The word henna comes from the Arabic language and it is a very popular tattoo type in India. But in recent years we can see the hype for the henna tattoo in the Western world. Getting one of these henna tattoos can be a bit annoying as you have to sit for a certain amount of time and not make any movement to get the tattoo done. And after getting it done you have to be cautious until it’s completely dry. After going through all this you don’t want your henna tattoo to get ruined or faded right? That’s why it is crucial to know how to care for a henna tattoo.
Does not matter what type of tattoo you get; you should follow aftercare steps to ensure the tattoo stays in good condition. The same rule applies to henna tattoos. Just because it is cheaper to get a henna tattoo and it is not a permanent tattoo that does not mean it does not require any aftercare. In this piece, I will give you all the necessary aftercare steps so that your henna tattoo stays in vibrant and crisp shape for a longer period of time.
Key Takeaways
- The aftercare routine for henna tattoos includes giving it 6-8 hours to dry, not washing the dried henna with water, avoiding rubbing or exfoliating the tattoo, etc.
- You can sleep with a henna tattoo just make sure to wrap the tattoo with a plastic or paper towel gently and it is recommended to sleep on the mattress just to stay on the safe side.
- Your henna tattoo may change color three times. After you take off the dried henna it may have a light orange color, after 24 hours a deeper orange or red, and after a day or two the color fully matures and becomes deep burgundy color.
11 Aftercare Steps for Henna Tattoos
Henna tattoos are temporary and can stay up to 6-15 days depending on the aftercare routine. If you want your henna tattoo to be dark as possible and prolong its life, then make sure to follow the 11 aftercare steps I have provided here:
1. Give it time to dry
After applying the henna, let it dry for a while. It usually takes 6 to 8 hours for henna to dry completely. Do not peel or wash the henna before this 8-hour mark. If you want a darker stain you should keep the henna on for a longer period of time.
2. Be careful while it dries
This is a boring phase of the aftercare as you have to be careful not to mess up the henna while it is drying. Avoid using the body part where you got your henna tattoo. Ensure to wear clothing and jewelry in a way that they don’t mess with your tattoo. Be cautious not to get the henna tattoo damaged in any way.
3. Avoid wrapping
I see many people wrapping their henna tattoo like a normal ink tattoo, which is completely unnecessary and may damage the henna tattoo design. If you are someone who does extensive work maybe, then you can wrap the henna tattoo to avoid getting stains on other things. Or if you are about to go sleep with henna on your skin you can wrap it up so that the bed sheet does not get any stain. Otherwise, I do not recommend wrapping henna tattoos.
4. Keep the tattooed area warm
Did you know you can enhance the henna color by following a simple trick? Warmth makes henna stain even darker. So keeping the area where you want to get the tattoo warm before getting the tattoo and after getting the tattoo can help you get a darker stain.
5. Enhance the color
Another simple trick to enhance the color of henna is to apply a sugar, and lemon mixture to keep the henna longer on your skin. Use the same amount of lemon juice and sugar and mix them up. You can put the mixture into a spray bottle and spray over the henna or use a cotton ball to dip into the mixture and dab gently over the henna.
The henna dries and starts to fall off on its own after 6-8 hours. But by applying this mixture over the henna, you can keep the henna moist for a longer period of time, and as a result, it will stack on your skin for longer.
6. Do not use water
Do not use water to wash off the dry henna. Water will make the henna stain fade as the water exfoliates your skin.
7. Gently scrap the dried henna
After the 6-8-hour mark or waiting for a few more hours you can scrap the dried henna off your hand. Instead of washing the dried henna, I suggest scraping it off using a butter knife or toothpick. You can use your hand to pick the dried henna too, no harm in that. Washing it may damage the design but still, if scrapping is not your thing you can use olive oil or coconut oil to remove the dried henna from your skin. And use a paper towel to whip the area clean.
