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50 Small Tattoos for Women Looking for Something Sweet and Simple

Small is in!

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preview for Celebrity BFFs Who Got Matching Tattoos

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A common fear some people tend to have when it comes to tattoos is the permanence and the possibility of regretting your ink down the line, and that's understandable, considering tattoos are, well, permanent. But the good news is, you can get a tattoo removed, if in 10, 20, or 30 years, you decide that you don't want it anymore. However, if you take the time to look at the tattoos for women out there to find the perfect ones for you (read: the ones that you fantasize about for months), it's less likely that you'll regret taking that step and getting your first tattoo because you've thought about it so much. Even if you look back on your tattoos when you're a grandparent or a great-grandparent, and you no longer feel as strongly as you once did about them, they did mean something to you at one point, and that'll stay with you.

It may seem like everywhere you look, you find someone who has a tattoo — from your favorite celebrities to your best friend to the local grocery store manager — and if it's making you consider getting one yourself, you're not alone, especially not right now. According to Google Trends, the search for "tattoos" has increasd by 48% since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, Refinery29 reported. "People may want to look back at this moment and think about how they have changed and grown as people, and it's absolutely possible that tattooing could be one of the ways that they choose to express this," Orlando-based mental health counselor Dr. Shainna Ali told the publication.

If you're considering getting your first tattoo, it might be a good idea to start with one of the many small tattoos for women and work your way up to a full sleeve or wrap-around thigh tattoo. Whether it'll be your first or ninth time at the local tattoo parlor, here's some inspiration for your next ink session.

1

Halsey's Small Number 17

Small Tattoos Halsey
Taylor Hill//Getty Images

Halsey has well over 20 tattoos, including a small number 17 on two knuckles on her right hand, which is her lucky number.

2

Crown Fit For A Queen

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You're a queen, and what better way to own that than to get this gorgeous yet simple crown tattoo by Flesh and Fluid's Doreen Garner?

3

Selena Gomez's Small "G"

Small Tattoos Selena Gomez
David Livingston//Getty Images

Selena Gomez has a collection of small tattoos, honoring everything from music to her family and her closest friends. The lowercase "G" behind her ear is reportedly in honor of her baby sister Gracie.

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4

Sweet Childhood Memory

Garner's '90s flash tattoos feature this sweet throwback to quarter waters or Hugs, depending on what you called the little plastic bottles of water, food coloring, and flavoring sold at bodegas.

5

Simone Biles' Small Olympic Rings

With four gold medals and a record for the most world titles by any gymnast, we understand why Olympian Simone Biles sketched the famous five rings on her forearm. If you're an athlete, this small tattoo will keep your goal top of mind.

6

Ace Of Spades

The Ace of Spades is regarded as one of the most valued and sought after cards in a typical deck, making it a powerful (and chic!) tattoo.

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7

Arianna Grande's Small Female Gender Sign

Small Tattoos Ariana Grande
Kevin Mazur//Getty Images

If you couldn't tell from "God Is a Woman" and a number of Arianna Grande's female empowerment songs, she definitely fights for girl power. The small tattoo on her finger is the female gender sign.

8

Georgia O'Keefe's "Music, Pink and Blue No. 2"

Color tattoos are a matter of taste. If you're thinking about getting one with all of the colors, like Natalie's here by @Gentle_Jaz, make sure your artist know the exact shades you want.

9

Jordan Dunn's Small Script

Small Tattoos Jordan Dunn
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The powerful message etched on Jordan Dunn's forearm reads, "fear is not an option."

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10

Sunflower

You can never go wrong with a small, flower tattoo, like Jaz Paulino's gorgeous sunflower.

11

Hilary Duff's Small Heart

A sweet little heart tattoo decorates the Younger star's wrist.

12

Frida Khalo's "Viva la Vida"

Your next tattoo can be literally anything you want, from your favorite painting (read: this beautiful rendition of Frida Kahlo's work) to your favorite quote.

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13

Kelly Clarkson's Small Clover

kelly clarkson small tattoos
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For her hand, Kelly Clarkson chose a cute four-leaf clover with heart-shaped leaves.

14

Flower Crown

Why make yourself choose between a flower or a crown tattoo when you can have this stunning piece of art by Katrina “Kat Tat” Jackson that combines them both in the best way?

15

Lea Michele's Small Coffee Cup

Lea Michele has a miniature coffee mug in memory of her late grandmother, who gave the actress her first cup of joe.

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16

Child's Name

Though the phrase "Khari Barbie" may not mean much to you, since it's the name of someone else's child, you can take the design to a tattoo shop and ask them to replace "Khari Barbie" with your little one's name.

17

Lea Michele's Small Number

She also wears a little number "5" on her side, in honor of her former Glee costar and boyfriend Cory Monteith, who passed away in 2013.

18

A Rose by any Other Name

If you're looking for a small tattoo that you want to make sure you won't regret, this simple yet detailed rose is perfect.

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19

Adele's Small Dots

adele small tattoos
Getty Images

Grammy Award-winning Adele has several small tattoos. On one wrist, she has three dots (above another design meant to honor her mother) that she got with The Civil Wars' star Joy Williams to honor the time they spent on the road together.

20

Floral Arrangment

For a more elaborate but still relatively small tattoo, this floral arrangement is ideal.

Headshot of Taysha Murtaugh
Taysha Murtaugh
Lifestyle Editor

Taysha Murtaugh was the Lifestyle Editor at CountryLiving.com.

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