hand.

Shark Attack

We find a shark that looks like it’s floating due to the delicate shadow beneath. If you’re inspired by wildlife, let it inform your behind ear tattoos!

Show Your Grit

Little daggers are popular among behind ear tattoos. Here’s a sharp little one that looks really neat. Tattoos of weapons look so tough in this placement.

Mandala- Inspired

Mandala-inspired behind ear tattoos are really popular due to their ability to “bloom” out from the ear. We love how this one also makes a star shape immediately behind the ear. How clever!

RELATED: 25 Behind the Ear Tattoos That Are the Perfect Little Peekaboo

Get Creepy

If you’ve got an inner goth, express yourself with little behind ear tattoos in the form of bats. They look so good in black silhouette here. Tattoos are all about self-expression so don’t let anyone discourage you from doing you.

For the Love of Family

“Sometimes it’s the smallest tattoos that mean the most,” the person who shared this image captioned it. How true! If you want a behind ear tattoo that celebrates your fam, go for it!

Spread Joy

It’s okay to get a little goofy with your behind ear tattoos! This smiley face looks perfectly placed to encourage others who behold it smile. How fun!

Sweetgrass

Sweetgrass is a sacred grass of the indigenous peoples of Canada and the United States. It is used as a smudge, in herbal medicine. We find a lovely braid of it in tattoo form that looks very nice!

Buzzing In Your Ear

For whatever reason, bugs are really popular behind ear tattoos. We found this bee to be absolutely charming. You could even go smaller for a more subtle tattoo.

Spaced Out

For this person’s behind ear tattoos, they decided to go for an entire cosmic scene! We find celestial bodies situated on a sparkling blue background. It’s an ambitious design that really paid off!

Take Flight

Notice how the shape of this wing fits so perfectly by following the natural shape of the ear. The most successful behind ear tattoos pull this off well.

Petite & Perfect

This little elephant tattoo is so charming. There’s not a whole lot going on but it’s immediately clear what the minimalist shape is supposed to represent.

Creepy-Crawly

This little spider tattoo is so crisp and dramatic that it’s almost unnerving. For behind ear tattoos, if you get an insect, you’ll be in good company. People really like that creep factor!

Mental Health Awareness

Semicolon tattoos are extremely popular behind ear tattoos because they symbolize mental health awareness and solidarity. We find this one designed inside a lotus, a symbol of rebirth and growth itself!

Music, Play On

Where are the music-lovers at? Let music inform your behind ear tattoos! This one is so crisp and sharp and if you’d like the same, find yourself a tattoo artist of great skill. You can even request the design be applied with a stick and poke method to make it expertly sharp.

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Let ’em Know You’re a Queen

Here’s a cute Queen of Hearts behind the ear tattoo! We think it looks so smart in red ink! Consider getting initials or other meaningful designs in a similar fashion!

There you go! We hope you enjoyed these behind ear tattoos that deserve to be shown off and never hidden. These designs look especially good behind the ear thanks to their shape and the peekaboo nature of these sorts of ear tattoos. Behind the ear tattoos are a huge trend at the moment, so don’t be shy about it, you’ll be in very good company!