I was henaed
 

I got these at the moon festival

http://img208.imageshack.us/img208/4489/sd530357dj5.jpg
Shot with <Digimax D53> at 2008-04-28

http://img208.imageshack.us/img208/5948/morehandyx8.jpg
Shot with <Digimax D53> at 2008-04-28

http://img208.imageshack.us/img208/430/handnessdw7.jpg
Shot with <Digimax D53> at 2008-04-28

Did you do that with a Sharpie?

with henna! I've done that a lot. very messy!

uh, that last pic . . . looks like Martian terrain, lol!

I was hennaed in Eygpt - lovely fine tracery, although I had it on my feet because I wasn't sure of the quality beforehand.

BUT

Sometimes the henna is darkened with another substance (googling gives me para-phenylene diamine (PPD)) which can be harmful. My niece had a bad reaction, and apparently it can cause death in extreme cases (wikipedia). Glad I didn't know that when I had it done..

you're right, but it's "black" henna you have to avoid. Regular henna, which is a red-brown, is perfectly safe.

I make mine with henna powder, strong black coffee, and eucalyptus oil. Then you squeeze it on, and cover with a very sticky mixture of lemon juice and sugar (or spray on hair gel, which is a lot less messy).

Sorry - I should have made it clear in case people don't want to chase down links.

You are extremely unlikely to be hennaed with anything harmful in the UK or US. It tends to be holiday resorts in countries without such stringent heath & safety laws - in my niece's case Tenerife, on a beach. My sister (who is a very protective mother) had no idea that something like a henna tattoo could be harmful. And neither would I, having seen (the safe version) on my Indian friends/ colleagues hands.

I used to get hennas every hear at the beach, the black ones too.

I always liked the black ink better, cause it stands out more.

here's the info on "black" henna, from The Henna Page's website, one of the best sites around for info on mehndi (the decorative application of henna designs)

The henna is a leave and most are of the henna resembles: leaves, flowers, or other plants. And henna is used for homecomings and weddings. Henna starts black but rubs off in a few hours leaving a redish brown image of the skin which can last weeks.

Use a sharpie, it lasts just as long.

Merc - after a few years of spending the $$$ to get henna'd at the beach, that's what my mom decided to do for best friend and I ...turned out pretty nice :D

My hen-friends and I often play around with mendhi over the summertime. We have enough Indian groceries hereabouts that we're usually able to get fairly fresh henna to make the paste.

Yes. I am really interested in this thread. I would never post in a thread to cover my tracks.

I like anything that has to do with body paints. I have a particular lithography fetish type of thing.
:)

it does make a great "hen" party activity.

The next time you come over for a BBQ, can you bring some? I think some people might like to try it. Personally, I would like a 'tatoo' more then the traditional designs. I work near some Indian groceries, so I could pick up the henna.