Weird new beauty trend: Freckle tattoos

Like so many things in life, people who have freckles spend a lot of time wishing they didn't have them - while others would do anything to get them.

Now, for those souls in the latter category, there is a way to do just that - and it is turning into one of the fastest-rising beauty treatments out there, reported The Daily Mail.

Freckle tattooing is a similar process to the popular eyebrow beautifying trend of microblading, involving subtle pigments meant to add a natural-looking accent to the face.

But whereas microblading just adds the appearance of shape and volume, freckle tattooing adds something new entirely.

The semi-permanent process has seen plenty of people make their freckled dreams come true, whether it be just with a few faint flecks, or a full face of faux spots.

The technique isn't just for those who think the grass is greener on the freckled side. It can also help people who love their natural freckles to give them a bit more pop.

According to Montreal cosmetic tattoo artist Gabrielle Rainbow, another type of customer is the person who develops freckles in the summer sun, but wants to keep them all year round.

"I try to go with the whole policy of less is more," she told Elle Canada. "I do a little bit, but [clients] always come back within a few days and are like: 'I want more freckles!'"

Fans of the technique have been taking to Instagram, showing the dark, new freckles right after the treatment, as well as snapping their more natural, faded dots after the healing process.

Once tattooed, the freckles will last up to two years, fading slowly over time. And, if Instagram is anything to go by, there are already plenty of happy customers out there.

But for those less keen to go under the needle, the process isn't the only way that the less freckled can make their dreams come true.

A Los Angeles-based company, Faux Freckles, sells easy-to-apply sheets of fake freckles that go one like a temporary tattoo.

Their website boasts several colours, from "light brown" to "dark brown" - and even a luminescent 24K gold packet; all for $24.99 each.