What is your face if not a blank canvas? Whenever you catch yourself running out of ideas on how to express yourself creatively, you might be intrigued by eyelid tattoos. Along with their exquisite, eye-catching elements, eyelid tattoos represent dedication, courage, and a celebration of culture.
What’s different about eyelid tattoos when compared to hand tattoos or shoulder tattoos, however, might be the fact that they’re extremely difficult to do. Your tattoo artist will be working on the smallest canvas known to man and you will be crying – a lot. Your options will be limited, too.
Regardless of your personal preferences, you will not be able to get an eyelid tattoo that’s on the bigger side of the spectrum. Rather than going ham on your entire face, you’re opting for a small (rather than statement) tattoo on your eyelids. Teeny-tiny, dainty, and delicate ink will complement your face.
Whatever you decide to do, we’re bringing you a few of our favorite eyelid tattoos to get you started. Pull up your mood board and read on to see our picks.
1. A star and moon eyelid tattoo
We can’t think of a better eyelid tattoo to get when you’re a first-timer or afraid of getting inked that close to your eyes. A simple and sleek fine-line tattoo of a star and a moon represents growth, truth, and spirituality – and we’re obsessed with that.
2. A heart tattoo
Whether you’re committed to someone or you want to show a little love to yourself, you might want to opt for a heart tattoo. We like the filled-in look of the tattoo in the picture and we like that it represents affection, passion, and commitment. What do you think?
3. A spider tattoo
Spiders are scary, there’s no question about that. When you’re on the hunt for a tattoo that’s going to showcase how fearless, creative, and cool you are, we’ve got your back. Spider tattoos represent wisdom, fertility, harmony, and balance.
4. A “look alive” tattoo
What better way to showcase your creativity than to poke fun at yourself? With a “look alive” eyelid tattoo, you’re guaranteed to attract attention and turn heads everywhere you go.
5. A “sad girl” tattoo
We can say the same thing about a “sad girl” tattoo on your eyelids! Whenever you close your eyes to cry or fall asleep on the bus, you’re going to send a strong message to the world. Whether you’re poking fun at yourself or telling your truth – you do you, boo.
6. A tattoo of two tiny dots
Minimalistic tattoos are always a great option for people who might or might not be afraid of needles. When you’re 100% sure that you want to get an eyelid tattoo but you don’t want to go through the painstaking process of getting a statement tattoo – we suggest opting for dots.
7. A tattoo of two stars
Stars are some of the most popular, prominent eyelid tattoos out there, and we know why. A small star tattoo doesn’t necessarily have a small meaning. A tattoo of a star generally symbolizes protection and guidance, as well as a path to a better life.
8. A peony tattoo that stretches across the face
When you want everyone to know that you fear nothing (literally nothing!), you might want to opt for an eyelid tattoo that stretches across your entire face. We’re quite fond of the peony tattoo in the picture, but feel free to opt for whichever flower speaks to you the most.
See also: 22 Pretty Poppy Flower Tattoos We Can’t Stop Staring At
9. A barbed wire tattoo
We’ve got another eyelid tattoo for fearless people. A barbed wire tattoo can represent a million different things, depending on the wearer. Whether you’re paying homage to your strength, power, and authority or reflecting on your hardships, a barbed wire tattoo might be the right one for you.
10. An “x” tattoo
Getting an “x” tattoo on your eyelids can mean that you’re celebrating the fact that you’re alive. Cartoons typically put an “x” on the character’s eyes when they’re dead, and getting a similar tattoo might be your way of saying “I’m alive and I’m here to stay!” Whatever the case might be, we support you!
11. An ornamental eyelid tattoo
Ornamental tattoos are meant to be decorative rather than functional and that’s why they’re a great way to go when you’re considering getting an eyelid tattoo. Ornamental tattoos typically mark status or affiliation, but that doesn’t need to be the case with you.
12. A tattoo of two fine-line hearts
We already raved about heart tattoos, but we couldn’t pass on the opportunity to include a fine-line heart tattoo, too. With a delicate, dainty feel to it, a fine-line heart tattoo is guaranteed to make you feel like you’re in love – with yourself or with someone else.
13. A “the end” tattoo
When you decide to bite the bullet and get an eyelid tattoo, you might be tempted to write a few words that represent who you are or who you want to be. A “the end” tattoo can carry multiple meanings, depending on what you’re going for, and that’s what makes it worth your while.
14. A “be you” tattoo
We’re sticking with the trend of word tattoos and bringing you a “be you” eyelid tattoo. What better way to remind yourself who you are and what you’re worth than to tattoo it on your face, right?
15. A botanical eyelid tattoo
A botanical tattoo can, fundamentally, represent personal growth, a celebration of life, and the transient nature of one’s existence. Whether you’re drawing a connection between yourself and the undying forces of nature or simply paying homage to your love of leaves, you’re on the right path.
16. A sun and moon eyelid tattoo
A sun and moon tattoo typically represents opposites, the two opposing forces within you. When you get a sun tattoo, you’re putting the emphasis on your warmth, life, and growth. When you get a moon tattoo, you’re putting the emphasis on cold, mystery, and death. Together, they represent the circle of life.
17. A “bang bang” tattoo
Why not have fun with your eyelid tattoo? You’re allowed to get whatever tattoo you want, you don’t need to get something with a profound meaning or a purpose. You’re allowed to get a “bang bang” tattoo simply because you think you’re being funny – and you are.
18. A tattoo of two flowers
A tattoo of a flower might not be everyone’s cup of tea, but there’s something special about getting a tattoo that can symbolize varying themes and emotions. Whether you’re going for love, beauty, immortality, success, grief, struggle, or life, we’re rooting for you.
19. Another tattoo of eyelid dots
Whether you get a tattoo of one dot or multiple dots, we’re here for that. A single dot tattoo can represent unity or oneness, but you don’t need to always go for a tattoo that means something. A tattoo of a few dots can mean that you wanted a tattoo – and you got it.
20. A “Wild West” tattoo
We’re ending the article with a “Wild West” tattoo. Whatever Wild West represents for you, we’re sure you’re going to make the right decision on whether or not that’s something you want on your face.