Many people dream of getting a tattoo, but they can't decide to put it on their skin, because it is done for life. Interests, beliefs change, and in a few years it may simply become irrelevant or dislike. But there is a great alternative to the eternal wearable pattern - a henna tattoo. It is about her that we will talk in the article: how to make it at home, and much more.
Mehendi - the second name
Henna painting, which was used for aesthetic and spiritual purposes, gained the greatest popularity in Asia and Africa. 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 a plant nature and is used to color hair and nails.
What does the mesmerizing painting on the body say?
These remarkable tattoos are not just a decoration and a talisman, but also belong to the elements of ritual ceremonies. AtIndian 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 the forearms and calves of the bride are painted with an unusual pattern that indicates the status, which is higher, the more difficult the pattern.
And let's move on to the main question: how long does it last? Up to three weeks. At the same time, color and brightness are perfectly preserved. The drawing dries in an hour, but it is better to give 6-8 hours. From this will depend on the brightness and durability. After drawing the pattern, the body is covered with a thin cloth until morning.
Let's talk more about color and patterns
Now we know how long a henna tattoo lasts. Move on. To prepare the dye, henna leaves must be ground into a brown-green powder. Then give the mass the desired consistency, so lemon juice, granulated sugar and oils are added to it.
When applied to the body, henna has a pale pink tint. But gradually it darkens, acquiring a reddish-brown color. The final palette will depend on the natural color of the skin. But the full color will form after 12 hours. And completely disappear on the fifteenth, twentieth day. Reddish in India, dark brown in Morocco.
Temporary henna tattoos appeared in ancient times. They were a distinctive sign of belonging to a particular tribe, indicating status. They carried religious and sexual overtones. They were used as magical amulets and for antiseptic purposes. Today there is no difficulty in buyinghenna, but only a professional can apply a quality pattern.
Let's reveal the secret of the Arabic ritual
It was believed that all the troubles and bad weather happened because of the genies that existed next to people. So, in order to appease them and call for mercy, on the holiday of Henna, women called sisters and friends to their place to paint their bodies and show off the patterns created on it for three days. So they wanted to protect themselves, to achieve his protection, so that the evil genie would not take possession of their soul and body.
These days women didn't do any work so that the drawing would not be erased before the genie saw it. Tattoos could be of any shade and applied to different parts of the body. But the main person at the celebration was the tattoo artist, which is the most interesting thing. Well, we got a little acquainted with the history of the custom, now we will learn how to make a henna tattoo at home.
First let's give some recommendations
Before the procedure it is necessary:
- For a day, refuse to stay in the sun and solarium.
- In the process of drawing a drawing, the lines must be moistened with lemon juice, unnecessary immediately removed.
- Do not tattoo on areas of 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 the drawing under an infrared lamp. You can scrape off the remains only after complete drying.
So now let's get creativeprocess.
What do we need to work?
To make pasta you need to purchase:
- henna powder;
- lemon juice;
- sugar;
- aroma oil.
A glass container, measuring spoon, applicator or any other object for applying the paste will also come in handy.
Cooking mass
The cooking process starts a day before the start of work. So what are we doing:
- We take henna powder - 20 grams and sift through a sieve into the prepared container.
- Then we bring the mass to a homogeneous consistency, adding lemon or lime juice, also strained, to it. The mixture should be thick.
- Then wrap the bowl with the resulting paste in cling film and put in a warm place for 12 hours.
To make the picture richer (brown), you can add a pinch of basma.
12 hours elapsed
Continue cooking pasta:
- Add a teaspoon of granulated sugar and butter to the bowl, they will give stability to the pattern.
- Mix everything and add lemon juice (freshly squeezed) again.
- Cover the container again with cling film and remove for 12 hours.
Add a teaspoon of all ingredients. 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 prepare henna paste.
We breed henna
The actions are identical to the previous ones:
- Sift the powder through a sieve intobowl.
- Add lemon or lime juice. It also needs to be filtered, it is possible through cheesecloth.
- Make strong tea or coffee. Add the selected drink hot (but not boiling water).
- Mix everything, cover with a cloth and leave until morning to swell.
Don't throw away the pasta. It can be stored in the refrigerator for up to six days and in the freezer for up to a month.
Second stage
In the morning we check the mass for elasticity. If the paste is very thick, you can dilute it with lemon juice or strong tea and coffee.
Before applying the pigment, wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water, and then also treat with alcohol, remove hair (for the reason that the paint comes off them much longer). And it would not hurt to use a scrub to remove dead cells and roughness, with which the paint can then come off. After hygiene procedures and degreasing, eucalyptus oil can be applied to the skin, from which the pores open and the paint penetrates deeper.
How to draw?
If you do not have an artistic gift and there is no way to turn to the master, do not despair and panic. You can do your own henna tattoo. How? For this, there are special henna tattoo stencils that will help make your dream come true. The slots are filled with paste using a wooden stick, then it is removed and the picture is allowed to dry. Complex patterns applied through a stencil are drawn twice. The paint sets better in heat or when hitsunlight.
The pattern can first be applied with an eyeliner or a marker, but not on an alcohol basis, but on a water basis. After the procedure, they are easily removed with a cotton pad dipped in olive oil. Mistakenly applied elements are easily washed off with makeup remover milk.
You can buy a special henna applicator or make your own from foil or a regular plastic bag. We put the paste in it and make a hole from the bottom with a needle, and close it tightly from above. This bag resembles a confectionery bag.
Do not touch the surface of the skin with the applicator. It is necessary to gently press on the bag and apply the mass to the contour with a layer of 2-3 millimeters. To get a more persistent and expressive pattern, you can thicken the lines. First, a henna tattoo should be drawn starting from the narrowest lines, then proceed to straight and other rounded elements.
Tattoos on arm
The most popular henna tattoos are on the arm. They are applied most often on the brush, both outside and in the palm of your hand. You can choose any motive that pleases your soul. The flight of fantasy is limitless. These 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 chose an illustration, applied it, let it dry. A dry film should form. Atusing a spatula, the residue is removed. You can fix the picture with any essential oil. Now we know how to make a henna tattoo at home. Consider another important question.
Who is it contraindicated for?
Top Tip: Before getting a henna tattoo, try it on your body in the form of a small droplet and wait. If unpleasant painful sensations appear, it should be discarded.
Children shouldn't 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 leaves orange hands. Be careful and vigilant, he alth is only in our hands.
