Black Henna: Free Tips for Applying Henna Tattoos & Body Art

Video Transcript

"A lot of times when people are getting henna body art done they want to get the darkest stain possible. And because henna is used frequently in place of tattooing they want black henna stains. It is virtually impossible to get a black stain using natural henna. And when you’re getting henna done the paste itself should not be black. There is no such thing as black henna. I want to repeat that, that there is no such thing as black henna. What’s commonly referred to as black henna may have some henna leaves in them and some powder but what has been added to it frequently is PPD. PPD is a caustic chemical that is used in hair dying and in other products that are not to be used in application to skin. It can burn you and your temporary henna tattoo will become permanent. I strongly suggest that if you’re going to have henna applied to you that you ask your artist what’s in their paste. They should be able to tell you that there is no PPD in their paste. Or better yet, use an artist who advertises that they do not use PPD in their henna. It is a very dangerous substance, and causes a lot of harm to a lot of people. Not only does it cause burns to your skin but can cause liver damage and other internal problems. So I don’t think it’s worth it to have a black tattoo if it’s going to really harm you in the end. "