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The leaves of the henna plant have been used for centuries, in the Middle East and India, to create beautiful intricate temporary body art. Henna when applied on the surface of the skin, stains the outer skin an orange-brown and this color normally lasts for about a month. The color of the henna will wear off completely over a period of time. Today henna is increasingly being used for body painting. The duration for which the color of henna lasts depends on the skin type and the type of care you take. A body painting can last between four to six weeks. If you use lotions, swim and soak in the bathtub then the color will wear off quickly.
Traditionally henna is applied on the hair, hands and feet. But today modern henna art is done on any non-bending area of the skin. Artists today make henna tattoos on the arms as armbands; intricate henna art is done around the navel as well. Henna tattoos can be made on a person's back. Henna tattoos or body art is a good option as they are not permanent and you can experiment, especially if you are unsure about how it will look. Using henna for body art is not painful, as it is applied on the surface on the skin and not injected into the skin. Some people have reactions to henna body art. This is normally because of the oils that are added to the henna paste and not to the henna per se. Some people have contact dermatitis that manifests in the form of an itchy rash. If the paste has been applied for a short while then it can be washed off and will leave a very pale stain. But if the henna paste has been worn for a long time or overnight it will take about 4 weeks for the orange-brown color to wash off.
