8 Hand Tattoo Trends You’re Going to See In 2025
Courtesy of Mira Mariah (left and right) and Rosa Bluestone Perr (center)
Much like a fresh manicure, a hand tattoo can spark joy every time you look down. Each artist we spoke with for this story mentioned a growing interest in hand tattoos among their clientele. Some attribute it to the rise of remote work, as fewer people are worried about their tattoos peeking out from under business attire. Others attribute it to the overall destigmatization of ink and the number of celebrities (Rihanna, Ariana Grande, Hailey Bieber, to name a few) getting as many tattoos as they damn well please.
Hand tattoos are, of course, very visible—a trait that proponents like Mira Mariah, an artist in New York City, see as a major boon. “A lot of [my clients] see tattoos as a way to manifest or remind themselves of a positive sentiment,” she says. “The hand placement makes so much sense for this because we look at our hands all the time.”
Keep in mind, though, that hand tattoos fade “much faster” than other placements, says Rosa Bluestone Perr, an artist in Brooklyn: “The skin on your hand regenerates more quickly than other skin because you are constantly using your hands, thanks to handwashing, slipping hands in and out of pockets, and general exposure to the elements.” She lets clients know that hand tattoos will likely require eventual touch-ups. “Everyone is different,” she adds. “Some skin holds on to ink much better than others, to no fault of the tattoo artist.”
Mariah is a fan of faded tattoos. “They remind me of beat-up Birkins and a cracked iPhone. They’re very grunge and special,” she says. But if you prefer to stretch out the time between touch-up appointments, Mariah suggests, go for bold lines, which need to be touched up less often than finer lines.
To help in the selection process, we asked tattoo experts to share what they foresee as the most popular hand tattoos for 2025. Their list includes art that mimics elegant, dainty jewelry, sketches of floral arrangements, and more.
Meet the experts:
Mira Mariah is a tattoo artist in New York City,
Rosa Bluestone Perr is a tattoo artist in Brooklyn.
Daniel Winter is a tattoo artist in Los Angeles.
Deanna James is a tattoo artist in Dallas.
In this story:
Forever jewelry
“Hand tattoos don’t have to be thick, dark text on knuckles,” says Perr. They can be delicate and ornamental, like the “permanent bracelets” she created (above) using tiny lines and dots. Tattooed bracelets and rings are growing in popularity, she notes. They come in many shapes and sizes, often made to look like real jewelry. Bracelets can feature charms or details that look like chain links, sometimes connected to a ring tattoo with linework that mimics a hand chain. Rings can also be placed farther down on the finger, as with more traditional wedding-band tattoos, but Perr often gets asked to tattoo geometrically shaped midi rings around or above the knuckle.
Forever bracelets and rings are easier to hide than other hand tattoos, says Perr. “They just blend in with your other jewelry,” she explains. “You’d be surprised, people rarely even notice them.” What matters is that you know it’s there (and that you don’t need to one-handedly close a bracelet clasp or use soap to slide a stuck ring off your finger again).
Butterflies
On average an adult’s hand is about three inches wide, which is around the same size as the wingspan of a monarch butterfly. Whether you opt for a biologically accurate sketch or a tiny outline of the creature, there’s no better symbol for surviving change (and coming out stronger on the other side) than a butterfly. Mariah’s line-drawn creations are done in black ink, but there are 17,500 variations of real-life inspiration out there, in every color of the rainbow.
Tiny stars
If you aren’t sure whether you want to stop at one hand tattoo or add more over time, a tiny star is a great place to start. Los Angeles-based tattoo artist Daniel Winter, a.k.a. Winterstone, says clients often ask for a star tattoo to mark a celebration or tie in with a meaningful astrological symbol. One star works anywhere on your hand (and won’t break the bank when it’s time for a touch up), but you can add a few more to create your own personal galaxy.
Wiggly lines
“I’ve noticed really stylish and well-read girls getting purely ornamental linework [tattoos],” Mariah says of these wiggly lines. The abstract designs are a bit of a Rorschach test, evoking topographical lines on a map, the inside of a seashell, or whatever shape your brain creates. There’s lots of variety to play with here, like the number of lines you want, how bold or delicate you want the lines to be, and what you want them to encircle. To create them, Mariah draws these designs free-form on her clients.
Charms
Mariah coined the term “charms” to describe a category of cheeky, instantly identifiable designs that she tattoos on clients’ hands or wrists. They usually depict small, sentimental or recognizable icons that would otherwise adorn a charm bracelet, such as a tiny Eiffel Tower, coffee cup, or a heart. (If you’re Hailey Bieber, it’s a simple and very coquette-core bow.) Evil eyes are popular charms for fingers, too, as are inked versions of emojis like flames or sparkles. Mariah often sees clients who don’t have a lot of tattoos start with these.
Realistic florals
“Flowers are a timeless subject matter,” says Deanna James, the owner of Eden Body Art Studios in Dallas. Instead of fresh-cut florals, this more environmentally friendly option involves realistic-looking orchids, daisies, roses, or whatever your favorite flower is rendered in vivid color. Her floral tattoos typically end where the fingers begin to prevent the image from needing to be broken up across five digits.
Vines
If you’re looking for a simpler tie to nature, Mariah has noticed vine hand tattoos growing in popularity. She’s tatted larger pieces that crawl up the hand and tinier ones across the knuckles (she has a version of the latter herself). Aside from leaf shape and size, there’s one more crucial decision to make here: Will your vine grow from the wrist and toward the fingers, across the hand, or even across both?
Initials
Says Winter, “[The hand] is a great place to get small tattoos with huge impact. Whether it’s for your child or mom or someone else important to you, it shows a serious commitment to your loved one.” He’s inked initials of all fonts and sizes on clients (including a matching “T” and “M” for Mandy Moore and her husband Taylor Goldsmith, respectively).
Learn more about tattoos and piercings:
Everything You Need to Know Before Getting Your First Tattoo
Rhino Piercing Is TikTok’s Latest Body Jewelry Obsession—But Is It Safe?
Now, watch Keke Palmer react to TikTok trends.
Originally Appeared on Allure
