WHICH HOLE DO YOU WANT? We’re talking about ear piercing. Obviously
News that strategic ear piercing can contour your face better than even the fiercest pair of brows has sparked a nationwide lobe obsession. But how do yours measure up?
Remember that moment you realised the beautifying effects of a well-curated pair of brows? When, suddenly, with a bit of clever tweezing and some subtle filling-in you could instantly transform the shape of your face. Well, we’ve got some good news for you. There’s now an even quicker way to achieve the same objective: getting a
strategically placed earring. “The sparkle of a diamond earring immediately catches attention,” explains beauty guru Nichola Joss, who has collaborated with Shen London jewellers to create her own earring collection and piercing service.“Sparkle along the ear, parallel to the highest point of the wearer’s cheekbones, immediately draws the eye up and outwards, making them appear more lifted.” But before you go there, here’s some ear basics to get to grips with.
EAR PIMPLE HELL
Firstly, let’s start with the basics: dirty ears.
“The skin in our ears is the same as the skin on our nose,” explains dermatologist Dr Ross Perry.“It’s slightly greasier than the rest of the face in order to protect the inner ear, but this can also cause pore blockages and create spots or blackheads.”
We say cleanse the skin inside your ears every day, making sure you don’t stick anything too far down the ear canal.“I use Dermol 500 Lotion [available at all good pharmacies], which is a fantastic moisturising cleanser,” says Dr Perry. As for ear eruptions, apply a spot treatment containing benzoyl peroxide using a cotton bud. This will help to calm any swelling and see off the bacteria setting up home there. Don’t pop it! Firstly, it will scar. Secondly, it will hurt! The lack of fat in our ears teamed with an excess of nerve endings will make for a very uncomfortable spot-popping experience.
LOBE MAKE-UP
Yeah, you heard us. If pretty piercing’s just too vanilla for you, then send your make-up brush sideways. Make-up artist Pat McGrath gave models statement silver ears at the Louis Vuitton S/S 16 show. Tom Pecheux used black liquid liner to create the graphic inky lobes at Anthony Vaccarello S/S 15. And why not, really…?
CHIP ‘N’ PIN
In an alternate galaxy, we would all love the ears we were born with. But given the fact there’s over 1,074 ear-correction operations (officially known as otoplasties) taking place every year in the UK, we have a love/mostly hate relationship with our lobes. Now, a clever implant called Earfold, starting from £1,500, could see an end to general anaesthetic and lengthy recoveries. Inserted under local anaesthetic using a small incision, it grips the ear cartilage and immediately reduces prominence. The procedure takes between five to 20 minutes, and the swelling should go down within six weeks, with no need for any look-at-me bandages.