Fulfilling an 85-year-old woman’s lifelong ambition of getting her nose pierced was an emotional moment for Beth Jenkins.
Encapsulating everything she loves about her job as a professional piercer, Beth said the woman moved her to tears as she revealed that she had finally plucked up the courage to get it done on her 85th birthday.
“The woman said that she had wanted to get her nose pierced for the past 70 years and she had finally decided to get it done on her 85th birthday,” said Beth.
“It was amazing and it felt really great to do it for her.”
Left school at 15
To see the joy etched across the pensioner’s face as she left the salon strongly reaffirmed to Beth that leaving school at 15 to pursue her dream of becoming a piercer was 100% the right decision.
Nine years later and Beth is one of Aberdeen’s most sought after body piercers based within Rebel Studios, a high end boutique style tattoo and piercing studio in Aberdeen’s George Street.
“I can’t imagine doing anything else,” said the 24-year-old.
“I get to hear people’s stories and I get to see people reclaim their bodies in a really positive way which is amazing.”
Piercings since 13
Growing up, there was something about the art of piercings that fascinated Beth.
“I’ve been getting piercings since I was about 13, I love them” said Beth.
“And when I saw an advert online about how you can learn to be a piercer that’s where it all began.”
Knocking on doors
So determined was Beth to make it as a piercer that, at the age of just 15, she left her home town of Wick to move to Aberdeen.
“I left school at 15 to go to college to do beauty therapy but I wasn’t allowed to have blue hair or piercings so I quit,” said Beth.
“I was determined to become a piercer so I just started going round tattoo studios to see if anyone would take me on as an apprentice.”
Rebel Studios
After a few months, Beth finally got her foot in the door at a tattoo studio before honing her skills at five further studios.
But it’s in Rebel Studios where she has finally found her happy piercing place.
“I’ve been in Rebel since November 2019 and it has been amazing as it’s more of a high end boutique,” said Beth.
Diamonds and rubies
Piercing people from all walks of life and backgrounds is what makes her profession so much more than just a job.
“I’m so lucky that I get to meet people of every age and from every walk of life,” said Beth.
“I had one girl who loved her piercings so much that she had a cake made in the shape of her ears for her birthday.”
Over 500 pieces of jewellery
Far from just a standard ear piercing – usually confined to just the lobe – with a limited selection of jewellery to choose from, piercing has massively evolved over the years.
“We have over 500 pieces of jewellery and we stock diamonds, rubies, sold gold and platinum so it’s definitely more about the jewellery now,” said Beth.
“If you went for a piercing 10 years ago you would’ve been offered just a plain ball or a black spike if you were lucky.
“In Rebel we have over 500 pieces of jewellery and we stock diamonds, rubies, sold gold and platinum, the jewellery now has really brought it up.
“We get jewellery from about 10 different companies most of which are American and a lot of them are handmade.
“They can take up to a year for some of our jewellery to be handmade to certain colour combinations and stone combinations.
“The most popular just now is white gold.
“So the calibre of jewellery you get to work with is really incredible.”
Ear anatomy
There’s also more choice than ever when it comes to deciding what part of your ear you would like to pierce.
“The helix is the most popular part of the ear I pierce but my personal favourite is the conch in the middle of the ear,” said Beth, who also does other body piercings.
“As it’s a bigger area of the ear and it’s set back, you can get away with bigger more ornate pieces of jewellery because it protects it and it doesn’t catch on things.”
Weddings
Bridal jewellery is also hugely popular right now.
“A lot of people custom order for their wedding so, for example, if their colour scheme is purple, they might order a full set of amethyst and diamond jewellery.”
And when Beth isn’t piercing, she loves nothing more than spending time with family especially her husband David and their adorable new puppy Frodo.
“My husband has been absolutely fantastic, he’s definitely my biggest supporter,” said Beth.
“I gave him a little piercing as he didn’t have any until we met.
“So we both got little matching yellow gold daggers.”
Jeweller in training
Currently training with a goldsmith, Beth’s dream is to be able to make bespoke jewellery for clients in-house.
“It would be great to eventually have our own in-house jewellery range so I want to learn how to make the jewellery,” said Beth.
For more information about Beth check out her Instagram page @piercings_by_beth
