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Easy Henna Tattoos for Beginners!
 

Below are two articles that are the most helpful henna information for beginners I've ever found.  The Trouble Shooting Guide is pure genius!  If you are brand new to henna and completely lost, THIS IS WHERE TO START!

What Kind of Henna is Best for Me?
By Jody Rogers, ShopBeachcombers.com Inc.

Henna Tattoo Help: Trouble Shooting Guide
By Jody Rogers, ShopBeachcombers.com Inc.
 

What kind of henna is best for me?
By Jody Rogers, ShopBeachcombers.com Inc.

Regular Henna vs. Color Henna
Standard natural henna can leave a henna tattoo stain in a range of colors including orange brown, coffee brown, or deep red brown depending on your body chemistry, the henna mix, where you put it on your body, and how long the moist henna stays in contact with your skin.  A standard henna design will last from 1-3 weeks. 

Colored henna is very different from regular henna.  Color henna contains a small amount of henna along with plant extracts to produce color without any harmful chemicals.  Color henna is a surface stain and does not penetrate deeply into the skin like standard henna (similar to the stain blueberries might leave on your fingers).  Color henna lasts from 1-3 days and can be scrubbed off if needed using soap and water (some colors wash off easier than others). 

Colored henna is perfect for accenting a standard henna tattoo design or for a short term tattoo or to “try out” a tattoo before committing to the real thing. If you have taken the time to do an intricate long lasting henna design, adding colored henna to the design is a great way to keep the design fresh.  You can change the colors to match an outfit or theme.  If you are still not sure, try both colored henna and natural standard henna.  

Pre-mixed Henna Paste vs. Henna Powder
Is premixed henna paste or henna powder right for you?  Well, that depends on what you are looking for from your henna tattoo and how much work you want to do to achieve those results.  Try a little bit of everything to find out what you like best with a Beachcombers! specially designed starter kit.  Read on for more details…

Looking for fun, easy, short term results from your henna tattoo?
Pre-mixed paste henna is for you.  If you don’t want to be stuck with a henna design that will last for 3 weeks or more (especially if you are new and want to practice often or change your henna design often), pre-mixed paste does not stain the skin as deeply as freshly mixed powder.  Pre-mixed henna designs typically last 5-15 days and are not as dark as freshly mixed henna powder.  This gives you a bit more flexibility and is more forgiving when you are a henna beginner.  Pre-mixed henna paste is super easy to use.  Just knead the cone or tube and apply your design.

As you grow as a henna artist or if you want darker longer lasting results, you can help your pre-mixed paste by mixing in some natural additives and/or using a sealer to keep the moist henna in contact with your skin longer.

Serious about henna?  Looking for extra-dark long-lasting henna tattoos?
Beachcombers! fresh henna powder is the henna for you.  Mixing your own henna paste from powder is more time consuming but can yield astonishingly good results.   Be ready to commit to your henna design, as results typically last 2-3 weeks with some designs lasting up to 5 weeks with exceptionally good care.  One of the best things about mixing your own henna is you get to create your own personal henna recipe.  The Beachcombers! Favorite Henna Recipe is a very easy henna mix to start with and will give great results. 

If you are still unsure, try the Beachcombers! Ultimate Starter Kit.  It conations pre-mixed henna paste, henna powder, and two tubes of colored henna along with all the basic henna tools and supplies you will need to start your henna adventure.  After you have had some fun with the different types of henna you can reorder just what you like and need from Beachcombers! Henna Products.

Written by Jody Rogers, ShopBeachcombers.com Inc.
Copyright 2006. All Rights Reserved.
Permission of reprint given to easyhenna.com. 

Henna Tattoo Help: Trouble Shooting Guide
By Jody Rogers, ShopBeachcombers.com Inc.

Find your henna problem and a list of possible reasons/solutions for you to fix it.  Henna made easy.

Pre-mixed henna paste is not staining well. 

