Many dream of a tattoo, but cannot decide to apply it to their skin, because it is done for life. Interests, beliefs are changing, and in a few years it may simply become irrelevant or disagree. But there is a great alternative to the eternal underwear design - henna tattoo. We will talk about it in the article: how to do it at home, and much more.
Mehendi - the second name
Henna painting, which was used for aesthetic and spiritual purposes, found the greatest popularity in the countries of Asia and Africa. It has a black, dark red or brown tint, depending on the added components.
In general, henna is considered a protective talisman that protects against negative energy. The substance is of plant nature and is used for coloring hair and nails.
What does the mesmerizing body painting mean?
These remarkable tattoos are not just decoration and a talisman, but also relate to elements of ritual rites. The Indian and Arab people, as well as the inhabitants of Morocco, are an integral part of the marriage ritual. Before the celebration, the hands, feet, ankles, sometimes forearms and calves of the bride are painted with an unusual pattern that indicates the status, which is higher, the pattern is more complicated.
And we turn to the main question: how much does it hold? Up to three weeks. At the same time, color and brightness are perfectly preserved. The picture dries in an hour, but it is better to give 6-8 hours. The brightness and durability will depend on this. After applying the pattern, the body is covered with a thin cloth until the morning.
Talk in more detail about color and patterns.
Now we know how long the henna tattoo lasts. Move on. To prepare the dye, henna leaves must be ground into a brownish-green powder. Then give the mass the desired consistency, so lemon juice, granulated sugar and oils are added to it.
At the time of application to the body, henna has a pale pink tint. But gradually it darkens, becoming a reddish-brown color. The final palette will depend on the natural color of the skin. But completely the color will form in 12 hours. And completely disappear on the fifteenth, twentieth day. In India it has a reddish tint, and in Morocco it is dark brown.
Temporary henna tattoos appeared in ancient times. They were a distinctive sign of belonging to one or another tribe, they indicated status. They wore religious and sexual overtones. Used as magic charms and for antiseptic purposes. Today there is no difficulty in buying henna, but only a professional can apply a high-quality pattern.
Discover the secret of the Arab ritual
It was believed that all the troubles and incidents happened because of the genies that existed next to people. So, in order to appease them and call for mercy, on the henna festival, women called sisters and friends to themselves to paint their body and show off the patterns created on it for three days. So they wanted to protect themselves, to seek his protection, so that the evil genie did not take possession of their soul and body.
These days, women did not do any work so that the drawing would not be erased before the genie saw it. Tattoos could be of any color and applied to different parts of the body. But the main person at the festival was a tattoo artist, which is the most interesting. Well, we got a little acquainted with the history of the custom, now we learn how to get a henna tattoo at home.
First we give some recommendations.
Before the procedure, you must:
- For a day, refuse to stay in the sun and a solarium.
- In the process of drawing the line, it is necessary to moisten with lemon juice, immediately remove unnecessary ones.
- Do not apply the tattoo on areas of the skin with wrinkles - the paint will spread and the pattern will be distorted.
- Within 24 hours, it is advisable not to wet the tattoo so that it is fixed. It is better to go to the sun or hold a picture under an infrared lamp. Scraping off residues is possible only after complete drying.
So, now we begin the creative process.
What do we need for work?
To make a paste you need to purchase:
- henna powder;
- lemon juice;
- sugar;
- aromatic oil.
And also useful glass containers, measuring spoon, applicator or any other object for applying paste.
Cooking mass
The cooking process begins a day before the start of work. So what we do:
- We take henna powder - 20 grams and sift through a sieve into a prepared container.
- Then we bring the mass to a homogeneous consistency by adding lemon or lime juice also filtered. It should be a thick mixture.
- Then we wrap the bowl with the resulting pasta with cling film and set in a warm place for 12 hours.
To make the picture richer (brown), you can add a pinch of basma.
Expired 12 hours
We continue to cook pasta:
- Add a teaspoon of granulated sugar and butter to the bowl, they will add stability to the picture.
- Mix everything and add lemon juice (freshly squeezed) again.
- Again, cover the container with cling film and remove for 12 hours.
We add all components on a teaspoon. There is no exact recipe, the main thing is that the mass is obtained in the form of thick sour cream. There is another way to make henna tattoo paste.
Weed henna
The actions are identical to the previous ones:
- Sift the powder through a sieve into a bowl.
- Add lemon or lime juice. It also needs to be filtered, it is possible through gauze.
- We make strong tea or coffee. Add the selected drink hot (but not boiling water).
- Mix everything, cover with a cloth and leave until the morning for swelling.
Do not discard the paste. It can be stored in the refrigerator for up to six days, and in the freezer for up to a month.
Second phase
In the morning we check the mass for elasticity. If the paste is very dense, it can be diluted with lemon juice or strong tea and coffee.
Before applying the pigment, you must thoroughly wash your hands with soap, and then also treat with alcohol, remove hair (for the reason that the paint comes off from them much longer). And it would not hurt to use a scrub to remove dead cells and roughness, which can then disappear paint. After hygienic procedures and degreasing, eucalyptus oil can be applied to the skin, from which the pores open and the paint penetrates deeper.
How to apply a drawing?
If you do not have an artistic gift and there is no way to contact the master, do not despair and panic. Henna tattoo can be done by yourself. How? To do this, there are special henna tattoo stencils that will help make your dream a reality. The slots are filled with paste with a wooden stick, then it is removed and the picture is allowed to dry. Complex patterns drawn through the stencil are drawn twice. The paint cures better in heat or when exposed to sunlight.
The pattern can first be applied with an eyeliner or marker, but not on alcohol, but on a water basis. After the procedure, they can be removed without problems with a cotton pad soaked in olive oil. Mistakenly applied elements are easily washed off with makeup milk.
A special applicator for henna tattoos can be bought or made independently from foil or an ordinary plastic bag. We put the paste in it and make a hole on the bottom with a needle, and tightly close the top. This bag resembles a bag for decorating confectionery.
Do not touch the skin surface with the applicator. It is necessary to gently press on the bag and apply the mass to the circuit with a layer of 2-3 mm. To get a more persistent and expressive pattern, you can thicken the lines. First, you need to draw a henna tattoo starting from the narrowest lines, then proceed to straight and other rounded elements.
Tattoos on the arm
The most popular henna tattoos on the arm. They are most often applied to the brush, both on the outside and on the palm. You can choose a motive as you please. Flight of fantasy is unlimited. This can be complex pictures, consisting of floral ornaments, ethnic, any geometric patterns, large and small drawings, images in the form of jewelry (bracelet, pendant), animals and so on.
Here we have chosen an illustration, applied, let dry. A dry film should form. Using a spatula, the residues are removed. You can fix the picture with any essential oil. Now we know how to get a henna tattoo at home. Consider another important issue.
To whom is it contraindicated?
The main advice: before applying a henna tattoo, try it on your body in the form of a small droplet and wait. If unpleasant pain occurs, it is worth giving up.
Children should not get henna tattoos! As a rule, the natural component does not cause allergies, but black henna is very dangerous. Harmless paint - chocolate color, with a delicate aroma of lemon and essential oil, from which the master often remains orange hands. Be careful and vigilant, health is only in our hands.