INSIDE: Find out how to create your own DIY Henna Tattoos. Henna Tattoos are fun to do at girls’ night out or even your next birthday party.
Henna tattoos are a beautiful form of expression. They are common for brides and are often done at bridal showers. We’ve found a way to make your own with this simple henna tattoo paste recipe.
WHAT IS HENNA?
Henna is a dye traditionally prepared from a henna flowering shrub (Lawsonia inermis, also known as Egyptian privet), which has multiple uses. The leaves are dried and turned into fine henna powder, which is mixed with a liquid such as lemon juice to make henna paste. The henna mixture is used for dying clothes, hair and even temporarily dying the skin. This is where henna tattooing comes from.
Natural henna produces a red-brown stain. It’s sometimes called red henna to distinguish it from “black henna,” which may not actually contain henna but is made from other plants or dyes, which can cause health problems.
HOW ARE HENNA TATTOOS USED?
Mehndi is the art of applying henna to the hands and feet using a henna cone. Mehndi is commonly used for rites of passage and celebrations. Different cultures use it for various reasons. The most common use is for Hindu weddings. The temporary tattoo is painted onto the hands and feet of the bride to symbolize beauty, joy and spiritual awakening.
The look of henna art varies depending on its origin and cultural significance. Arabic tattoos are large-scale, African tattoos tend to be more bold and geometric, and Indian tattoos often feature a floral pattern and fine lines. Henna dye has been used for centuries to color hair, beards, skin and fingernails.
HOW TO MAKE EASY HENNA TATTOOS
If you’re having a bachelorette party or bridal shower, you may want to give DIY henna tattoos a try. They’re lovely and allow you and your friends to get creative with decorative patterns and henna tattoo design. (You could also use the homemade henna for tattoos as part of DIY Halloween costumes.)
SUPPLIES
Baby powder
Water
Food coloring (red is recommended because it is the most visible)
DIRECTIONS
Mix the same ratio of baby powder to water (so you might mix 2 Tbsp. powder and 2 Tbsp. water) and blend. Add 15 to 20 drops of food color, and mix until well blended.
The consistency should be that of pudding. If it’s too thick, add a few more drops of water. If it’s too thin, add a little more powder.
Pour the mixture into your henna application tube. Cut a VERY tiny tip off the end of the tube. If it comes out too slowly, cut a tiny bit more off. Slowly apply your design using thick lines. While you can use thinner ones, they may not show as well until the design has fully dried.
Once your henna application is finished, allow the body art to dry for about an hour before removing the dried powder. Remember, your designs don’t have to be perfect!
When your design is dry, it will stay imprinted on your skin in whatever color you chose. The tattoos will last one to two weeks, so keep that in mind (in case you don’t want them to show in your wedding pictures).
