Making Henna Tattoos for Girls

Henna art is used for religious ceremonies, such as weddings, and to create temporary tattoos. Henna designs are very flowing and don't require a pattern or stencil unless the artist wishes to use one. Creating henna art is a relaxing and creative experience, but one you must allot a decent amount of time to create. Making henna paste is fairly easy and there is no set recipe for the best henna.

It requires a few ingredients and some trial and error to figure out just how much of each ingredient is needed to create the look you desire. Read on to learn how to make henna.

How to Make Henna

Step1 Sift the henna powder into a bowl. You want the finest henna possible, as lumps will clog the end of your decorating applicator and make it hard to create detailed designs.

Step2 Strain the juice from a lemon into the sifted henna powder. You want to use one full lemon's juice, as the more acidic your mixture, the darker it will stain the skin. The consistency of the paste should be thick, about the same as a cookie dough.

Step3 Add hot, strong coffee to the mixture. You only need to add enough to make the mixture have the consistency of brownie batter. The stronger the coffee, the darker it will make your mixture, and the darker it will appear on the skin.

Step4 Stir the paste until it is very smooth. Do this while the coffee is still hot, as a warmer mixture will reach a homogenous consistency faster than a colder mixture.

Step5 Cover the mixture with saran wrap and set aside for 12 to 24 hours to allow the dye to develop. The longer it sits, the darker the dye will be. However, if the dye is allowed to sit longer than two or three days it will start to diminish in color and will not dye the skin as well.