Now You Can Draw a Henna Tattoo by Yourself: Henna Tattoo Recipes and More

Henna tattoo stems from the antique technique used by the women of Ancient Egypt, who spent hours adorning themselves. Later it became widespread across India and Central Asia and today henna tattoo enjoys wide popularity all over the world. These tattoos last about 2 weeks (even more with proper care), and gives you the chance to think whether you’d like a permanent one or not. The process itself is painless, and if you’ve got a steady hand and some patience, then it will be easy for you to create a henna tattoo. And should I mention the kids that are going to love the idea of having a temporary tattoo?

Below you will find a simple but effective guide on creating a henna tattoo.

Henna is a powder made of leaves of Lawsonia Alba, the plant indigenous to North Africa, the Middle East, and India. Its leaves that gathered from the lower part of the plant are used for hair and nail dye. Upper leaves have a more intensive dying effect, thus providing material for body painting. Henna should be stored in vacuum-sealed packages; otherwise it won’t provide a bright image. The tattoo’s color will also depend on the skin shade: the paler you are – the more reddish shade your tattoo will have.

Stage1: Preparing the skin

Henna tattoo will remain longer on the smooth skin, so do a peeling if needed, dab the area of the future tattoo with alcohol or alcohol-containing liquid and rub three drops of eucalyptus oil in.

Before you start you should make sure that you’re not allergic to henna. Simply put a few drops of the henna mixed with water on the inner side of your elbow and wait for 12 hours. If there’s no allergic reaction, then you’re ready to get a henna tattoo.

Stage 2: Preparing the dye

1. 30-40 g (1 – 1.5 oz) of pure green henna powder + 500 ml (18 oz) of hot water

2. 30-40 g (1 – 1.5 oz) of henna powder + 500 ml (18 oz) of water + 2 tbsp of ground coffee + 2 tsp of black tea. Add tea and coffee to the boiling water and boil for an hour, than pass through a sieve and mix with henna

3. 30-40 g (1 – 1.5 oz) of henna powder + 250 ml (9 oz) of water + 250 ml (9 oz) of red wine. Boil the water, add wine and mix with henna

4. 30-40 g (1 – 1.5 oz) of henna powder + 500 ml (18 oz) of water + 2 tsp of sugar + 2 tsp of lemon juice. Boil the water, add sugar and lemon juice. After the sugar has dissolved – mix with henna

5. 30-40 g (1 – 1.5 oz) of henna powder + 500 ml (18 oz) of water + 5 tbsp of clover. Boil the water, add clover, and steam on a slow fire for 20 minutes and mix with henna.

Mixing should be done slowly. Avoid lumps: if there are some – pass the mixture through a sieve. Henna paste should be a bit thick. If you want to make the color of your tat more intensive – you can add 1-2 tsp of lime juice.

Cool the mixture – and you’re ready to paint!

Of course, you can buy a cone with prepared henna, in that case - skip the stage

Stage 3: Creating your tattoo

Traditionally henna paint is applied with the help of thin wooden or metallic sticks, a paintbrush or a special syringe. If you are planning to use a ready-made henna paste, you can buy a special easy-to-use tube of henna.

You may draw the tattoo free-handedly or use some special techniques, if you’re no good at drawing. The easiest technique consists of the following steps:

1. Pick a design and copy it from the source on a sheet of parchment with a water-soluble soft-tip pen.

2. Apply some deodorant on your skin in the area where you plan to draw your tattoo (use the roll-on deodorant)

3. Adjust the sheet of the parchment with the drawn image to the skin and press for a few minutes. The deodorant will dissolve the pen’s pigment and the lines of the drawing will remain on your skin.

After you have applied the henna paste – let it dry for at least 2 hours. If you want it to be brighter and to last longer, then don’t remove the paste for 6-8 hours. Avoid watering the tattoo during the first 24-48 hours. Keep in mind that at first the tattoo will be of a light orange-brownish color, but it will get darker with time.

