If tattoos are like Harleys, henna is like a bike with training wheels'a way to try out body art without making an indelible commitment.
Unlike traditional tattoos that come in bold colors and are difficult to remove, henna designs are brown or reddish, depending on skin tone, and fade after a few days or weeks.
Henna'long used by women in the Middle East and India for hair coloring and body decoration, especially among brides'became popular in the United States in the 1990s, said Amy Wilde, a henna artist from Green Bay, Wis.
Jason Panchyshyn, a tattoo and henna artist at Public Enemy body art studio in Sun Prairie, Wis. said henna is especially popular in the summer and when people are showing more skin. He said that teenage girls and young women are the biggest users of henna and many get it done for spring break.
But some men also like henna art. Wilde said she has done dragon designs for teenage guys. Panchyshyn said he usually creates geometric arm bands or Celtic patterns for male customers, because henna's lines are too thick for intricate designs or portraits.
UW-Madison sophomore Tisha Yancey said she has done henna designs on a lot of guys and they had fun doing it. Her designs have included Superman'on a guy's chest'and a Brett Favre '4.' She said the Superman fan wants it done again.
Henna artists can buy a tube of pre-mixed henna paste or mix paste from powdered henna leaves and other ingredients, including lime, black tea, clove or eucalyptus oil. According to Panchyshyn, certain additives produce slightly different colors, while oils open skin pores for better absorption. He said mixing the paste to the right consistency is difficult.
Henna artists apply the mix to the skin through a squeeze bottle or frosting decorator tube and let it dry. Panchyshyn said the paste can be applied anywhere on the skin, but should not be ingested because it can cause temporary anemia.
After two or more hours, the dried paste should be scraped off. Designs last a few days to a few weeks depending on the location of the design'palms and soles keep color longest'and how long the paste was left on the skin.
Both Wilde and Panchyshyn warned against using 'black henna''a mixture of henna and carcinogenic black dyes. Otherwise, henna should be safe unless one is allergic, said Panchyshyn.
Hopeful henna artists can buy pre-mixed henna paste for $6 or a ready-to-mix kit for $24 at Shakti, 320 State St.
