40 Small Tattoo Ideas to Copy Now

Single Star Tattoo

Solidify your spot as the star in your life by getting a star tattooed on one of your ankles. Just think — you can debut it while wearing one of your new going out tops this spring!

Bunny Tattoo

Getting a bunny tattoo during spring somehow feels seasonally appropriate. It doesn't matter that Easter is gone either. All you need to convince you that your dainty ankle tattoo is the thought that you're happily hopping from one chapter of your life to the next.

A Nod to Youth

Get this cute nostalgic tattoo to remind you to enjoy your life in the midst of crushing your goals! No seriously — get out and enjoy the sun!

What's My Age Again?

Blink-182 made the most nostalgic song in the early 2000s that works well for an ankle tattoo that displays the year you were born. If you're super committed to being a millennial or a part of Gen Z, this idea is perfect for you.

Shine a Spotlight On Playing

Can you tell we're encouraging you to spend more time playing again? It may be fun to make money from your side hustle, but we dare you to fall in love with playing just because it's fun.

Karmic Cycles

Need a reminder that "what goes around, comes around?" Look no further than a small ankle tattoo that hints at karmic cycles.

Light as a Feather

Lastly, make it a point to be light as feather! We're not talking about how you walk either.

It's time to start breaking up with the way you let stress overwhelm you this spring.

1. Keep the second-skin (medical-grade adhesive) on for several days, or however long your artist recommends.

Your artist will likely place a second-skin material over your tattoo after it’s finished. It works as a barrier to keep bacteria out while the tattoo is in its freshest stage, only meant to stay on a few days.

When it’s time to take it off, be patient and go slow to avoid damage to the skin. Before doing this, make sure to wash your hands thoroughly and dry them with a paper towel to avoid additional germs and bacteria that could harvest in a normal hand towel.

Blood and plasma fluid coming out from the second-skin is normal, but if you notice any out-of-the-ordinary excretions or sensations, contact your tattoo artist ASAP.

2. Wash your tattoo with warm water and fragrance-free, unscented, antimicrobial soap.

After removing the second skin, the next step in aftercare is to wash off the tatted area. Using a gentle soap ensures that your tattoo doesn’t get any further irritation that could cause unfavorable healing.

When it’s time to wash, move gently, as the area can be tender. You’ll want to start with clean hands and wash with lukewarm water as well, to avoid burning the exposed skin. These are the soaps most commonly used for tattoo aftercare:

3. Moisturize after pat-drying your skin with a paper towel.

Though petroleum jellies (like Vaseline) can be moisturizing on the lips, it’s no longer widely recommended for tattoo aftercare. Too much of it can create a thick, non-breathable layer on top of your tattoo – less air-flow means slower healing and the potential for ink bleeding. Look to opt for light ointments and balms. Here are a few widely-loved ones:

• Aquaphor Healing Ointment ($16)
• People Of Substance All-Natural Tattoo Balm Stick ($15)
• Hustle Butter Deluxe Luxury Tattoo Care & Maintenance Cream ($22)
• Lubriderm Daily Moisture Hydrating Unscented Body Lotion ($11, was $13)
• Mad Rabbit Tattoo Balm Stick ($12)

Bandages or other tight skin coverings are not necessary once you’ve washed off your tattoo. A seal created by these barriers could restrict air-flow, too.

After a week or so, it’s safe to move away from ointments and balms, and onto gentle lotions like the Eucerin Unscented Advanced Repair Body LotionAdvanced Repair Body Lotion ($11, was $13).

4. Avoid *too* hot of showers + no physical activity for at least 48 hours after your appointment.

Heat caused by external factors (weather, hot water, etc) and sweating can increase the risk for the ink on your tattoo to bleed. Plus, moving around too suddenly (like how you would during a workout) causes your skin to stretch, potentially altering your tat’s shape. Not to mention, there’s a very real risk of infection from that grimy gym equipment!

5. Stay out of direct sun for at least 2 weeks.

Sun can further damage your ink, so it’s not a good thing for tattoo aftercare. If you have to be out, your first line of defense should be a physical barrier like some loose clothing, then a light layer of mineral zinc oxide-based sunscreen to protect your tat.

6. No underwater activity for at least 2 weeks.

The risk for bacterial infection from the water in pools, hot tubs, lakes, and the ocean is high. That’s why people prefer to get tatted in the winter, where they won’t have to actively avoid swimming and the subsequent FOMO of not diving in.

7. Stay hydrated!

Hydrating your body hydrates your skin – and having hydrated skin means your tattoo is ready to heal as best as it can. Drinking water throughout the day (don’t go too crazy) certifies that your body can handle the ink. You also might want to avoid alcohol for a bit. It can cause bouts of dehydration and thin your blood, causing excess bleeding from the tattoo’s wound.

Elle remembers "sobbing" during one particularly emotional Dakota Fanning movie.

“When Elle’s in anything, it makes me feel it deeper,” Dakota Fanning said at TheWrap’s Power Women Summit on December 3. “She never can fully disappear into a character totally for me as her sister. She obviously does an amazing job, but I’m always gonna see my little sister a little bit.”

And Elle is just as touched by Dakota's roles, and remembers "uncontrollably sobbing" after seeing Now Is Good, a movie where Dakota's character was dying of cancer. “Because it was my sister, I had a real traumatic reaction after that premiere and the screening,” Elle says. “Obviously the acting, but it was something felt on a deeper level.”

“I’m doing this job, I’m an actor because my sister started before me and I watched her,” Elle continues. “I wanted to do exactly what my big sister wanted to do.”

And their movies have also made an impact on everyone who watches them.

When Brit + Co caught up with Dakota Fanning at the world premiere of The Watchers, I had to ask about one of her most iconic movies: Uptown Girls. "I love it," she says of TikTok memes and edits giving the movie new life. "It's nostalgic for people who are kind of around my age, who grew up watching that movie, I think it's like a comfort movie for people. And so I love that people are still revisiting it and loving it. And maybe now that everyone's older [they're] understanding different things about it."

Dakota starred opposite Brittany Murphy, who also had roles in movies like Clueless, 8 Mile, and Girl, Interrupted. Brittany passed away in 2009 when Dakota was 15. "I loved Brittany so much and I still miss her," she says. "So anytime that she has, you know, a moment where people think about her is also nice."