Tattoos are pieces of art, and many people get ink because they want to show it off. however, the option to keep yours a secret certainly exists. There are many hidden tattoo spots all over the body that are crying out to be tattooed. While there are plenty of clever tattoos that even your mom will love, there are even more clever places to get a tattoo if you don’t want her or anyone else to see it. your tattoo, your rules, and don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.
You can hide a tattoo on your neck and under your hair, on your lower lip, on the soles of your feet, and between your fingers, to name just a few real estate spots. If these tattoo placements are good enough for celebrities, they’re certainly good enough for you. I mean, if angelina jolie is doing it, it must be good enough for us mere mortals, right?
Listen, while I’m totally a tattoo pro, I understand if you really want to get a tattoo to express yourself, but you don’t want it to be too obvious or on display. some family members may still be against you getting tattooed and, believe it or not, there are still certain jobs you won’t be hired for if you have visible ink. That’s how you have to do it when you get a tattoo.
here are 13 places where your tattoo can exist peacefully with a relative degree of privacy, and to offer the element of surprise to whoever finds it. There’s something cool about being a secret badass, right?
1. on the sole of your foot
only a few will see billie eilish’s jon boy tattoo. And that’s the beauty of the “Barbie” sole tattoo: unless you go barefoot, this is your little secret. between the toes is also a good hiding place; just be aware that these locations may not last as long as other locations. you may not be able to sport a tattoo on the soles of your feet. but when someone sees it, it sparks an instant conversation.
2. between your fingers
Between your fingers there is a nice place to make a tattoo. Rihanna got this sultry ink back in 2015 and, as usual, she was way ahead of the trend. Even though the singer-turned-beauty mogul has many tattoos that she shows off frequently, if she wanted to hide this one, she could easily keep it a secret. she also has the option of using a bit of concealer to cover the digital ink on her if absolutely necessary.
3. in your ear
If you really want a neatly hidden tattoo, check out this selena gomez inspo. The Rare Beauty founder has her fair share of tattoos, but this one is a little harder to spot. If you have long hair and always wear it down, this is a great place to hide a tattoo. An added bonus is that an earlobe tattoo could actually look like earrings, and who doesn’t love a good optical illusion?
Cara Delevingne also has a diamond in her ear and stars in her throat. Who needs piercings when you can have a permanent accessory in the form of a tattoo on your ear? it’s a smart (and painful) place to put a tattoo. however, the cosmetic benefits last much longer than the temporary pain. If you get tired of this tattoo or want to cover it up, just wear your hair down.
4. on your inner lip
lip tattoos tend to fade as the mouth area is always wet. That didn’t stop Kendall Jenner from getting a tattoo on her lower lip. that’s a super secret sweet spot, while it lasts. someone will have to get up close and personal to get a glimpse of your hidden lip tattoo. that makes for a pretty fun little secret.
5. ankle-length
you can decorate the inner part of your ankle with a tattoo, as katy perry has done with her adorable strawberry engraving. it’s not totally hidden from view, but it’s not super ostentatious either. you’ll have to cross your legs or wear a killer pair of heels to get noticed. all you have to do is look down if you want to enjoy it on your own.
6. under your breasts
sure, rihanna’s underboob tattoo is totally cool and often visible. But most people can’t afford to wear a bikini all day like Riri does. So, if you go for a chest tattoo like this one, it can safely remain hidden for as long as you want. You can rock it when you hit the beach in a two-piece suit or rock a lbd with a deep V. Go ahead and play hide and seek whenever you want.
7. on the side of your neck
hailey bieber can choose to show off her adorable neck tattoo by lifting her hair up as she has done in this instagram post, or you can easily hide it by letting her locks down. if she wishes to keep it hidden from view, she can easily camouflage it with her locks. if you want to show it off, take the black hair tie and tie your locks in a loose bun or high pony.
Unless someone is sniffing your hair, kissing your neck, or whispering some very important information directly into your ear, this location can remain largely invisible. it’s such an unusual place for a tattoo and that makes it a talking point every time someone actually sees it.
8. on the nape
If you like the idea of a neck tattoo, but want to go the extra mile to keep it understated, neck ink is for you. If Lucy Hale didn’t have this bob cut that gives a direct look to her bow tattoo, you’d have no idea she has one there.
9. under your armpit
Actress nikki reed has a tattoo on her side just below her armpit and is only seen here because she was posing with her hand on her hip. it’s easy to hide unless she’s wearing a strapless ensemble. It’s all about the shape, silhouette, and cut of your butt when it comes to sporting a tattoo like this. if only parts of it are visible, it can make people guess what it is. and that’s always fun.
Look at Reed’s tattoo from this point of view. it is only visible when you want it to be. it’s amazing to have that kind of control when it comes to body art. you can show it or keep it secret at will. Since tattoos are a form of self-expression, you can express as much as you want.
10. on your inner biceps
Unless you’re actually flexing, rather than metaphorically flexing, an inner bicep tattoo is pretty easy to hide. As long as you keep your arms down and the shirt has sleeves, you can keep the bicep ink to yourself. if you’re sporting a strapless or tank top, you can show it off. because #options.
11. in your ribcage
Cyrus, who is heavily tattooed, got a tattoo on her ribcage of a dreamcatcher many years ago, when she still had very long hair. that is known as a painful place to get a tattoo. but it definitely hides nicely and under most outfits. If she wears an outfit with a draped panel or sheer fabric, you can give the world just a little glimpse of her rib tattoo.
12. on your sideboob
delevingne is a lot like cyrus in that she has a series of little tattoos that live in distinct and lovely spots all over her body. her secret hideout is visible when and if she wants it to be. The model sports a side chest tattoo that is only visible when she is not wearing a bra or is wearing a low-cut top. it’s like having a permanent accessory, and that’s a beautiful thing.
13. on the side of your foot
singer and actress lea michele has many hidden tattoos, like this one on the top outside of her foot. if she doesn’t wear sandals or open shoes, she stays completely out of sight. Socks, along with sneakers and boots, are the quickest and easiest ways to keep this tattoo spot to yourself.
I hope I convinced you to go and get tattooed. don’t worry, it will be our little secret.
additional reports from kui mwai.
