When permanent tattoos like ink tattoo was found out to be unsafe, many started to think twice before having them and since it is permanent, you are bound to wear them long after they are no longer fashionable and so for the desire of tattoo fashion you end up having too many tattoos instead. This is when temporary tattoos came in and henna tattoo became the best alternative choice.

Henna is a shrub like plant that originated in the Middle East Asia, it is originally called Menhdi. This is primarily where henna tattoo is made from. Henna leaves are pounded and powdered then; it is mixed with eucalyptus or lavender oil and coffee or tea liquid to make it into a paste, which is like a pastel that will then be used for painting the henna tattoo design on the skin.

Thus, henna tattoo is safer and cheaper because it is made from organic materials. It is not injected so there is no pain or discomfort at all. It takes but an hour or less to do the tattooing process. But, what made it the best alternative for ink tattoos is the fact that it fades away over time. Normally, it lasts for 4 to 6 weeks. But, if you know the tricks on doing it and how to care for the tattoo then, it may last longer than that.

Artist vary in their content mixture, some prefer eucalyptus than lavender or olive and some may use more while some prefer it less. Likewise, some artists prefer coffee liquid over tea liquid. Mixture has nothing to do with the quality of the result but, it has something to do the skin reaction. The only health risk of henna tattoo is skin irritation although, this is a rare case. Some people would do better with eucalyptus while other prefers lavender and olive, similarly with coffee and tea liquid.

What makes henna stain darker and what makes it stay longer?

When henna paste is applied, it leaves a stain forming the henna tattoo design that was painted on the skin. At first the stain is a light shade of red-orange, after hours it darkens to a shade of dark brown or reddish brown but, when not done properly it does not turn into its darkest. Then, 2 weeks later it gradually lightens and fades away.

The trick is simple but, it needs patience of which many of us do not have. It starts with making the paste, after mixing all the components make sure to let the paste stay for 6 to 12 hours until it turns to toothpaste-like. Henna stains darker on warmer skin so, you may steam the skin first before application and after that let it dry for another 6 to 12 hours before washing away the paste. To keep it warm it is advisable to dry it with a blower or a hair dryer then cover it up with a tissue paper to prevent smudging and soaking with sweat then wrap it up with a tape. Leave that way and after 12 hours you will be rewarded with a great result, the stain will darken into its darkest shade plus, it will last longer than usual.

The area where the henna is tattooed also has something to do with keeping it longer. Body parts that are exposed and constantly washed like face, hands, feet, ankles, neck and arms fades away faster than those areas that are unexposed like back, chest, belly and upper legs. Henna also darkens better on dark skinned people than on fair skinned. Although, it looks better on a fairer skin but, they have shorten span of keeping the tattoo than dark skinned people.

The process of the preparation and after the application take a lot longer than the application of the henna tattoo design wherein it may only take an hour or less depending on the size and the design of the tattoo. But, believe me when you do it right, it is worth the wait! Bella Woods