Ready to do something new with your look? All month long we’re asking our 25 favorite influencers to share their 25 best beauty ideas for spring. Look out for the 25×25 logo here on Lipstick and on our social channels—@get_lipstick on Instagram and @glamourmag on Snapchat—for exclusive tips, tricks, and tutorials. Up next: the piercings you will want to rock in 2016. Read on!
In case you haven’t paid attention when scrolling through your Instagram recently, piercings are chicer than ever. And we’re not just talking about a few extra studs in your lobe. We talked to J. Colby Smith, piercing expert at New York Adorned and embellisher to the beautiful and famous, to get his take on the most requested styles right now— including updates on holes you may already have. (We’re looking at you, butterfly belly ring.)
1. Smiley
A smiley runs through a tiny (and fast healing) piece of skin that hangs slightly over your front teeth. Smith finds that people who have their septum done, but are getting bored with it are taking the next step with this piercing. He tells us, “It’s a little rose or yellow gold ring that sits on the inside of mouth, and the ring just brushes across the top row of teeth.” And as he points out, the septum has held top dog status for quite a while. “Six years of septum popularity are giving way to this look. I think this next year it’s really going to explode.”
2. Conch
Conch piercings are in the major part of the ear cartilage, which requires more healing time than your ear lobe. And since you’re going to be in for more of a long haul with the piece you pick for this piercing, you’ve got to be choosy. “The secret to having a piercing that is not only fashionable, but works with your personal style, is having the right jewelry,” says Smith. “Using a ring or tiny stud can change the whole feel of an ear piercing like a conch, and it won’t be boring.”
3. Daith
Piercings aren’t necessarily just about a fashion statement. Smith shared that some of his clients seek out a Daith piercing for migraine relief (who knew?). “We light candles, burn sage, and focus on the moment,” Smith says. “Making this experience about the client can give them what they need by connecting the mind and body.” Although he doesn’t claim a medical benefit to this piercing, clients do sometimes experience a change in their condition (and obviously, their style).
4. Nipple
When done right, this piercing ($9) is sexy rather than tacky (a semi-NSFW look here). Just ask Bella Hadid. Smith explains his view that “there are two types of people who get pierced: people who want to show everything off and the other are ones who just like to have these cool little secrets.” Not every piercing has to be on your face, and they certainly don’t need to be on display, unless you want them to be (cough, #freethenipple, cough).
5. Septum
Yes, the septum piercing— which passes through a very small space in the nose cartilage—is still very much in. Smith attributes the placement’s ever-growing popularity with the balance it brings to the face. “A well-sized septum ring or chain brings out the wearer’s eyes and lips,” says Smith. “More people are choosing this look and it’s even becoming part of a classic and clean aesthetic.”
6. Tongue
Before you think of ’90s-era rockers, consider a teeny tiny gold speck ($57) as a cool-right-now option to the existing bars and balls. Smith recalls a model client who had to talk him into piercing her tongue. “She just wanted this little gold thing, and it didn’t look obnoxious or trashy. It looked adorable and sweet and worked with her job,” Smith says.
7. Navel
Like the oft maligned tongue, navels used to be pierced at a much larger gauge of needle, leaving a bigger hole. Smith has the chic solution. “Swapping a bar for two identical rings ($7) elevates the whole style and make it high-waist-pants-proof,” Smith says. “You don’t have to settle for a scar or a butterfly chain.”
Making any piercing work for you is about working with a skilled practitioner, who has access to jewelry that nails your personal aesthetic and fits your lifestyle. But if you need some more inspo, Smith’s Instagram is a veritable gold mine.
Watch Nicole Richie Get a Piercing:
Photos: Instagram/jcolbysmith; Amazon.com
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