Homemade body paint can be used for your own celebrations.
In other cultures, body paint is used for rituals such as initiation rites, wedding ceremonies and funerals. Henna is one type of body paint -- which is used in India and Arabic countries -- to dye intricate patterns on women's hands and feet for weddings. A thick paste is made from dried henna plant and mixed with such ingredients as coffee and tamarind. After a design is drawn on the skin with the paste, it is left overnight. The result is a dark, reddish-brown temporary tattoo. You can create your own homemade body paints, to use for celebrations of your own.
Instructions
1. Clean out baby food jars with soapy water. Let them dry before mixing your body paints.
2. Pour in 1/8 cup of baby shampoo into a baby food jar. Add 1/8 cup of powdered tempera paint. Mix with a spoon until it is completely mixed. Ideally the body paint should have the consistency of porridge. Add more shampoo, if it's too thick, or add more powdered paint, if it's too thin.
3. Store the body paints in a cool dark cupboard for about one week. Just stir with a spoon when you want to use it again.
4. Dip your makeup brush into the body paint and brush onto skin. Use more colors as needed. Create any design you wish.
5. Wipe with a baby wipe, if you make a mistake. Once you want to remove the body paint, just rinse it in warm water. Since the body paint is made with shampoo, it should rinse easily.
