How to Create Henna Tattoos
Henna tattoos are part of Middle Eastern culture. Elaborate designs in the orange ink typically adorn the hands of a soon-to-be bride before her wedding. In the Western hemisphere, henna tattoos are used as an alternative to permanent tattoos, since henna only dyes the skin for a week or two, depending on how often you bathe. Henna can be purchased in kits from organic living and Middle Eastern stores. The kits are easy to mix so you can make your henna tattoo design even faster. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
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Purchase your henna kit. While traditional henna leaves an orange-red color on your skin, some manufacturers add paraphenylenediamine to their kits in order to achieve a darker color, a practice that the Food and Drug Administration warns against. Look for traditional kits. While you can purchase pure henna and make your own paste, if it's your first time, purchase a kit that only requires you to add water, eucalyptus oil and lemon juice.
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Follow the kit directions to add water to the henna powder. In some cases, you'll be instructed to allow the henna to sit overnight in order to increase its color and potency. Since all manufacturers and kits are different, it's important to follow the directions exactly how they're presented in the kit instructions. Once the henna is moistened, you can begin to work with it to make your tattoo.
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Test the henna mixture on a discreet area of the skin. While henna is usually safe, Dr. Cara Natterson tells MomLogic that allergic reactions can occur. A reaction to henna could result in permanent scarring, so it's important to see how your skin reacts to the henna. Draw a small dot on your skin and allow to dry for four hours. Clean away the dried paste and observe your skin for 24 hours before you decide whether henna is right for you. Place the moistened henna in an airtight container overnight to preserve the mixture until you're ready to use it again.
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Sketch a design on your skin with a washable marker to give yourself a guide for when you're ready to create your tattoo. Keep in mind that a henna tattoo will last up to two weeks, so you want to be sure that you have design that you have perfected before you begin using the henna. Online resources have pictures and stencils of henna designs.
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Scrape the moistened henna into a plastic sandwich bag. Seal the top and use your fingers to squish the paste into one corner. Snip a small area from the corner of the bag, as you would when piping icing or pastries. You should be able to squeeze the henna in the bag to force some out of the opening to draw the design. Use a steady hand as you trace over the design you've made with the permanent marker.
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Allow the henna to dry for four hours. You may notice that the henna begins to dry and flake off as you wait, but you should still give the henna four hours to dye your skin before you use a wet towel to wipe away any remaining dried paste. Preserve your tattoo by keeping it as dry as possible after you clean away the paste initially.
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References
- Photo Credit Dessin sur bras image by Franck Honegger from Fotolia.com
