Though the pedicure season of summer is soon changing to fall, keep henna tattoos in mind to draw more clients to bare-feet-flashing services. An ordinary pedicure can turn into something unique by adding a small, simple henna design the client will love showing off to friends.

Amanda Schison of Outerimages Salon in Ontario Canada, is an avid henna artist, and shows a step-by-step on one of her favorite henna designs.

Henna tattoos have been used by many ancient cultures dating back as far as 1500 B.C., and stretching from India to the eastern Mediterranean region. Henna is a dried powder derived from a small shrub of the same name. The powder is obtained by crushing the dried leaves of the plant, which is then mixed with lemon/lime juices, tea/coffee, eucalyptus oil, tea tree oil, sugar, and distilled water to make the past that is put on skin.  The tattoos do not penetrate deeper than the first few layers of the epidermis layer.

*Note: Research the type of henna you use. The brown henna shown here is natural and safe, but there are some pre-mixed hennas that use other ingredients that may cause serious allergies to the skin. So-called “black henna” may contain the chemical PPD, which can cause serious allergic reactions. You can research this more on Schison’s website, www.outerimages.ca.

1. Apply two lines around the ankle and a wave of loops across the second line.

2. Color in the loops and add a third wavy line to finish the bracelet.

3.  Add a flower pendant. Start with a half circle with five or six pedals around it and then put three or four larger ones around them.

4.  Add details in the center, like these checkers or smaller loops, and then add three more flower shaped pedals.

5.  Add some stripes and dots to the last pedals.

6.  Add leaves and curly wisps and a few more dots to complete each side.

7.  Add pink and white glitter to the flower and green glitter to accent the leaves.

Why add the bling? It gives the wearer something to admire while she is waiting for the henna to take. It also adds incentive for them to keep it on longer, because the longer you wear the henna paste the darker the design will be and the longer it will last.

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