DIY: Tattoo yourself

Thursday, March 27, 2008

Call me a wimp, but I do not think I could handle getting a tattoo. I’ve always wanted one, though, so I decided to try something a little less painful: Henna. Alexis Friskel, shift manager at the Merc, 901 Iowa St,, provided a recipe for making homemade henna. All you need is several ounces of henna powder and water or lemon juice. The Merc sells red henna for $1.35 per ounce. Although the recipe is simple, you will need to have some time. Put a few teaspoons of henna in a ceramic or glass bowl. I found that about 4 teaspoons of henna made several designs on my arm and ankle. Slowly mix in lemon juice or water, a little at a time. You want the henna to be a thick paste and not too runny. Keep adding lemon juice until you have a paste. Cover and let stand for 4 to 12 hours. The longer you let the henna stand, the more potent the dye will become and the longer the tattoo will last.

DIY henna tattoo

To apply the henna, you can use a variety of tools including sticks, wire, paintbrushes or squeeze bottles. I put the henna in a small Ziploc sandwich bag and pushed it to one corner of the bag. Cut the tip of the bag off so you can squeeze the henna paste out in a thin line. Make a design on your skin using the henna. Make sure to apply a thick layer of henna.

Once you’ve completed the design, leave the henna on for 6 to 12 hours. The longer it stays on your skin, the darker the design will be. You also need to keep your skin warm and avoid water in order for the henna to be absorbed. I wrapped gauze around my henna tattoos to keep the henna in place and to keep it warm.

Scrape the henna off to see the design. It will get darker over the next day or two and will last for several weeks.

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