Hot for Henna: Five Tips for a Long-Lasting Henna Design

Wednesday, August 27, 2014

Kemea Smith, GoLocalPDX Contributor

Henna art

Henna as Body Art by Sam Bones

Feeling hot for henna? Thinking of getting some temporary ink?

It’s that time of year when crop tops, short shorts and cheap flip flops sprout on Portlanders' pasty hides. With all this bare skin, Bohemian hipsters, belly-baring teens, and tattoo fanatics flock to the Portland Saturday Market looking to spend their money on body art, such as henna.

SLIDES: See Hot Henna Styles BELOW

Henna is a plant that is found in northern Africa and southern Asia. But henna as we know it - aka Mehndi - also refers to the application of the paste from the plant onto the skin but to create a temporary tattoo. Traditionally the skin is adorned with henna for special celebrations like weddings, pregnancies and religious holidays, but nowadays you don't need an excuse to get henna-ed. Celebrities such as Kylie Jenner, Vanessa Hudgens, and Erykah Badu have been caught on the henna bandwagon, while Rihanna got a henna inspired hand tattoo last year.

Henna is now showing up as an accessory on the midriffs of free-spirited 20-somethings at summer music festivals and outdoor concerts.

And Portlanders are not immune.

Known for her curly salt-and-pepper hair, henna-stained hands and extroverted personality, Sam Bones is a Portland legend when it comes to henna body art. She started experimenting with henna in the '90s while living with a Punjabi in New Orleans. In 2001 Bones became the first henna artist at Saturday Market.

She's often found hunched over a customer's hand; her most popular design is the “Artist Special,” which begins at $25. The special is a design that incorporates an element or idea from the customer, and is unique to each individual.

Ready to get inked? Here are some tips to make sure you get the best from your henna experience:

1. Avoid prepackaged or store-bought henna.

Store bought or prepackaged henna often contains flammable chemicals such as gasoline to create a dark black stain. These chemicals can leave your hand feeling like it's on fire. Authentic henna is 100 percent plant-based and will always stain your skin a deep red-brown color. Bones hand crafts her henna "with premium organic plants from the most recent harvest and blends the plant with delicate essential oils that bring out the finest color and long-lasting stain.”

If you want to try your hand at henna, the cones are available for $15 each.

2. Swim or play in the fountains first...

Henna will not stain the skin well if you decide to swim, shower or play in fountains minutes or hours after receiving henna. It is recommended that you leave henna on for six to eight hours before getting it wet. You may question the way you smell after a long sweaty day, but you’ll have body art that people will envy.

3. Opt to put your henna design on your hands or feet.

It may look cool to put your lover's name on your belly right below your crop top, but the name won’t last long (So what chance does the relationship have?). Henna provides a longer-lasting stain if placed below the elbows or below the knees because the hands and feet are covered with thicker skin and more layers of skin cells compared to other parts of the body.

4. Remember that henna is wet for an hour.

If you come wanting your henna design on your ankle and are wearing baggy jeans, expect to hold your pant leg up for an hour. It's also not recommended for children under 5 years old; assuming you can get them to sit through a design, the painstaking work will probably be ruined once you grab their hand to navigate through the market.

5. Henna is not forever, but it's for long enough

Remember, the henna design will usually last one to three weeks. Although it may not last as long as a real tattoo, think before you get that trashy nickname that ends in -dizzle on your left wrist.

Glitter Ruby Henna and Face Paint, Portland Saturday Market Space #420. [Website], 971-207-7508, 503-233-0317, [email protected]