How to Apply a Jagua Tattoo

Co-authored by wikiHow Staff

Last Updated: August 11, 2021 References

A Jagua tattoo is a type of natural temporary tattoo that is made from the extract of the fruit of the Genipa americana plant, which grows primarily in South America.^{[1]
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Research source} While it is similar to henna, it makes a black-blue tattoo instead of the brownish-red color of henna. Applying and taking care of your Jagua tattoo is easy if you wait long enough for it to dry, remove the gel carefully, and take care not to submerge it in water. It can last up to four weeks if taken care of properly!

Part 1

Part 1 of 3:

Choosing a Design and Preparing Your Skin

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Purchase a Jagua tattoo gel kit. A great place to find a kit is on Fresh Jagua's website. It will come with a bottle and several nozzles of varying widths. Follow the instructions in the kit to prepare your Jagua gel.
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Decide where you want your tattoo to go. Determining where to place your tattoo can be the hardest part, but any area of skin without excessive hair will work fine. If you don't have previous experience with semi-permanent tattoos, you may wish to pick a spot that's less visible or able to be covered with clothing, like your upper arm or hip. Other popular spots include the hands, feet, ankles, wrists, chest, collarbone area, and thighs.

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3
Plan out your design. The possibilities for designs are endless, so choose something as simple or intricate as you'd like. Options include words, mandala patterns, animals, or tribal-style designs, or your kit may come with a sheet of ideas!
- It may help to use a different temporary tattoo as an outline for your design. To apply this before the Jagua gel, wet your skin, press the temporary tattoo down for about 10 seconds, and peel it off slowly.^{[2]
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- Practice your design on paper if you're going to be applying the tattoo freehand.
4
Clean your skin thoroughly with soap and water. Dry your skin with a towel thoroughly after washing.^{[3]
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- You may also wish to exfoliate the area gently with a washcloth or sponge to remove dead skin cells. This will help the gel stick to your skin, and make the design last longer.

Part 2

Part 2 of 3:

Applying the Gel

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Apply the gel by gently squeezing the bottle as you go. Make sure that you're using a nozzle that is narrow enough for the level of detail you're going for. Apply it liberally until the entire design is a raised pool on top of the skin.^{[4]
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Fix mistakes by quickly removing the gel from the skin with a cotton swab. Jagua gel is like a stain, so it will start coloring the skin immediately upon touching it. If you can't fix the mistake without altering the rest of the design, just go with it!
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Allow the gel to dry for 30 minutes. Make sure you don't bump the design, as the stain will set anywhere that it touches. Use this time to relax, and try not to stretch or push the skin together.^{[5]
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Leave the gel on your skin for 3-6 hours. This is when the majority of the pigment will be deposited into the skin. Avoid any activity that will make you sweat, as this can cause the lines to blur.^{[6]
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- It is not recommended that you go to sleep with the gel on your skin. It can be itchy as it dries, which might make you scratch it in your sleep, damaging the design. Sheets and blankets can also cause the gel to peel off.
5
Rinse off the gel with warm water. It won't be much of a gel anymore; it will be hard and flaky. You can gently pull off any large pieces with your fingers, and then use warm water to remove any residue.^{[7]
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- It is very important not to scrub or scratch the area where the tattoo is. This will cause it to fade faster, so use only your fingers and warm water to remove the gel instead of a loofah, washcloth, or brush.

Part 3

Part 3 of 3:

Caring for Your Design

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Wait 24-48 hours for the design to fully develop. Even if you've waited the entire 6 hours with the gel on, the design will be faint at first. Don't panic; this is normal.^{[8]
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Research source} Don't scrub or tug at your skin during this time.
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Drink lots of water and apply lotion to the design daily. Being hydrated will slow the skin's natural turnover process.^{[9]
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Research source} Any lotion or body butter will work well, but shea butter is especially moisturizing, so look for lotions with that ingredient.^{[10]
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- Apply sunscreen to the design if it will be exposed to prolonged periods of sunlight.
3
Apply petroleum jelly or oil over the tattoo when you shower. Any kind of light oil, such as massage oil or olive oil, will work well. This will protect the design from soap, water, and friction from other parts of your body.> Try to hold the design out of the water as you shower.
- Feel free to use a more complete covering, such as a large bandage or plastic wrap, to fully protect it from water.
4
Avoid submerging the tattoo in any body of water. This includes the bath, a swimming pool, the ocean, or a hot tub.^{[11]
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Research source} This will cause the tattooed skin cells to come off sooner than they would otherwise.
5
Expect your tattoo to last from 1-4 weeks. The skin exfoliates itself naturally within a month, so it's important not to speed up that process by rubbing or scrubbing the design.

Warnings

If you are allergic to any berries or fruit, do not use Jagua tattoo gel. If you're unsure of whether or not you're allergic, you can do a patch test on a small area of skin before applying a whole tattoo. Follow the same steps, but only apply a very small dot of the gel. If there are no signs of an allergic reaction, like redness, swelling, or hives, you'll probably be fine applying the gel over a larger area.

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