Henna tattoos are becoming more and more popular. They are great at helping to express yourself, show creativity, set off an unusual outfit. They do not last too long - usually no more than two to three weeks, it depends on the place of application and the composition of the henna.
How long does a tattoo last?
Temporary henna or mehendi tattoo can be done at home. To do this, you need to buy henna itself in a tube or an instant mixture, stencils, base vegetable oil. Stencils help you create a traditional pattern, which is very useful for beginners. Instead of overlapping stencils, you can use stamps and seals, but this approach will not allow you to make a henna tattoo resistant, so a tattoo applied with a stamp, unlike a regular tattoo, will last no more than a week.
It is not at all necessary to apply a symmetrical pattern. Often, a small, graceful pattern with obvious asymmetry looks much more interesting.
How to make a tattoo more durable?
It is believed that the longer the henna mixture dries on the skin, the more durable the final pattern will be. That is why the area on which the tattoo will be located is rubbed with a small amount of vegetable oil, then a pattern is drawn by hand or using stencils, and the lines of the drawing should be thin "sausages" of henna, and then these "sausages" are regularly moistened with oil so that they dry as long as possible. This approach allows henna to stay on the skin for up to three weeks, but no tricks will allow a regular henna tattoo to stay on the skin for a year or at least several months.
Such a drawing procedure will be especially effective if, before starting it, you peel the skin, affecting the area on which you want to place the drawing. If it's legs, don't forget to wax. Then the henna will lay down smoothly and beautifully.
You need to understand that henna tattoos last the longest on the wrists and ankles, since in these areas human skin is the driest, there are the fewest sebaceous glands, so their secretions do not affect the pattern. In order for the drawing to last longer, it is advisable to exclude water procedures in the first days. A couple of times a week, the drawing can be smeared with a little oil, this will brighten the lines.
The first time it is best to do "mehendi" in a special salon, where you can choose a drawing from the catalog, discuss the place of application with the master, choose the color of henna. It should be borne in mind that traditional red henna can look quite dull on tanned skin. Burgundy or black for tanned skin is better, but they last only a week and a half. This applies to any "colored" henna, additives make it less resistant.
Usually henna "slides" in fragments, peeling off along small scales. To speed up the separation of the pattern, you can go to the sauna, wipe the place of the pattern of alcohols, lie down in the body bath. But even in this case, the drawing will go away for several days.
Sports activities promote sweating, and it destroys the pattern, so at least in the early days, if you got a tattoo for a specific event, it is better to avoid active sports.
Before applying a pattern, it is best to test your skin for an allergic reaction by simply placing some henna under your knee or on the crook of your elbow. If redness or irritation does not appear within twenty to twenty-five minutes, you can make yourself a henna drawing. If a negative reaction manifests itself, it is better to forget about this type of temporary tattoo.
