Articles Archive

Picture Tattoo-Tattoo Temporary Tattoo Temporary Temporary tattoos are not really tattoos. Rather, they are a type of body sticker, like a decal. They are generally applied to the skin using water to temporarily transfer the design to the surface of the skin. Temporary tattoos are easily removed with soap and water or oil-based creams, and are intended to last only a few days. Other forms of temporary "tattoos" are henna tattoos, also known as Mehndi, and the marks made by the stains of silver nitrate on the skin when exposed to ultraviolet light. Both methods, silver nitrate and henna, can take up to two weeks to fade from the skin. Mehndi (or mehendi or mehandi or mylanji) is the application of henna as a temporary form of skin decoration, most popular in the Middle East, North Africa, and South Asia as well as expatriate communities from these areas. It is typically employed for special occasions, particularly weddings. It is usually drawn on the hands and feet, where the designs will last the longest due to the fact that it only penetrates the dead cells of the stratum corneum. Henna paste is usually applied to the skin using a plastic cone or a paint brush, but sometimes a small metal-tipped jacquard bottle used for silk painting (a jac bottle) is used. The affected area is then wrapped with tissue, plastic, or medical tape to lock in body heat, creating a more intense colour on the skin. The wrap is worn overnight and then removed. The final colour is reddish brown and can last anywhere from two weeks to several months depending on the quality of the paste. The patterns of mehndi are typically quite intricate, and predominantly applied to brides before wedding ceremonies. However, traditions in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Sudan sometimes expect bridegrooms to be painted as well. In Rajasthan (northwest India), where mehndi is a very ancient folkart, the grooms are given designs which are often as elaborate as those for brides. Mehndi decorations became fashionable in the West in the late 1990s, where they are sometimes called "henna tattoos". This term isn't completely accurate, because tattoos are defined as permanent surgical insertion of pigments underneath the skin, as opposed to pigments resting on the surface. Airbrush tattoos is another popular form of temporary tattoos. This process involves using a stencil design and blowing paint through the stencil onto the skin. This form of tattoo lasts approximately a week.