8. Avoid using synthetic moisturizer
Moisturizing is crucial for your skin and tattoo. But using from personal experience I can tell you that using synthetic moisturizer has the potential to fade the henna tattoo faster. So instead of a lotion or cream, you can use henna balm which is formulated to keep your henna moist and protected. Or you can simply apply a bit of olive will which is a fine moisturizer.
9. Avoid scratching, rubbing, exfoliating
You have to remember henna tattoos are temporary and are not permanent. The pigment resides on the epidermis layer of your skin which is the outer layer of your skin. So scratching, rubbing, or exfoliating the area will make the henna tattoo fade prematurely.
10. Get henna tattoo in the evening
As I said the longer you keep the henna on your skin the darker color you will get. So getting a henna tattoo in the evening is the perfect time. As you do not have much work after the evening so the chance of messing up the tattoo becomes less. And you will go to sleep in a few hours so the henna will stay on your skin for a decent amount of time.
11. Try to avoid frequent bath
Water will exfoliate the skin as a result fade the henna tattoo prematurely. I recommend a shower for a week but for many people, it is hard to follow. So make sure you apply a non-exfoliating balm to protect the tattoo while you take a shower. You can also use coconut oil instead of a balm. Do not rub soap on the tattooed area as it will ruin the purpose of applying non-exfoliating balm on the skin.
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Sleeping with Henna Tattoo
I said the best time to get a henna tattoo is in the evening. It is easier said than done because if you apply henna in the evening you will most probably you will have to sleep with henna. Sleeping with henna and not getting it damaged or getting henna stains on your bedsheet or pillow cover can be challenging. So, how do you sleep with a henna tattoo? Let me elaborate below.
First, wrap the tattooed area. I do not recommend wrapping henna tattoos unless you have extensive work to do or you need to go to sleep. You can use a plastic wrap or paper towel to gently wrap the tattooed area and ensure the wrapping is not too tight. If you have a tattoo on your palm or feet you can wear light gloves or socks.
Wrapping the tattooed area nicely should solve the issue of damaging the tattoo and staining your bedsheet. But to stay on the safe side consider sleeping on a mattress for a night. Try to sleep on your back and make less movement in your sleep. Sleeping on a plain mattress ensures you won’t smudge your tattoo on a pillow or something.
Color Cycle of Henna Tattoo
A henna tattoo changes its color quite a few times in its relatively short life span. In my opinion color cycle of henna tattoos are quite fascinating. Let me elaborate on the matter below.
When you scrap off the dried henna after six hours or so it would appear to be light orange pumpkin orange. Don’t get confused as you expected a deeper darker color. After 24 hours the stain will appear much darker than before and may appear brown or orang-brown color. After 1-2 days you will see the matured color that you were expecting. After maturing the henna tattoo will appear to have a perfect dark burgundy color. So do not get panicked if you don’t get the dark burgundy or brown color right after taking off the dried henna, wait for the color to mature and you will get your desired result.
FAQs
Do henna tattoos hurt?
No, henna tattoos are painless.
What is the best time to get a henna tattoo?
The best time to get the henna tattoo is in the evening.
How many days does it take for a henna tattoo to get the mature color?
It may take 1-2 days for a henna tattoo to get the mature dark burgundy color.
What to do with a henna tattoo after it dries?
Gently scrape off the dried henna using a butter knife or toothpick.
How long do henna tattoos last?
Henna tattoos can last from 6-14 days depending on your aftercare routine and the quality of henna you used.
Final Thoughts
Henna tattoos are affordable and a painless way to get temporary tattoos. There are plenty of stencil designs to choose from, you can do pretty much any sort of design using henna. And a huge plus is that you can do your own henna tattoo at home which can save you both time and money. Giving henna tattoos to your friends or family can be a great way to spend quality time and strengthen your bonds. The benefits of henna tattoos are great and I don’t see any negative side of it. As it is a temporary tattoo, even if you do not like the design you got, it will go away on its own in a week or two. Not to mention you can remove it very easily by exfoliating too. Make sure to follow the aftercare steps I have mentioned to get a vibrant and dark henna tattoo that does not fade even after a week or two.
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