Fine points:

Henna tattoo stays longer on the places that are usually covered by clothes
While drying the image – try to expose it to the sunlight or keep it under infrared lamp in order to make it last longer
Henna tattoos drawn on feet or hands turn out to be the brightest
While drying your tattoo – dab it with a tissue moistened with mixture of lemon juice (2tbsp) and sugar (1 tbsp)
On the next day apply a thin layer of henna paste on your tattoo – it will make the color brighter
Rub in some almond, mustard-seed or sesame oil after removing henna paste. It will also brighten the tattoo
If you want the tattoo to stay as long as possible don’t rub or soap the image – simply rinse it with water. Also avoid excessive sweating
If you liked your henna tattoo – you can renew it by applying henna paste on it again before it has completely faded away
Henna is a strong dye, so be careful and remove stray drops and smudges at once with the help of a q-tip moistened with alcohol

(Images from Flikr.com)

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The Best Tattoo in the World - for the Diabetics

Scientists have developed tattoo ink that changes its colour depending on the blood sugar level.

Doctors usually don’t encourage tattoos because inflamed skin and infections are a common case among the tattoo lovers. But the new type of tattoo developed by the researchers at Charles Stark Draper Laboratories in Boston, USA is considered to be very helpful in the struggle with diabetes.

The newly developed tattoo ink contains tiny nanosensors that measure the changes in blood sugar level. This ink changes to yellow if the level is dangerously high, purple colour means low level of glucose and orange colour shows that the level of glucose is normal.

There are two major advantages of this method of cheking. First of all, the nanosensors check the blood sugar level every several nanoseconds, and though the whole tattoo will need about 20 minutes to change its colour - it is still more effective than the method of checking twice a day that the diabetics are using nowadays. And the second advantage is that it is a needle-free alternative, which means - no more painful finger-pricks and shots.

Now researchers are checking the compatibility of the ink with the human skin, also they are working on improving the measurement accuracy. If all goes well, the new technology will be available in the next 10 years.

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UV Tattoo Images: Hiding The Truth

A tattoo is a serious decision to make, but how about a tattoo that can not be seen in the daylight? UV or Blacklight tattoos are tattoos made with a special ink that is only visible under a blacklight. Once a tattoo is healed it won’t be seen at all unless you use Ultraviolet. Here are some pros and cons for you to know:

Cons:

UV tattoo ink is not commonly known or used, as very few varieties of UV inks are approved for use in the US. It is also many times more expensive than regular tattoo inks. Some people have had reactions to ingredients in the ink, ranging from minor itching to dermatitis. Several UV inks are suspected carcinogens and allergens and at this time, no research has been conducted into the possible side effects of long term exposure. Some UV inks are known to yellow or turn slightly brown with sun exposure.

Many tattoo artists simply refuse to work with UV ink, because of the potential medical complications and the difficulty involved in the application process. In the past, many experts have advised against UV tattoos.

Pros:

Over recent years, as the formulas for UV inks have been improved upon, it has become more common to hear reports of success, with little or no reaction.

Tattoos can be mostly invisible, suitable for those who may be restricted in their choice of tattoo placement (because of their profession, for example) who can then choose to show off the tattoo under UV or Black light lighting.

So, it’s up to you whether you want to apply this ink or not. Here are the pics for you to make sure they’re really invisible:

UV Tattoo Images: Hiding The Truth

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In Loving Memory Tattoos: Art To Pay Tribute

Many people decide to get a tattoo to pay tribute to the passing of someone important to them. These tattoos help people to keep that special someone with them always, and can bring some comfort while the grief takes their hearts.

An “In Loving Memory” tattoo can be intricate or quite simple. You can use a small, significant symbol such as a star or an angel and include dates of birth and death. Or you may tattoo a symbol of a special interest you might have shared with your loved one such as music, motorcycles, or nature. A tattoo image of something you shared could make a great body art tribute on its own or as an added element to a larger tattoo.

You may wish to take a portrait photograph of your loved one to the tattoo artist that you plan to work with. Talk to him about getting a portrait tattoo, and ask to see some examples of previous similar work he has done. You will want to work with an artist whose abilities allow him to produce a good likeness from a photo.

Designing your memorial tattoo may be a bittersweet activity as you think about the happy memories and also realize that you will be going on without your loved one. Getting the tattoo will bring you comfort, and also create opportunities to share your memories with others.

Below are the photos of very nice “In Loving Memory” tattoos. And please, remember that you’re looking though not just pictures, but the trach of people’s pain, watered with tears:

In Loving Memory Tattoos: Art To Pay Tribute