I received a message from a woman who was considering a nostril piercing:

Hi. I really like your site and you seem to be really good at what you do. I would really appreciate it if you could mark the location of a nostril piercing that would look the best on me. Thanks a lot.

My response:

Hi,

I've marked a dot for the "traditional" spot in what I call the "pleasing triangle" placement. And I have also included a second image with the triangle sketched in for you, too.

This is from my book, The Piercing Bible--The Definitive Guide to Safe Body Piercing:

Nostril Piercing: Placement

The traditional placement for a nostril piercing is at the crease line on the side of the nose. A big smile accentuates this feature to help pinpoint the spot. This area is often thinner than the rest of the nose, so it may heal faster and feel less tender when pierced. The jewelry will rest in a natural niche, where it nestles most gracefully. I find it aesthetically pleasing when the placement of the piercing forms a relatively equilateral triangular shape with the opening of your nostril, from end to end.

Depending on your preferences, other placements are also possible: higher or lower, closer to the tip of your nose or your face. The backing of a nostril screw or mini barbell will be visible when the piercing is too low, even if the jewelry is properly sized. Multiple nostril piercings are another possibility. Due to space constraints, you will achieve the most attractive, comfortable results when you decide on an overall plan before your first piercing is made.