Q. How long does a henna tattoo last on the skin?A. Designs last from one to three weeks on the skin, depending on your body temperature, skin type, body chemistry, lifestyle, and where the henna is applied. The average person gets a stain that lasts 10 days to two weeks.Q. How long does the paste last?A. The paste lasts four weeks in the bottle once mixed, if it is kept in the refrigerator. The henna powder stays fresh up to two years if it is kept away from light and moisture.Q. Can you do your eyebrows with it?A. You can apply it to your eyebrows, but you will end up with red eyebrows! The color of the stain you get with natural henna is a bright reddish brown.Q. Can you dye your lips with it?A. No. Lip skin does not absorb henna at all.Q. Can you apply it on a pregnant woman’s belly?A. Yes. It is completely safe.Q. Can you dye your hair with it?A. Yes. The henna we use is the same as henna powder which is used to dye hair. However, if you plan to dye your hair with it, simply mix it with water. The solution that comes in our kit is especially blended for use on skin.Q. How do you take the design off?A. You can’t just “take it off.” The stain fades gradually as your skin exfoliates. The time varies according to each individual. If you do want it to fade more quickly, you can rub it with soap and water. However, there is no quick fix.Q. Has it ever not faded away?A. No. Henna is a temporary skin dye. It always fades away.Q. What’s in the Earth Henna kit paste solution?A. Ingredients are listed on our packaging: * Water sorbitol – corn * Glycerin – vegetable * Black walnut extract – tree * Benzyl alcohol – flower oil, balsams * Citric acid – fruit * Eucalyptus oil – tree * Disodium EDTA – processed salt * Lactic acid – sugar caneQ. What color will the tattoo be?A. The color of the stain you get using any natural henna paste, including the Earth Henna paste, is reddish brown. Variations in color depend on your skin tone and skin type.Q. Can you add anything to the henna to make it darker?A. Not that we know of. Some people add indigo, some people add water boiled with cloves. We hear about all kinds of homemade recipes, but nothing we can vouch for.Q. What about black henna?A. Black henna does not exist. The color obtained with the natural henna plant is reddish brown. Black tattoos obtained using so-called “black henna” is the natural henna powder, to which black dyes, inks, or chemicals – all of them potentially dangerous to the skin – have been added. We often hear stories about people getting permanent scarring; people needing to be rushed to the hospital for cortisone injections; rashes, itching and other horror stories. We strongly recommend you stay away from so-called “black henna” mixtures. The henna powder in our Earth Henna kits is completely natural and 100% safe.Q. What’s the eucalyptus oil for?A. The purpose of the eucalyptus oil is for transferring the stencils to the skin. Additionally, some people start by swabbing the skin with eucalyptus oil before applying the henna paste. But eucalyptus oil is somewhat pricey, and any vegetable oil will achieve the same purpose, which is to further prepare the skin for absorption. However, applying any type of oil before application is not required for achieving a beautiful stain.Q. How do you transfer the stencils?A. First apply a liberal amount of eucalyptus oil to the skin. Cut off the required design from the stencil sheet. Place the stencil, dark side down, onto the skin and hold it there for a minute or so. Peel off stencil. You should see a transfer of the stencil design on your skin. Now you are ready to begin tracing over the transferred stencil shape using your applicator bottle filled with henna paste.Q. Are the stencils reusable?A. Yes. They can be used four or five times each.Q. Can you mix half of the powder and solution and leave the other half for later use, or do you have to use it all at once?A. We strongly recommend you mix it all up at once. Getting the right consistency is very tricky, and we have gone to great lengths to provide the exact amount of powder for the exact amount of solution. Most people who try using half end up with a paste that is either too thick or too runny.Q. How long does the paste take to dry?A. The henna paste dries in 10 to 15 minutes.Q. How long do I have to leave the paste on?A. A minimum of six hours. The longer you leave it on, the better.Q. How do I take the paste off?A. Simply pick it off with your nails or rub it off with your fingers or a towel.And more: How long does it last? The designs will last anywhere from 1 to 4 weeks depending on the depth of the henna dye stain, what part of the body area was done and how exposed it is to rubbing, soap and water. Henna dye stains the outer layers of skin, so the less you rub or wash the longer the design will linger. It works best on warmer, more porous parts of the body like the hands and feet. Applying heat, such as a blow-dryer will help designs on other parts of the body to come out dark as well. The paper tape and/or New Skin also help as they keeps the mehndi design next to the skin.How can I make the designs darker? The art of applying henna for tattoos, Mehndi, is an art form. There are many variations and “recipes” for mixing your own henna paste. There is no wrong way, some ways work better than others. Like a good cook making a savory soup, there is no “correct” way to making henna paste for mehndi. We suggest cleansing the area of skin having henna applied on it and keeping the design moist with oil while henna dye penetrates skin. We also include recipes and tips in our instructions.The paste is made, now what? Great! You are almost ready to EXPRESS YOURSELF! Supplies to have handy are cotton ball, oil, toothpick or fine “picking” device, paper towel or rag, stencil if using) and design book if needed. This is an art form so there is no set way to design yourself or others. Squeeze paste out of desired applicator and CREATE. Some people like to squeeze the tube paste into an applicator bottle. If using a stencil, spread paste on the design and let dye paste set. Do not lift stencil while paste is drying. Dab with oil several times while the paste stains your skin. keeping the henna active, moist and in contact with your skin.The toothpick comes in handy for fixing “oops areas”, but do it quickly as the dye works fast. Let design dry for awhile, thicker areas will take longer. Dab area with oil to keep moist, help dye penetrate and make a deeper color. If the paste begins to dry and flake off too quickly, the paste may be too thick. Try a thinner consistency. How long do I leave it on?This is entirely up to the person wearing the paste. 2-3 hours minimum is recommended. The longer the better. Although you will see effects even after an hour! We supply a large plastic glove to protect design if you choose to protect your design while it the tattoo sets. Or you may use ‘paper tape’ to keep your design in place. This comes in handy for salons who are doing customers as well as those at home.I’m tired of having the paste on….. We understand. Simply pick dried paste off over sink or other safe area. Do not wash area if you can help it. Be careful of clothing and furniture.Henna dye stains! Dab area again with oil if possible. Hey! This looks great!We knew you’d like it. It gets even darker over the next 24 hours as the design is exposed to air.Is Henna safe?People have been safely using henna for 5,000+ years. As with any cosmetic product, do a skin test to rule out any possible (though rare) allergenic reaction if you are unsure. Keep out of reach of small children. Not for use around eyes, mouth or for internal ingestion.