Trends come and go, but piercings are (sort of) forever. What we’re most interested in today is where those two worlds collide, with piercing trends that are not only popping up in 2022, but will also stand the test of time.
To find out exactly what jewels you should consider adorning your ears with this year, we tapped Iana Caranna, Creative Director and Piercing Artist of the ultra-cool piercing studio in Sydney, Metalia Studios. Caranna tells POPSUGAR Australia that Metalia Studios existed in her mind long before it became a reality in Sydney’s eastern suburb of Paddington.
“I did thousands of piercings in tattoo studios and fast-paced piercing salons, but what I kept seeing were clients getting rushed or overwhelmed by the experience rather than enjoying this incredible journey,” Caranna says. “Metalia Studios was born from a need to create a space that takes the time to welcome everyone and nurture the journey ahead — a piercing studio that is fun, inviting, and professional as hell.”
Ahead, she points us towards the top piercing trends she’s seeing emerge in 2022 and explains that no matter which trend you decide to embrace, ensuring you choose a studio that uses implant-grade titanium and solid 14 karat gold jewellery for piercings is extremely important, as they’re the best metals for fresh and healing piercings.
Now, onto the trends!
Ear Curation
Ear curation is a piercing style that’s characterised by multiple piercings in various locations on the ear and it can combine most of the trends below. “The art of ear curation is a form of self-expression. It’s an opportunity to add as few or as many piercings to your ears, styled with jewels that match your personality,” says Caranna. “There’s so much more to piercings than just the lobes, and a curation allows you to dress your ears in any way you want — from minimalist to maximalist and everything in between.”
Caranna explains that there are two types of people who walk into Metalia Studios: those who have clear ideas of what they want, and others who want her guidance. “Your anatomy may not allow for the piercing you initially wanted,” she says. “You might have a misplaced piercing, or maybe you want to upgrade your jewellery from the one you were pierced with 10 years ago. This first step is all about planning something personalised and practical to fit your style.”
Snakebites
As you may be picturing, snakebite piercings are when two piercings are placed close to one another to resemble, you guessed it, a snake bite. “They are the perfect fit for those wanting to add some refined sparkle to their earscape,” explains Caranna.
Coloured Stones
“Multi-coloured jewels are just what we need to brighten us up after a global pandemic,” says Caranna, who has been seeing more requests for this style of jewellery. We particularly love mixing opals with studs that feature our birthstones.
‘90s Vibes
We already know that ‘90s nostalgia is back in a big way, both in fashion with baguette bags and low-rise jeans, beauty, and even on TV (we know you watched the Sex and the City reboot, And Just Like That). As for what this means for piercings? “Think more bling, hoops of all sizes, silver-tone metals, and navel piercings,” says Caranna.
Mixed Metals
Since the dawn of time (near enough), many people have felt the need to choose between silver tones and gold tones. To that, we say “no more!”. “Don’t make us choose between yellow and white gold — we love them both and they look damn good together,” says Caranna.
The Aftercare Process
While not a trend, per se, adhering to a stringent aftercare process is key to ensuring that your piercings heal as quickly as possible and without complications. Caranna has three main tips on how to care for a piercing to ensure correct healing (and no infections!):
- Avoid touching or turning your piercings (despite what you were told when you got your first lobes pierced by gun/cartridge system).
- Use NeilMed aftercare spray morning and night, and don’t stop spraying after two weeks. Keep using the spray twice daily until that bottle is empty.
- Please don’t sleep on a cartilage piercing.
