Supplies
Tools
- Containers: 1 bowl and 1 glass
- Spoon
- Small sieve
- Henna syringe applicator or henna cellophane cone
Materials
- Henna paste
- Sugar
- Lemon juice
- Freezer bag
- Towelette
- Shower glove
- Tissues
- Cotton swabs
- Essential oil and moisturising cream (optional)
Directions
Prepare the henna for tattooing
Syringe applicator method
Fill the syringe in one of two ways:
- To minimize air bubbles, fill the syringe from the bottom:
- Close the syringe plunger and remove the applicator tip;
- Place the end of the syringe into the henna and pull gently on the plunger to fill the body of the syringe.
- To fill it more rapidly, fill the syringe from the top:
- Put the henna paste in a freezer bag and cut one of the bag’s corners;
- Remove the syringe plunger, fill the body of the syringe with henna paste and replace the plunger;
- Remove the syringe tip and let a little henna run out to remove any air bubbles;
- Replace the tip.
Cellophane cone method
- Put henna in freezer bag and cut one of the corners.
- Use the bag to fill the cellophane cone from the top.
- Let the henna run down towards the bottom of the cone to remove any air bubbles.
- Fold the opening of the cone and tape shut.
- Do a trial run in the bowl to check the henna is flowing smoothly.
Tattoo the henna
- Clean the area of skin to be tattooed and apply moisturising cream.
- Place the towelette on your workspace to protect it. Make sure not to get any henna on your clothes as the paste will stain.
- Draw on the tattoo, either following a design or letting your imagination run free. If you make a mistake, quickly wipe off the paste with a tissue and start again.
- Regularly wipe the end of the syringe or cone to ensure the henna doesn’t clog.
- Let tattoo dry.
Seal the henna tattoo
- Mix sugar and lemon juice in the glass to make a syrup.
- Use a cotton swab to cover the tattoo with the sugar and lemon syrup.
- Leave to set for at least one hour:
- The longer you let the tattoo rest, the darker it will be and the longer it will last.
- Ideally, apply the tattoo in the evening, cover with a towelette and leave to set during the night.
- A henna tattoo lasts 3 to 10 days depending on setting time, the quality of the henna, the type of skin and the location of the tattoo.
Finishing touches to the henna tattoo
- Once it has set, remove the henna paste with your hand and if necessary a shower glove.
- If the henna stays stuck to the skin, use a little warm water to rinse off gently.
- Coat the tattoo with essential oil to fix and deepen the color.
Video
Tips
- To do shading, on a flower petal for example, gently spread the henna on the area to be shaded using the point of the applicator tip or the cone.
- To make thick lines, press down on the syringe plunger while moving the applicator tip slowly across the skin. To make thin lines move the syringe applicator more quickly.
- While you are learning you can use special henna stencils to draw on your tattoo.
- Add special skin diamantes or sequins for extra effect:
- Lightly spray the tattoo with hairspray to act as glue;
- Carefully scatter over the sequins;
- Fix in place with another coat of hairspray.
- Moisturize the tattooed area regularly to make it last.