Harry Potter: Henna a Dark Mark

My friend and I are dressing up as Death Eaters for the movie premiere and book launch - we decided to complete the package by hennaing dark marks onto our left forearms.

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Step 1: Template

Print off the following image and choose a size suitable for your arm. Cut out the design. Use an exacto-knife to cut out the eye sockets (this will give you a guideline for where to place the skull) as well as the 'holes' in the snake (where it makes the figure-8).

mbanerjee says: Sep 6, 2011. 5:06 AM

wat i meant id put your arm over the smoke

mbanerjee says: Sep 6, 2011. 5:06 AM

a brilliant thing to do is burn some cloves and place your hand over it...being indian, i reccommend using lemon and sugar, honey and oil. oh and dont exfoliate the area at all!!!

mykmykmykkk says: Oct 11, 2008. 2:25 PM

you could just use a permanent pen or something if you didnt want to use henna (like me) but i spose it wouldnt last very long

junkpunk says: Sep 16, 2009. 5:57 AM

It's probably not very good for you though!

eulaliaaaa! says: May 21, 2011. 4:01 PM

I've done Sharpie calligraphy on my friends, and it came off after about two or three days. No harm done.

jwisbey says: Mar 20, 2008. 5:24 PM

Um. Tracing is a decent idea but its easier to print it out place it on your arm and put rubbing alcohol over it o________o. That leaves a perfect copy of it on your arm. I have a henna booklet and it recommends doing that..

courtneyyy27 says: Jan 5, 2011. 6:01 PM

Except I just tried it and it doesn't work....

unicornfaerie says: Oct 25, 2010. 2:08 PM

seriously?? thats awesome thanks

knexcthulu says: May 22, 2010. 10:59 PM

hey can the alcohol be substituted for like water or somthing else or does it have to be the rub on alcohol?

a.nony.mouse says: Jul 23, 2009. 9:44 AM

face down or face up? or does it not matter? i've also had henna artists trace the design onto tracing paper, applying roll on gel to the area where the henna would be (it almost looked like gel deodorant) then lay the tracing paper face down over that, and the ink was transferred onto my skin

Squash says: Oct 3, 2012. 9:17 PM

It probably was gel deodorant. That's what tattoo artists use. And...the design needs to be face down so the ink is transferred. This will require a mirror image print. ;)

jwisbey says: Oct 30, 2009. 8:42 PM

Ink side down...

bertzie says: Sep 29, 2009. 7:48 PM

The skull should be closest to your elbow, with the rest of the mark going down towards your wrist. For most effect it should be done on the left arm.

learntodostuff says: Aug 5, 2009. 5:51 PM

it has to be face down.

learntodostuff says: Aug 5, 2009. 5:50 PM

it most likely was gel deodorant.

(YOUR N says: Nov 23, 2010. 11:17 AM

cool ilke dis

dwhp says: Aug 26, 2008. 11:57 AM

is it permanent?

patricksanford says: Aug 26, 2008. 12:23 PM

No, henna is not permanent, but it can be very long lasting. A good henna piece will last several weeks, and if taken care of properly they can last months. I once heard of henna lasting for more than a year. They slowly fade away as your skin cells shed, and as you bathe. A word of caution for people considering getting henna done on them. Firstly, only use real henna from a trusted source that doesn't include any additives, or unnecessary chemicals or ingredients. You don't need to add anything to henna, so you want to use only 100% pure henna. Secondly, do NOT use any kind of black henna. Again, DO NOT USE ANY KIND OF BLACK HENNA!!! This has had chemicals added to it that can leave very nasty chemical burns on your skin, and scar you horribly for life. Pure henna will result in a dark brown color, almost like a dulled penny, and this is what you should expect when you get it done. Anyone claiming ot have safe black henna doesn't know what they're doing, and should be avoided at all costs. Period.

