Henna Tattoo 5th – 12th grade

Only those who have a signed permission slip will be allowed to have the tattoo.

Tattoos will be put on the hands, arms, or ankles of the children. We will not put tattoos on faces or areas naturally covered by clothing. Anyone under 18 must have a signed permission slip before getting a tattoo.

I, ______, give my permission for my child, Parent / Guardian name

______, to have Henna Tattoos done at the Valley Center Public

Child name Library.

______Signature / date

______Phone number

Tattoos will be given by Librarians and adult helpers.

Some history of Henna

Henna is used in dozens of countries around the world regularly as part of cultural traditions. The use of henna as a dye has been traced back thousands of years. There is some evidence of henna use by people before the invention of writing and some mummies in ancient Egypt were shown to have henna dye on their fingertips. The earliest civilizations with proven henna use include the Babylonians, Assyrian, Sumerians and Canaanites. The earliest written mention of henna being used to adorn a bride comes from Syria – 4000 years ago! The earliest uses of henna center around the Middle East and the Eastern Mediterranean area, where the henna shrub grows wild.

How long does henna last?

The stain will last anywhere from 1 week to 4 weeks – depending on the location of the tattoo, how dark the henna was initially, and other factors such as exposure to water. Henna will be darkest where skin is thickest – on the palms of the hand and the soles of the feet. The stain gets lighter as you move towards the torso. Keeping the paste on longer and avoiding water for 24 hours will give you a darker, longer-lasting stain. Henna fades as your skin naturally exfoliates, and the rate of exfoliation varies from person to person and on different parts of the body.