A lot of millennials can remember the good old days when they would wear temporary tattoos they got out of machines. At the time, they all seemed cool enough. But as we got older, we realized how tacky they really were. Cute, but still tacky nonetheless. Many of us took advantage of turning 18 and went out to get our first permanent tattoos, with or without our parents' approval. Some of us did it out of rebellion after our parents stressed the impact of making a decision to mark our bodies for the rest of our lives. Others did it simply to memorialize a certain passion or time in our lives.
Whether you agree or disagree with permanent tattoos, there is also always an alternative. One of the most common is called henna. A temporary sort of tattoo that only lasts for a couple of weeks, henna, is a dye that comes from the henna plant and temporarily stains the top layer of skin an orange-brown color. The patterns traditionally used are those from African and Indian tradition; however, it has become a fad outside of these cultures. It is simple to prepare and ideal if you don't want to commit to a permanent tattoo. The only things to take precaution over are where you get one done and your own allergies to the ink. Dirty needles can be a scary thing, potentially carrying infections and disease. Permanent tattoos require care and cleaning while the skin heals. If left unattended, flesh can become damaged or infected. In this way, unlike henna tattoos, they are like an open wound at first. Tattoo butter and unscented lotions are the way to go. Either buy from your tattoo shop or create your own. DIY Whipped Tattoo Cream
Henna tattoos are much more limited in detail than tattoos applied with ink and needle that penetrate skin down to your blood. But it gives you the liberty of designing and creating your own tattoos without the worry. I am an advocate of both methods of tattooing if the tattoo is meaningful and well done. Getting tattoos just for the fun of it does not appeal to me, but the symbolism behind each one does. In the long run, even if I end up regretting a tattoo somewhere down the line, I doubt I'll care about a faded tattoo when the rest of me is sagging and wrinkly anyway. Tattoos become apart of you, like a birthmark or a freckle, so to be discriminated against for your own is ridiculous in my opinion. Tattoos represent where you have been, all you have seen, the ones you have loved, and much more.