Also, while you're letting the henna dry, it's a good idea to re-moisten it by spraying it with a mixture of water and lemon juice from a spray bottle.

ZOETHENiNJA says: Aug 17, 2009. 4:34 AM

OMG ARE YOU SERIOUS! I swear i just finished doing this henna tattoo but i used black henna! I didn't know about it scaring you for life and everything. And its dry and done!

zatizala says: Dec 15, 2008. 7:45 AM

Very true about the black henna. Henna is reddish-brown. There is an egyptian privot that has a black-brown color, but this stain only lasts for a couple days. Not like the advertised Black Henna, which lasts longer and is a risk not just to the recipient, but the applicator as well. Tips for making your stain last longer; Bathing doesn't have an effect after the first 48 hours, unless you scrub or use harsh chemicals on your skin. For example, chlorine from the swimming pool will cut the length of your stain in half. Putting some olive oil on your skin before bathing can help prevent water from washing any of the lawsone (the pigment the plant, Lawsonia Inermis, is named for) from your skin before it has stained it's maximum potential. Henna dyes your multiple layers of your skin, as the skin falls off so does the henna. This gives the appearance of fading because the layers of skin that had lesser contact with the staining pigment are not stained as darkly. The dryer you skin the better (darker, longer lasting) your stain will be. If you have very moist or very oily skin your stain will not be as dark or last as long. It can help if you rub some astringent over your skin before you apply henna. Also places where the skin is thick (like hands and feet) are the best places to stain. places where skin tends to be oily (like face and upper back) are the worst. Places where the skin is thin and exfoliates regularly are not as good either. You can add Eucalyptus oil to your henna mix. Use only bright green henna powder that is fresh. Henna is a plant, it should have an expiration date. It should also be protected from sunlight. once mixed with water it has about a four day shelf life (in the fridge), with the peak performance during the second and third day. After that the stain will be weak. You really only need a few drops of eucalyptus oil to help the stain (I add lemon juice as well, ascorbic acid helps this pigment), if you add too much eucalyptus it can tingle a little (you know you've added to much when all you can smell is eucalyptus and it makes your nose tingle). this is actually a little damaging to your skin, but makes a really dark stain that doesn't last as long (the slightly damaged skin exfoliates faster). Once the henna dries on your skin you can re moisten it with a solution of one part sugar 2 part lemon (or just use lemonade). the ascorbic acid reactivates the henna and the sugar makes it sticky so it stays on your skin. This is also a good time to expose it to sunlight. UV will make the stain darker. Any time during the first 48 hours is a good time to add UV. If you want to try to keep the paste on over night wrap it in gauze or tissue and tape it up like a wound. make sure to put plenty of layers though, I have had henna stain through my covering and leave a stain on my skin that had touched it. And also beware that this will stain your bedding, forever.

JCoffey says: Jul 15, 2009. 7:25 AM

Looks good! I should have probably stuck with a Henna one instaead of going full on and getting a real tattoo lol

jeff-o says: Jul 15, 2009. 7:21 PM

Ha, seriously?

JCoffey says: Jul 15, 2009. 8:13 PM

yup, I got it last Feb. I love it. Best part is not too many people even realize what its from.

JCoffey says: Jul 17, 2009. 7:09 AM

This is mine

airgun says: Jul 25, 2009. 8:17 PM

rong arm and tht is your forearm ,.right?

JCoffey says: Jul 26, 2009. 10:38 AM

Yes I do understand that its not my left arm, BUT my intention wasnt so much to get the Dark Mark, as much as I just liked the design. And yes thats my forarm

clark says: Jul 17, 2009. 4:46 PM

that does look pretty badass

itsachen says: Jul 17, 2009. 1:10 PM

You are flipping amazing for doing that

JCoffey says: Jul 17, 2009. 1:26 PM

I just liked the design. Dont get me wrong I enjoy HP ALOT, but not that much. I cant wait to go to the movie this weekend and see how many people notice it hahaha