Henna tattoos- The art of henna

Henna has been used since the Bronze Age to dye skin (including body art), hair, fingernails, leather, silk and wool. In several parts of the world it is traditionally used in various festivals and celebrations. There is mention of henna as a hair dyer. Nowadays the henna tattoos are more and more popular as a new form of body art. Their popularity grows especially in the summer period.

Teenagers and adolescents find this way to decorate their bodies during the summer. Temporary tattoos of any kind are used for numerous purposes including self-expression, identification, and advertising. Old fashioned temporary tattoos, which were first made popular as inserts in bubble gum, were poor quality ink transfers that often resulted in blurry designs and could easily be washed or rubbed off.

Here are some of the most frequently asked questions about henna:              

How long will henna last?

If you decide to decorate your body with henna you're probably asking your self this question. It depends. If you want your henna decoration for your birthday
party, it'll last for the night and maybe the whole week, but henna tattoos aren't permanent ink. They usually last almost a week or maybe two weeks.
Their fading factor depends of how much you wash the painted area with water.

How to prepare the henna paste?

If you learn to mix your own henna paste, you will have darker and more beautiful results.

Sift your henna

Henna will not stain skin until the laws one molecules are made available (released) from the henna leaf. Fresh henna leaves will stain the skin if they are smashed with a mildly acidic liquid. The laws one will gradually migrate from the henna paste into the outer layer of the skin and bind to the proteins in it, creating a fast stain.

Since it is difficult to form intricate patterns from coarse crushed leaves, henna is commonly traded as a powder made by drying, milling and sifting the leaves. The dry powder is mixed with lemon juice, strong tea, or other mildly acidic liquids to make a preparation with toothpaste-like consistency, which can be used to make finely detailed body art. The henna mix must rest for 6 to 12 hours before use, to release the laws one from the leaf matter. Essential oils with high levels of monoterpene alcohols such as tea tree, eucalyptus, cajeput, or lavender will improve skin stain characteristics. The stain may be achieved within minutes, but the longer the paste is left on the skin, the stronger the stain will be, and it may be left for several hours. To prevent it from drying or falling off the skin, the paste is often sealed down by dabbing a sugar/lemon mix over the dried paste, or simply adding some form of sugar to the paste.

When you're done with the paste make sure that you keep it covered with plastic! Otherwise, it'll get crusty.

When is the henna ready?

When the weather is HOT, your henna paste will release dye FAST. When the weather is cold, your henna will release dye slowly. (40c is 104F, a HOT day. 30c is 86F, a very warm day. 20c is 68F, a mild day. 10c is 50F, a cool day.)

You have to wait for henna paste to release dye so it will stain skin. Then, you have to use it before the dye "demises". After your henna releases dye, it is in contact with oxygen (unless you have a way to inert the paste). If oxygen combines with the dye, it won't bind with the keratin in your skin, and you'll get a poor stain. This is "demise", when henna stains poorly because you have waited too long to use it.

If it is a very hot day, and you don't want your henna to release and demise too quickly, use rainwater to mix your henna paste. A less acidic paste will release dye slower. If you want your paste to last longer before demise, keep it in the fridge.

Health effects

Nowadays henna decoration is more and more commented. But there are several risks you should be careful, before using any kind of henna. The health risks involved in pre-mixed paste can be significant.

The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) considers these to be adulterants and therefore illegal for use on skin. Some pastes have been found to include: silver nitrate, carmine, pyrolysis, disperse orange dye, and chromium. These have been found to cause allergic reactions, chronic inflammatory reactions, or late-onset allergic reactions to hairdressing products and textile dyes.

Remember: Every henna is different! You should be careful before using any kind of henna especially when it comes the skin decoration.