Top 5 Things You Need to Know About Freckle Tattoos
What's the hottest beauty trend? Freckles! Though freckle tattoos have been around since 2015, it's only lately that freckles are being tattooed on people's faces semi-permanently. Not everyone is on board with this trend though since those who have been bullied for their freckles as kids believes this is this a cheap way of commodifying a body trait. Just know that if you're planning on getting freckle tattoos, they don't come cheap! Here are top 5 facts to know about the most recent trend!
#5: The Trend Started in 2015
Though it’s been quick to catch on in both tattooing and cosmetic circles, this distinct beauty trend is still in its cultural infancy. Although people have been experimenting with creating beauty marks, freckles and other naturally-occurring facial features for years, this particular technique—which has quickly caught the attention of the beauty world—only really hit the scene in 2015. Despite its short lifespan, it’s become one of the most talked about trends, inspiring countless products. For those unwilling to face the needle since 2015, there are also temporary tattoo freckles and liquid freckle makeup like “Freck”.
#4: They Come in Dark, But Fade Over Time
While you should always take some time for sober reflection before getting a tattoo, especially one on your face, these faux freckles come with significantly less baggage than your typical ink since they aren’t a lifelong commitment. The technique that’s made freckle tattoos so popular is actually a semi-permanent one, in which the gradual fading of the initially dark ink plays a crucial role in achieving that realistic, natural, freckle-faced look. So if you don’t like the freckles you’ve bought, just let them fade away over the ensuing months until they disappear completely. On the downside, if you love the new you then be ready for touchups.
#3: They Don’t Come Cheap
Style is rarely without expense, and in the case of these little beauty marks the cost of upkeep is in the ballpark of $200 to $300 per visit. As mentioned earlier, you’ll need to book an appointment every few months if you plan on maintaining your newly faux sun-kissed visage. A typical tattoo appointment costs between $100 to $200 an hour depending on the skill level, popularity, and specialization of the artist in question. While a freckle tattoo session should only take about an hour, you’re having something done which takes specific skills and is on-trend, meaning that you should expect to pay above-average rates to get this look.
#2: Gabrielle Rainbow was a Pioneer in the Trend
It’s hard to pin down an exact origin for freckle tattoos, since artists with an interest in the beauty industry have been toying with cosmetic tattooing for years. As far as this particular semi-permanent technique is concerned, Montreal native Gabrielle Rainbow has undeniably been the driving force that’s pushed this from a fringe tattoo practice to the major beauty trend it’s become today. She’s a pioneer in the field of cosmetic tattooing, and has made a career out of specializing in natural-looking, skin-friendly pigmentation tattoo techniques. As for freckle tattoos in particular, she claims her inspiration was a friend who kept applying them with traditional superficial cosmetic products.
#1: It's Gained a Lot of Attention… Both Positive and Negative
The goal of cosmetics has always been to accentuate good features and conceal those considered to be unattractive. For the longest time freckles were treated as a facial flaw, with cosmetics designed intentionally to hide them. They’ve also been the subject of childhood bullying, so much so that actress Julianne Moore has written a series of children's books on the subject called “Freckleface Strawberry.” So on the one hand, this trend has been applauded by many as a sign that we’re finally embracing wider definitions of beauty. On the other, some individuals with real freckles are unhappy that their distinct facial markings are being repurposed as a beauty trend.
Do you agree with our list? Would you ever consider freckle tattoos? For more hotly debated top 10s and trending Top 5s, be sure to subscribe to MsMojo.
