Henna Dyes & Tattoo Stencils

Apr 12, 2023

The meaning behind henna tattoos

The application of henna started in the Mediterranean around the late bronze age. It was seen as a blessing from the gods and as such has been used to adorn young women's bodies as part of social and holiday celebrations since. Henna was applied for luck as well as joy and beauty and was considered a divine experience to adorn your body with henna. According to Indian folklore, if the bride gets a good dark stain colour, it is said that she will be dearly loved by her mother-in-law.

The art of henna tattooing has spread across the globe and is now found in popular culture. This is a simple way to enhance your individuality and style without the permanence of ink tattoos. If you are ready for a permanent tattoo, we recommend that you pay attention to the site Skin Ink. It contains information about tattoo artists from Australia, and has got a great selection of tattoos in different styles, including colour, traditional, oriental, tribal, and more . So, you can get acquainted with various styles of tattoos, see examples of works of Australian artists in various styles and possibly pick one for yourself!

Apply your own henna designs

Henna paste is applied to your skin in a similar fashion to using a marking pen. It is generally the consistency of toothpaste and if you are using natural henna it will most likely produce different colour tones on different parts of the body. It is generally darker on the hands and feet.

Create your own designs or use a template or stencil. If you wish to create your own designs you can apply them to your skin using tattoo transfer carbon paper which we supply. Simply design your tattoo, then go over it on top of the transfer paper, which will make a carbon copy you can then cut out and use on the skin. Place the transfer over the area you wish to tattoo, then simply spray a small amount of soap/water solution to dampen the paper. Wait for it to dry and peel off slowly to ensure that the design has transferred properly. If not you can simply spray the dry area again before removing it fully. After successfully transferring your design you can outline it with your chosen henna types and colours.

If you are using black or coloured henna, be sure to test it on a small part of your skin first as these all have additives to give them their colour. Sometimes these dyes can cause an allergic reaction.

Some quick pointers on henna tattoo application

• Your henna tattoos will last from 3 days to 3 weeks depending on the application, how often you wash it and the quality of the henna used.
• Henna application will take a few minutes to several hours depending on the size and complexity of the design.
• Henna will usually dry within 5-10 minutes
• When using natural henna you can spray a mix of lemon juice and sugar on the design after it dries to can get a better stain. It usually takes 5 minutes to dry again.
• For best results apply the henna in the evening before you go to bed. Let it dry and leave it on overnight. Wash off the remaining dry paste in the morning.
• There are several kinds of templates and stencils for henna application. You can use which ever ones you think are best for you. Generally these are a stencil that will leave a line for you to draw over once the stencil is removed, a rubber reusable stencil that you put on and colour in the gaps before removing, and lastly there are sticker types which you apply like a temporary transfer tattoo.