A henna tattoo can be a fine choice as a temporary tattoo specially for kids. Because it is painless, easy to apply, and relatively cheaper than other tattoos. Henna tattoos are almost a must-have for wedding functions in countries like India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Africa, and the countries in the Middle East. The trend of henna is slowly booming in Western countries as well. You can say it is a perfect tattoo for a wedding because it last around 1-2 weeks, so it will be gone by the end of wedding functions.
Now comes the crucial question which is for how long to leave the henna on the skin?
You may have heard of instant henna that gives you an instant tattoo just after applying it. They are made by mixing many chemicals and are harmful to your skin. Does not matter how much of a hurry you are in do not go for these instant henna tattoos. They are also known as black henna which can cause permanent scarring. So how long to leave natural henna on the skin to get the perfect color? I will elaborate on the topic below.
Key Takeaways
- You should leave the henna on the skin for about 6-8 hours.
- For a more darker color and longevity of the henna tattoo leave the henna on your skin for a longer period of time.
- Henna has a natural dye compound that colors the skin and oxidation makes the color rich and darker.
- When you have henna on the skin have the patience to see great results, be careful not to rub the henna on something, and apply lemon juice and sugar mix to prolong the stickiness of the henna.
Amount of Time You Should Leave Henna On Skin
You should leave the henna on the skin for about 6-8 hours. That said, if you leave it for a longer period of time like 12 hours, then surely you will get a better result. The longer you keep the henna on your skin the darker color you will get as a result. Not to mention keeping the henna for longer will prolong the life of your henna tattoo. You may get up to two weeks long to enjoy the henna tattoo without it fading away.
The Lawsone molecules of henna work as a carrier to the dye compound of henna. With the help of Lawsone the dye compound gets transferred from henna to our skin and stains it. It is a natural process that cannot happen in a minute. So you will have to leave the henna on your skin so that the dye can properly stain your skin. It usually takes 6-8 hours for it to stain properly but leaving it for a longer time will get you a better result as it gets more time to transfer and stain the skin.
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Understanding How Henna Works
It may sound ridiculous to you that I am recommending to leave the henna for about 6-8 hours where you can get a tattoo in 15 minutes by using instant henna. Yet it is never recommended to go for instant henna or black henna.
Let me elaborate on how henna works below:
Natural Henna
Naturally henna has dye molecules but they are not active. So applying dry henna powder will not stain your skin. But when this compound comes into contact with liquid it activates itself by a process called oxidation. The transfer of dye molecules takes time and then it takes time to oxidize on the skin. This oxidation is not a fast process. You will need to give it around 24-48 hours to oxidize properly and give you a perfect deep burgundy color. To clarify, you have to give the tattoo 24-48 hours to oxidize after you remove the dried henna from your skin. Properly oxidized henna will not only give you deep color but will stay for a longer period of time on your skin without fading. It does not go deep into your dermis layer of the skin like other normal tattoos. Henna stays on the surface of your skin and with exfoliation it becomes faded and eventually goes away totally.
Black Henna
On the other hand, instant henna or black henna contains many harmful chemicals. One of them is PPD, which is lawful to use in the EU but can be dangerous if used in excess amounts. And black henna uses a lot of PPD to give you that instant black color. This black color is not natural because you will never get this shade of black from natural henna. Natural henna at best can give you a deep burgundy or dark red color. This PPD can cause many adverse reactions to your skin and may cause permanent scarring. So even though it may give you instant and darker color it is recommended to avoid black henna completely.
3 Things To Do When You Have Henna On Your Skin
Follow the steps below when you have henna on your skin:
- Have Patience
The transfer of dye molecules to your skin can take 6-8 hours and after your scrap the dried henna it may take 2-3 days to oxidize and show darker color. So have patience and let nature do its work. - Be Cautious
You have henna on your skin so be cautious not to get it rub or smudged with something. It will ruin the tattoo design and may stain the surface you rub it with. - Apply Lemon Juice & Sugar Mix Spray
Keeping the henna on the skin for longer will give better results but when the henna becomes dry it will lose the puffiness and will be prone to fall off. To keep the stickiness of the henna you can spray with lemon juice and sugar mix. Or use a cotton dipped in the mixture to dab on dried henna to keep it sticky.
Caution Regarding Henna
A few cautions you should be aware of before you get a henna tattoo:
Permanent Stain On Clothing
Make sure to not let your clothing, bedsheet, pillow cover, or mattress come in contact with henna. Henna stain is temporary on skin but the stain is permanent on clothing. If you stain your clothing by mistake then that henna stain will not go away. So when you remove the dried henna off your skin make sure to scrap or whip them off where you don’t have any new clothing that can get stained.
Avoid Black Henna
I have previously explained that black henna contains harmful chemicals such as PPD which can cause an adverse reaction to your skin and may even cause permanent scarring. So avoid using black henna no matter what.
Not Edible
Even though henna is natural and harmless to apply on the skin, it is not edible. If you or your children eat henna by mistake make sure to seek medical help without delay.
Eating henna can cause:
- Muscle breakdown
- Stomach upset
- Kidney failure
- Hemolytic anemia
- And in some adverse cases, it can cause death
Don’t Keep On Hair For More Than 5 hours
Keeping it on hand can provide you with benefits but keeping it on hair for a longer period of time can do more harm than good. It is recommended to keep the henna on the hair for about 2 hours. Even if you want to keep it for a longer time, it should not be more than 5 hours. Keeping it for a longer time will cause overly dry hair, scalp irritation, etc.
FAQs
What will happen if I leave the henna on the skin for a long time?
If you leave the henna on the skin for a long time you will get a darker color and the henna tattoo will have a longer life span.
What to do if henna dries?
You can make a mixture of the same amount of lemon juice and sugar and use a cotton ball to dip into the mixture and dab gently on dried henna to keep it moist and sticky. How to remove henna after it dries?
How to remove henna after it dries?
After the henna dries and you no longer want to keep it on the skin then you can scrap the dried henna off the skin by using a butter knife or toothpick. You can also use olive oil or coconut oil and a paper towel to whip the dried henna off your skin.
How long should I leave the henna on my hair?
You can leave the henna on the hair for about 2 hours. Make sure not to leave the henna on your hair for over 5 hours to prevent dryness and sculpt irritation.
Final Thoughts
Leaving henna on the skin for about 6-8 hours is recommended to get good results. You can leave it on your skin for a longer time to get a darker color and prolonged tattoo life. And you won’t get the expected result right after removing the dried henna. You will have to wait 2-3 days to let the color oxidize and then you will see a deep burgundy or red color tattoo. When you have henna on your skin make sure not to smudge it on something as it will ruin the tattoo and stain the surface you smudge it on. And you can apply the lemon juice and sugar mix on dried henna to keep it on the skin longer. When you scrap or whip off the dried henna from the skin make sure to dispose of it carefully and not to spill any henna on your clothing. Because henna can stain temporarily on your skin but it will cause permanent stains on clothing. You will have to break a sweat to remove henna stains from your clothes so try to avoid staining it to begin with.
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