WHEN mum-of-four Claire Elsie-Rose pops to the shop she's used to being monitored by security guards and strangers crossing the road as soon as they see her.
Not because she's a notorious criminal or someone to fear – but purely because she has 14 tattoos on her face.
It's an assumption Claire, 33, from Lincolnshire, used to find frustrating – especially because they couldn't be more wrong.
A quarter of the British public have tattoos, and one in nine of those have at least one visible tattoo on their head, face, neck, forearms, wrists or hands.
The tattooist – who lives with her four children aged between six months and 12, and her partner of three years, driver Jonny, 30 – says: "There's this huge misconception that if you have a face tattoo you're wild and irresponsible or a criminal, which is so far from the truth.
"I've also had questions like 'why would you do that?' and comments like 'you used to be so pretty!' implying I've somehow ruined my looks.
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"I used to argue back but I just ignore it now. I don't have to defend myself and it's not worth my energy.
"I'm a good mum, I have a successful business and I'm in a secure relationship – there's nothing wild about my life and I love nothing more than a night in, in my pyjamas!"
'I worried what others would think'
Claire, who is speaking exclusively to Fabulous for our new series, We've Been Shamed, has always loved body art, and got her first tattoo when she was 15.
She says: "I paid £10 and I got a little fairy on my wrist.
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"I was too young, and don't advise getting one at that age – I loved it back then, but it's covered up now!
"From then on I kept getting them on my body over the years, and my second one was a big piece across my chest made up of lots of stars, followed by a mermaid tattoo on my neck when I was 18.
"My mum was really cross and didn't talk to me for a couple of weeks, which I can fully understand, now being a mum myself."
After leaving school, Claire had jobs in retail and in offices, and had to be careful with her inkings.
She says: "At that point I could still hide my tattoos, and I did.
"At work or if I visited my dad I'd cover them up, wearing high-necked tops and scarves all year round!
"At that point I still avoided getting tattoos on areas like my hands and face I couldn't cover as I was worried what others would think."
'Life's too short'
Then, at the age of 25, a serious health scare made Claire re-evaluate life, and she decided to take her tattoos to the next level.
She says: "I was rushed to hospital and I couldn't breathe properly, and they found out I had a tumour on my lung.
"It turned out to be benign but I didn't know that for some time, and it was terrifying.
"It made me realise we don't know how long we're here for and it was then I decided then to get a face tattoo.
"At that time I was obviously heavily tattooed everywhere else, but I'd always been afraid to get one on my face even though I'd always wanted one.
"I was worried about being judged but I realised life was too short to not express myself."
'It was so empowering'
The first tattoo Claire got on her face was 'Queen' written over her right eyebrow.
She says: "I felt great and it was so empowering – I could finally be myself and that was liberating.
"There's a huge jump from having your body tattooed and having your face tattooed however, and it's a very different reaction you get from others.
"You get ten times more looks, and the judgement is really upped.
"Even going to the shop with my kids, I get followed by the security guard, or people would cross the road because they didn't want to walk past me.
"I used to find it quite triggering, and it was frustrating to be judged on my face tattoos, especially given the reason why I had them done."
TATT’S GREAT
Claire has 14 inkings on her face;
- 'Queen' over her right eyebrow,
- 'Hope' under her right eye,
- A diamond by her hairline on the right,
- 'PMA' – which stands for Positive Mental Attitude – on her right cheekbone,
- A rose by her right ear,
- 222 – an angel number – on her right cheekbone,
- 'Fierce' on her right jawline,
- 'Belle Ami' – meaning beautiful soul – over left eyebrow,
- A butterfly by her hairline on the left,
- A heart on the left cheekbone,
- 'Love' under her left eye,
- A floral mandala by left ear,
- 'Mama' on her left jawline.
'I'd hate my parenting to be judged'
Now, as well as 60 per cent of her body covered in inkings worth £8k in total, Claire – who runs her own tattooing business called Illusions Tattoo – has 14 face inkings, worth about £800 – although many of them she had done for free.
She says: "I have 'love' and 'hope' under each eye, 'PMA' which stands for positive mental attitude on my right cheek, the word fierce along my right jawline, 'Mama' on the other side, 'Belle Ami' which means beautiful soul over my left eyebrow and '222' which is an angel number."
Despite the negativity, Claire also receives dozens of compliments, and has no regrets as she finally has the confidence to really be herself.
She says: "It does get to me but I've learned to deal with criticism and I love them, and would love to get more.
'I know if people spent the time getting to know me, and knew the meaning behind them, maybe they wouldn't be so quick to judge.
"Thankfully, I don't receive comments about being a mum to my face, but I don't want my kids to be affected by the way I look and that is a worry to me.
"No one has said it, but the last thing I'd want is my parenting to be judged. Having a tattoo doesn't affect what I'm like as a mum at all!
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"No one has ever been negative at the school gates thankfully.
"The kids are so used to all my tattoos, they've never even expressed any interest in them – I could get my nose tattooed and they probably wouldn't even notice!"
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