I'm Obsessed With Small Tattoos—33 Minimalist Designs I've Saved

There is a lot to think about when you're planing on getting a tattoo. Whether it's your first tattoo or another that you're adding to your collection, getting inked is a big (and permanent) decision. You'll no doubt be scrolling through Pinterest and Instagram for tattoo ideas and deciding what sort of design you want, as well as the size and placement. If, like me, you find the idea of a large tattoo daunting, small tattoos are a great place to start. 

Before you make you appointment, there are a few things to think about, says tattoo artist and expert, Sophie Floyd. "The first step is finding the right tattoo artist for what you want. Social media has made this so much easier as you can see an artists full portfolio and make sure their style is right for you," she says. "Your first tattoo is always very daunting and easy to overthink, but most importantly remember it is your body—if you love it, do it!" 

Hailey Bieber has some beautiful small tattoos on her hands.

Small in size, tiny tattoos are not only chic but can be discreet and delicate, which makes them ideal for a first tattoo. "Small tattoos are a great introduction to getting tattooed as you can get a feel for the experience start to finish, from being in a studio, the tattoo itself and how you feel afterwards living with your new tattoo," says Floyd. "I often ask my clients what their ‘end goal’ tattoo-wise is. For some people just one small one is enough, for others they want to build up a collection. If you know you’ll likely add more in the future, think about using placement wisely to get the most out of your canvas," she says.

Another thing to consider is placement. "Small tattoos are great as you have endless placement possibilities," says Floyd. "If clients are unsure on placement, I first ask if they want their tattoo to be more on show or easier to hide if necessary. If you want the latter some good placements are ribs, inner arm or ankle as most clothing can hide them easily. If you want to show it off, anywhere outer arm is my go-to, " she says.

As with any tattoo, small tattoos can be meaningful to you, or as a form of self-expression. "I love that small tattoos can either have a lot of meaning, or just be fun! Some of my favourites are shells, letters, cowboy boots, flowers and cherries," says Floyd. Of course, you'll want to make sure you follow up with good tattoo aftercare to ensure your new tattoo heals well and looks its best. 

Ready for some small tattoo ideas? Scroll ahead for the best designs I've found on my feed.

Small Tattoo Ideas

I love Amaka's collection of small inks, including the flower tattoo on her wrist.

How cute are these matching cowboy boot tattoos?

These tiny hand tattoos look so pretty together.

Kaia Gerber has some pretty tattoos, including this small angel design.

So. Fun.

A collection of small tattoos look great together.

I'm in love with this floral oval tattoo.

Look closely and you'll spot that Hailey Bieber has a tiny heart on her collarbone.

For those who like to wear their heart on their sleeve.

I love Laura Harrier's dainty floral design on her wrist.

Kaia Gerber's dainty wine glass tattoo on the inside of her arm is so cute.

Words make for great small tattoos. Dua Lipa's read 'angel' on her shoulder and 'patience' on the top of her hand.

These line-drawing tattoos are dainty and understated.

Fingers are a great placement for tiny tattoos like stars and dots.

Miley Cyrus's small neck tattoo is a nod to her birth year.

Meaningful numbers or dates make a great small tattoo design that you'll be reminded of every day.

Riri has curated a beautiful collection of tattoos, including cursive text, roman numerals and stars on her neck and shoulders.

Just below her left ear, Ariana Grande has a tiny crescent moon tattoo.

Dua Lipa's palm tree tattoo is so fun.

Kaia Gerber has her middle name tattooed on her inner arm in cursive text.

We don't see it often, but look closely and you'll spot that Sofia Richie-Grainge has the word 'clarity' tattooed on her neck in uppercase letters.

Experiment with the thickness of the tattoo lines for a bolder statement.

How pretty are Ariana Grande's floral hand tattoos?

I love the combination of cute heels and a fun ankle tattoo.

I also love this tiny crescent moon tattoo on the index finger.

The inner arms make a great placement for smaller tattoos if you want them to be more discreet.

Tiny heart tattoos look great on fingertips, as Ariana Grande proves.

Selena Gomez has 'Rare' tattooed on her neck just below her ear—a nod to her beauty line and her third album.

Gigi Hadid has her daughter's name in Arabic inked as a tiny tattoo on the crook of her elbow.

How fun is Dua Lipa's tongue-in-cheek tattoo?

Ariana Grande's neck tattoo reads 'mille tendresse', which means 'thousand tendernesses'—a nod to a line in the Breakfast at Tiffany's film.

The side of your hand is a great place to add a small, dainty tattoo design.

This story was published at an earlier time and has since been updated.

Up Next, This Is It—Your Be-All-and-End-All Guide to Tattoo Aftercare