• The number one reason henna does not stain well is that the area of the body that the henna is on was not clean.  Lotions, sweat, hair products, and anything else on the skin will give you a poor henna stain.  Make sure the skin is completely clean before applying henna.  Washing with dish soap or wiping the area with rubbing alcohol or which hazel can help.
• The henna paste needs to be mixed.  Henna can sometimes separate a bit from shipping or sitting for awhile.  Be sure to knead your henna cone or tube thoroughly before using.
• The moist henna was not left on the skin long enough to develop a good stain.  Try sealing the henna design after the henna is set but before it is completely dry.  You can also mix in some sugar into the henna to help it stay moist longer and adhere to the skin better.  Also, make sure the henna is directly on the skin and not “floating” above the skin on hair.

 Powder henna is not staining well.

• The number one reason henna does not stain well is that the area of the body that the henna is on was not clean.  Lotions, sweat, hair products, and anything else on the skin will give you a poor henna stain.  Make sure the skin is completely clean before applying henna.  Washing with dish soap or wiping the area with rubbing alcohol or which hazel can help.
• The henna did not sit long enough for the dye to develop before being used.  After mixing the henna it must sit in a warm area away from sunlight for anywhere between 2-12 hours.  The warmer it is the sooner the dye develops.
• The moist henna was not left on the skin long enough to develop a good stain.  Try sealing the henna design after the henna design has set but before the henna is completely dry to help it stay moist longer.  Also, make sure the henna is directly on the skin and not “floating” above the skin on hair.

Color henna is not taking well.

• The number one reason henna does not stain well is that the area of the body that the henna is on was not clean.  Lotions, sweat, hair products, and anything else on the skin will give you a poor henna stain.  Make sure the skin is completely clean before applying henna.  Washing with dish soap or wiping the area with rubbing alcohol or which hazel can help.
• The henna paste needs to be mixed.  Henna can sometimes separate a bit from shipping or sitting for awhile.  Be sure to knead your henna cone or tube thoroughly before using.
• Make sure the henna is directly on the skin and not “floating” above the skin on hair.
  *Remember color henna is a surface stain.  It will start fading immediately upon contact with water or upon sweating.

Henna is drying too quickly or cracking too much while drying.

• Your henna mixture needs to be stickier.  Add sugar or honey to your henna.  This will keep the henna moist longer and will help the henna adhere to your skin.
• Try steaming your henna design as it starts to dry to keep it moist longer.
• Add a sealer over your henna design after the henna has set but before it is completely dry.

Henna tattoo design is fading quickly.

• The moist henna was not left on the skin long enough to develop a good deep stain.  Try sealing the henna design after the henna design has set but before the henna is completely dry to help it stay moist longer.  Also, make sure the henna is directly on the skin and not “floating” above the skin on hair.
• The henna design is coming in contact with water or chemicals too often.  Chlorinated water (pools, spas) will fade henna very quickly (this includes tap water which often has high levels of chlorine).  Wear rubber gloves when cleaning the house (especially dishes) and when washing your hair.  Apply a light layer of Mehndi oil over your henna design before coming into contact with water.
• You may be using an exfoliating soap and/or lotion.  Most facial soaps are highly exfoliating.
• The skin is dry.  Where as dry skin helps henna to take and get a nice deep dark stain, it also fades the henna quicker as dry skin sheds it’s cells faster than moist skin.  Apply henna oil or non-exfoliating lotion over your henna design daily.

I’ve read the trouble shooting tips but I’m still having trouble.

• Try a different part of your body.  Henna takes the best on the palms of the hands and the soles of the feet.
• Try a different kind of henna.  The same henna works differently on different people.  If you’ve been using pre-mixed henna, try mixing fresh henna from henna powder.
• Your henna may have lost it's color due to age or improper storage.  Keep your henna in a cool dry place or in the refrigerator.  When mixing henna, only mix as much as you need at a time.  If you mix extra wrap it very tightly and freeze it.  If doing henna outside in the heat, keep your henna in a cooler when not in use.
• In some very rare cases, henna just doesn’t take well to certain people.  Never use henna with chemicals to compensate.  If henna doesn’t take well to you, then you will need to work extra hard.  Mix your own henna from henna powder using the Beachcombers! Favorite Henna Recipe. Seal your henna design completely and use additional heat to help activate the henna. Wrap your henna design overnight.

Written by Jody Rogers, ShopBeachcombers.com Inc.
Copyright 2006. All Rights Reserved.
Permission of reprint given to easyhenna.com.