How to Care for a Henna Tattoo

 

 Henna tattoos are fascinating and trendy works of body art. These tattoos are temporary, lasting anywhere from 1 to 4 weeks, and are orange-chestnut brown in color. They can take the shape of Chinese characters or flowers, but they require special care to remain intact.

 

Instructions

 

1 Apply a fixative to the henna paste to prevent it from cracking as it dries. The most common way is to mix sugar & water or fresh lemon juice and spray  or dab it with a cotton ball onto the design, but you can use hair spray, gel or other products to achieve the same result.

 

2 Leave the henna paste on your skin as long as possible. Up to 8 hours is ideal, as keeping the paste on longer results in longer lasting, darker tattoos. The longer it stays, darker it gets.

 

3 Wrap your design in a plastic bag, saran wrap, medical tape to prevent flaking off. When the tattoo is applied to your hands. The longer it stays on the darker it gets. Use care when doing activities that involve using the affected area.

 

4 Keep your henna tattoo dry for the first 48 hours. If you must expose your henna to moisture, cover it with petroleum jelly or baby oil to protect the design. Remember that this halts the color-darkening process, so be prepared to end up with a lighter tattoo.

 

5 Care for your henna by keeping the tattooed area product-free. Applying lotions, skin care products or even just rubbing the spot shortens the life span of your henna tattoo.

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