Jagua FAQ

Step-by-Step instructions for using Jagua Tattoo Kit

Our Jagua Body Painting Kits come with everything you need to create beautiful temporary black tattoos that look just like the real thing—and nothing could be simpler! You just add water to the freeze-dried jagua juice, and then mix it with the base gel. When you’re ready, transfer the solution into the soft plastic applicator bottle. To create a tattoo design on your skin, simply squeeze the bottle to release the jagua gel, and begin drawing with the fine tip. (To learn more, see our Jagua Info and Jagua FAQs pages.)

Step-by-step Instructions:

  1. Cut tip of Earth Jagua® Base Gel foil packet.
  2. Open plastic cone and place in a cup. Squeeze Base Gel into cone.
  3. Using dropper, fill bottle with water to top of sticker.
  4. Shake until dissolved, and pour contents of bottle into plastic cone.
  5. Reseal and massage contents of cone until smooth. Push gel toward small tip of cone.
  6. Cut small tip of cone, and squeeze gel slowly into bottle until full.
  7. Twist cap outfitted with tip onto bottle.
  8. Create design on skin by gently squeezing bottle to release gel.

Once design is completed:

  1. Gel will take 30–40 minutes to dry. It will dry flat and stick to skin. (Be very careful not to smudge design while wet!)
  2. Wait 2 hours.
  3. Peel off Earth Jagua® Gel from skin with fingers.
  4. YOU WILL SEE VERY LITTLE COLOR WHEN YOU REMOVE THE GEL. THIS IS NORMAL! Blue/black color will fully develop in 24–48 hours.

Useful Tips:

  • Start with clean, dry skin. Remove any lotion.
  • Remove Earth Jagua® Gel before going to bed. For first night only, wrap or cover the area with bathroom tissue and tape to avoid staining sheets or other areas of your body with which it may come in contact.
  • When creating tattoo, use toothpicks to even out lines.
  • Jagua stains very quickly. Wipe off all smudges immediately.
  • To avoid clogging, soak metal tip in hot water after use.
  • Before storing, squeeze air out of the bottle and twist cap on.

To make your tattoos last as long as possible:

  • Avoid saunas and steam rooms, or you can cover the tattoo with Vaseline.
  • Avoid skin scrubs and exfoliation products.
  • Wash and dry tattoo area gently when showering.

Other helpful information:

  • Earth Jagua® does not contain PPD or any other toxic chemicals.
  • Earth Jagua® is not “black henna” nor does it contain henna.
  • Using Earth Jagua® is totally pain-free.
  • Earth Jagua® shows up perfectly on dark skin.
  • No trees were cut down to create this product. The fruit used would naturally fall to the ground and rot. We have helped to create a cash crop for the Matsés people in the Amazon.
  • Before using Earth Jagua® Gel, test product on small area first to make sure you have no allergic reaction to this fruit-based solution. Place a small amount of product on the skin; leave on for 2–3 hours and rinse off with water. Wait 4–5 hours before proceeding.

Frequently Asked Questions About Jagua and Jagua Tattoos

Here are some answers to the most common inquiries from customers regarding our jagua temporary tattoo products.

Jagua is a fruit that grows in the Amazon.Black hennadoesn’t grow anywhere! Simply put, it does not exist. The stuff on the market called “black henna” is a synthetic compound containing industrial dyes (like PPD), inks, or chemicals—all of them potentially harmful to the skin. We strongly recommend that you stay away from so-calledblack hennamixtures.

The juice of the jagua fruit is a blue-black color; it works just like a natural dye. Jagua juice is the base of our Earth Jagua® Gel. It is applied on the skin, and must be left on for two hours to get the optimal stain. Peel off the dried jagua gel and wait 48 hours for the color to fully develop. Stain will appear very light at first, but this is normal!

Yes. It gets lighter as skin exfoliates, and eventually disappears completely.

No. The skin is never pierced and it does not hurt. It is applied on top of the skin, just like henna.

Two hours is sufficient to obtain the darkest color. Leaving it on longer will not yield a darker or longer-lasting stain.

No. But do bear in mind that jagua is a fruit. People with fruit sensitivities (and everyone else) should do a small patch test before attempting a full-size tattoo.

The two are different in that…

  • Jagua does not need to stay on the skin as long as henna; 2 hours is sufficient.
  • Jagua gel takes a little longer to dry than henna.
  • Jagua is a fruit. Henna is a plant.
  • Jagua grows in tropical climates; henna grows in the desert.

2–3 months, if refrigerated.

Yes.

Yes—just keep it out of your eyes.

As with henna, the stain is darkest on the hands and feet.

Yes. Simply retrace over the design with more gel.

No. But it does stain the skin very quickly! If you get jagua on your hands during application, wash it off immediately, if not sooner!

There is no quick fix. You may rub the area gently with soap and a washcloth, or use baby oil to lessen the staining effect; but it will still take a few days to disappear completely.

Avoid chlorinated pools and soaking in hot tubs. It may be useful to apply a layer of petroleum jelly to the tattoo before swimming or showering.

Yes.

It helps if you know how to draw. However, if you can’t draw even a crooked line, our kits come withstencil transfersthat make it easy enough for a 10-year-old to make beautiful tattoos.

FIRST NIGHT ONLY: Wrap design with bathroom tissue and tape to avoid staining other areas of the body that the tattoo may come in contact with, like your face (!) and bedsheets.