When Claire Elsie-Rose, 33, went to the shop with her four kids, she was constantly monitored by security personnel and pedestrians.
Not because she was a criminal or an unpleasant person to be afraid of, but because she had 14 tattoos on her face. According to The Sun, this was the assumption that made her feel frustrated.
Around a quarter of the UK’s population has tattoos, and about one in nine of them are visible.
This is higher than Australia, where around a third of the population has one. Women are more likely to have tattoos than men.
According to a tattooist who asked not to be identified, many people believe that having a face tattoo makes one look irresponsible or wild.
She and her partner, who is 30 years old, have four kids, ages six months to 12, and she often gets questions about why she has tattoos. One person even claims that her looks have been ruined by them.
I have become so used to ignoring arguments that I no longer need to defend myself.
According to Ms Elsie-Rose, she is in a secure relationship, has a successful business, and enjoys nothing more than a good night in her pyjamas.
She spoke exclusively to The Sun about her love for body art and her first tattoo, which she got when she was 15.
She stated that she paid £10 for a fairy on her wrist, and although she loved it at that age, she doesn’t advise getting one now.
She continued to have them on her body, eventually getting a mermaid tattoo on her neck when she was 18. Her second one, which was a large piece of art consisting of stars, was on her chest.
After she left school, Ms Elsie-Rose worked in retail and office settings, and she had to be very careful about her inkings.
At the age of 25, she underwent a serious health scare, which prompted her to reevaluate her life. She decided that she wanted to get even more tattoos.
Despite the negative comments that she has received, Ms Elsie Rose has managed to get dozens of compliments.
She is happy to be herself, and she believes that if people would only spend some time getting to know her, they would not be quick to judge her.
She also stated that she does not get comments about being a mother to her kids, as she doesn’t want them to be affected by her appearance.