What Is A Henna Tattoo? | Everything About Henna Tattoo
If you’ve ever wondered what having a tattoo would be like but didn’t wish to commit to going under the needle – or love the look of traditional Indian wedding tattoos – a henna tattoo is for you. Made from a plant-based ink or paste, henna tattoos are entirely painless and naturally fade over time. Henna comes in shades of red, orange, brown, or blue-black and looks striking on a wide variety of skin tones. Henna can also refer to the temporary body art resulting from the staining of the skin from the dyes.
Techniques include a thin toothpick dipped in the dye and then drawn on the skin. It all depends on the artist and their desired method. Usually, the tattoo is often made with a certain amount of henna powder mixed with other ingredients, such as water or tea. The paste is placed in a small piping bag and then piped on the skin to create mesmerizing patterns.
The Wedding Tradition
Henna is a common wedding tradition throughout Asia and the Middle East. Countries like Singapore, Egypt, Bangladesh, India, and Morocco use henna as a pre-wedding ritual. The families host a small party for the bride, groom, and their guests — similar to a bachelorette or bachelor party. Henna is a crucial part of many Indian celebrations, including Diwali, engagements, and weddings.
It has gained popularity for its beauty, but among Indian culture, it’s considered more of a ritual. There are often dedicated events for the bridal parties to have their mehndi applied. There’s a belief in Indian culture that the darker the mehndi is, the stronger the marriage will be.
Henna kits are now available online, as well as in drug stores very easily, so that you can create your design.
What is Henna powder prepared?
Traditionally, women would crush the leaves until they developed into a paste. The dye was then mixed with a small amount of water and left for 48 hours.
Nowadays, henna is often sold as a ready powder that is made from the leaves of the henna plant, which have been dried, ground, and sifted. When buying henna, it is important to look at the color. A faded color suggests that the henna could be old. Also, if it’s too green, there might be added coloring to make it look fresh.
The powder will then be mixed with a wet ingredient, such as lemon juice, tea or water. Some artists like to mix in a few drops of essential oil for fragrance. The henna already has a strong scent.
After the henna has been applied, you will have to let it dry to stain the skin. The longer you leave it, the darker it will appear. Adding sugar or honey can bring moisture to the paste. The paste works on its own, however, it often gets dry and flaky.
How long does it stay?
Hands and feet, which are used often and exposed to water and soap, might start fading away after one week and fully disappear after two weeks. Placement on the back or upper arm has the potential to last an additional week or two.
Cleaning the skin before applying the dye is an important step. Also, removing any dead skin through exfoliation, and shaving the area beforehand, is also useful. This also helps in the tattoo appearing more vibrant.
Black Henna Tattoo
You want your henna tattoo to appear very dark, rather than the usual red, orange, or brown, go for a jagua-based ink. Jagua is made from the juice of a South American fruit, and jagua tattoos are traditional in some Caribbean and indigenous American cultures. Some products labeled ‘black henna’ are made from a toxic dye called p-paraphenylenediamine (PPD). This ingredient is not skin safe and can cause severe illnesses and scarring.
Since it is hard to know for sure whether or not the henna you’re purchasing contains PPD, I highly recommend avoiding black henna altogether.
White Henna Tattoo
For those with deep skin tones or who want an eye-catching twist on traditional henna. A white henna tattoo is a perfect choice. White henna does not contain any part of the henna plant and does not bleach, discolor, or stain the skin. Instead, a mixture of surgical-grade adhesive and skin-safe body paint is applied. It has the same texture as real henna and can be used in the same way, but it doesn’t stay as long – it will wash away in three to ten days.
