No Needles Needed! (Henna Tattoos)

Name: Psammead

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Product:	Henna Tattoos
Date:	29.08.01 (2222 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: no pain, not permanent

Disadvantages: 'black henna', not permanent

I’ve always wanted a tattoo, partly because it would drive my Mum insane, but mostly because I think they can look pretty cool. Ever since my elder sister got a gorgeous blue dolphin tattooed onto her stomach, I’ve been riddled with envy and desperate for one of my own. However, as I am only sixteen, I’m going to have to wait a few years before a decent tattoo artist will touch me with a needle. Still, it’s not the end of the world. Until I am old enough to get a real tattoo, I can have great fun experimenting with Henna.

Henna is a traditional herbal cosmetic and has been used by women from South Asia, the Middle East and North Africa for over 9000 years. It is used to decorate hands, fingernails and hair, often for celebrations such as weddings. Its reddish colour is considered to be very beautiful and to bring good luck in the countries where it is traditionally used. The dye found in Henna will stain skin, nails and hair red, burgundy, dark orange or reddish brown very safely and easily.

I discovered Henna for the first time not long ago when I was on a day-trip to Brighton with my friends. We were wondering along the pier when we came across a little Henna tattoo parlour, and decided to get tattoos done. I picked a little cat - very appropriate considering my name is ‘Cat’ I thought! The man applied the Henna paste to my shoulder quickly and skilfully, and in under a minute my tattoo was completed. At eight pounds it was quite expensive, but definitely worth it.

My tattoo lasted about three weeks, but after it had faded away I wanted another one. Deciding it would be good if I could give myself a Henna tattoo whenever I wanted to, I bought myself a Henna kit from a shop in London. The kit contained fifty grams of henna powder, a cone to apply it with, a small bottle of lemon juice, and a tattoo stencil. At only three pounds it was a bargain.

Transforming the Henna powder into a paste is r
elatively easy. You take about a tablespoonful of the powder and add a couple of teaspoons of strained lemon juice to it. A little clove oil or powder can also be added at this point to help darken the colour. Next simply mix and add more lemon juice if required until you have a thick paste, then cover the bowl or put with cling-film and leave for a few hours before applying to your skin.

Wash and exfoliate the area of skin you want to work on. Using a plastic applicator bottle or cone, you can now apply the Henna paste, either by using a stencil or, if you have a steady hand and are feeling brave, by freehand. Once the design is complete, dab the area with a lemon and sugar syrup to help seal the colour. Then just leave the Henna as it is for about six hours, taking care not to smudge it. The dried paste should flake off the skin by itself after this time, but if it doesn’t, scrape it off with your fingernail or a plastic knife.

The Henna tattoo should last between two and four weeks, but it can last longer depending on the quality of the Henna and the care taken when applying it. You should be able to lengthen the life of your tattoo by covering it with sun block when you go outside, and Vaseline when you take a bath or shower.

However, a warning must come with using Henna. Many people are attracted by ‘black Henna’ – a product which has an additional dye added to the paste to dye the skin jet black. Often the extra chemical is PPD, which is extremely dangerous because it is a toxin that is able to get into the bloodstream through the skin. Once in the system, PPD toxins can damage the liver and cause serious damage, so it’s best to stick with natural Henna, which is risk-free.

Henna has recently become very popular in western countries. Several popular books have been published on the subject, and Henna supplies are becoming more and more available across the world. Celebrities including Madonn
a, Sting, Demi Moore and many others have been photographed wearing Henna, and many people have been eager to explore this harmless body art.

So for those of you who want a beautiful tattoo without having to be touched by a needle, now you know what to do!

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