Henna Tattoo for the Back

Here is a photo of a henna tattoo on the back. This is a photo of the henna paste on the skin. The impact of the black paste on the white skin is quite striking. However, it is not advised to put henna on the back.

There are several reasons for this, and the primary reason is that the finished color will not be as dark as henna on the hands, arms, feet or legs. In fact, I do not recommend that you put henna on your back unless you are willing to go to extra effort to ensure good color.

Every ones skin type is different, and some people may get a good result for a henna tattoo on the back with aftercare. It is much more likely that I will get a complaint from a client that henna tattoo on the upper back is not very dark. There is very little I can to to correct this.

For most people, the pores of the back are small, the upper back may be oily in nature and these factors inhibit the henna from deeply penetrating the skin. It is also quite easy to smudge the henna when driving home!

Here is a photo of the Phoenix Tattoo 48 hours later. As you can see, my client went the extra mile to get a good finished color.

As henna is a heat activated dye, applications of olive oil and sunshine ( or perhaps a tanning bed ) gave the henna the extra push necessary to get dark color on the back in this air-conditioned Western world.

If you click to enlarge the photo, you will see that the darkest color is in the lower back. Sometimes it is possible to get a good finished color on the lower back... especially for women.

This pattern was a special order for a special occasion, and extra time was spent to keep the henna wet on the skin as long as possible ( lemon sugar glaze with essential oils was applied regularly over a two hour period to help the henna penetrate the skin.)

I do not offer this kind of henna at the Midnight Sun. The fee for this size and quality of work is $85 an hour. There may be some artists who are able to get a better color than I for the back. If you are out there.. please leave a comment on the blog so others can find you.

Or... feel welcome to post a tip to help us all get darker results on the back.  With all best wishes,

Ann George - Henna Artist - Spirit Vision Henna in Jacksonville, Florida

Tank Tops & Henna Tattoos - Good Summer Fun

Here is a lovely henna tattoo for the back. This henna design is adapted from the Sangeet Pattern Book by Neeta Sharma.

This is far and away the most popular book of henna designs I have on hand. Her designs are eye catching, traditional, and many are little henna jewels that go anywhere.

This henna tattoo is one example of her art. I like the design because it adapts so easily to the shoulder. Please know that henna does not stain the skin on the shoulder, neck or back the same deep rich color that you see on the palms of the hands. Some clients leave the henna paste on long enough, and stay warm enough to get a rich color on the back,

For more information about henna tattoo and henna parties please visit: Spirit Vision Henna.

Henna Tattoo - Back & Shoulder Henna Pattern

The goddess of henna muses came by for a back piece yesterday. In the spirit of all great patrons of artists everywhere, Miss Nancy gave me a general description of what she wanted in general and the complete freedom to henna as I pleased.

We talked about styles & energy.. paisley and peacocks, and the wonderful ideas of someday doing full body henna. I hope to create a unique design/ pattern/ moment of art in the near future.

However, as we were in a shop window, we opted for a henna pattern for her upper back. The first photos is of her henna design seen from the back. I was very happy to be able to use negative space in this design, as well as the "drops" effect to enhance the natural beauty of her neck & shoulders.

The pattern began on her right shoulder, moving across the upper back and then down the left arm. At some point, we thought to try for the half sleeve tattoo effect that is so popular for ink...
but this pattern flowed so well, and "dripped" into a graceful modern tribal sort of style that she likes & wears so well, that we opted to let the henna end as you see it here.

If you are interested in this type of henna tattoo, it is critical that you wear an outfit that will accommodate the paste. For those new to henna, please visit the FAQ page of my site for answers to most of the frequently asked questions.

It can take anywhere from ten minutes to apply a simple henna tattoo, and up to 45 minutes for a more complex henna pattern. If you are in a hurry, please add about five or six minutes of drying time to your schedule, as it is best to sit and allow the paste to dry a bit on the skin before you return to shopping at The Midnight Sun.

Henna paste is applied to the skin to stain the skin... and the longer the henna stays on the skin, the longer the natural vegetable dye can interact with the skin, creating a darker stain when the final color is revealed. Therefore, wearing clothing that will allow the paste to rest undisturbed on the skin is necessary for an successful finished pattern.

Now that it is indeed henna season, it is best to call ahead and make an appointment for a complex henna design!