TEMPTU is a paint used on the body that can last for several days. Becoming Moonlight gilding paste is a body art adhesive that is applied via cone and stays as a raised design on the skin for several days. Both are required to be sealed with mica powder. I was curious…which lasts longer? Which is easier to use?
I practiced both designs on paper before attempting to draw them on my leg. I then practiced both the TEMPTU design and the Becoming Moonlight design on my arm. The TEMPTU on the back of my hand looked great and did not budge when washing my hands. The Becoming Moonlight on my inner wrist was not so good. My lines were shaky and uneven. This is only the second or third time I have worked with both body art mediums.
Pros and Cons
I personally found it a little easier to control the Becoming Moonlight cone than painting with TEMPTU. With the paintbrush you have to make sure you are using even pressure the whole time and that you have enough of the paint on the brush. TEMPTU dries quickly on the skin and hair or lint doesn’t stick to it over time.
The Becoming Moonlight cone needs even pressure for the paste to flow evenly. I did have a little trouble getting the pressure on the cone to flow the way I wanted to at first, but I got adjusted and was able to complete my design. Over time, small lint and hair from my clothes stuck to the Becoming Moonlight paste.
24 hours later…
The design on my leg with the TEMPTU was great! I was very pleased with the placement, design and the way the Becoming Moonlight mica powder adhered to it. After a shower, the design done with TEMPTU did not seem affected.
The Becoming Moonlight design had fuzz and hair stuck to it and was starting to lift in a few small areas. This method of body art works better in areas where clothes are not going to create friction against the design since the paste remains raised.
5 days later…
After 5 days both the TEMPTU and the Becoming Moonlight paste were still on my skin. I was very impressed with the staying power of both. Placement makes a huge difference in how long the art will last.
The TEMPTU stayed on better than the Becoming Moonlight paste. I was able to shave over TEMPTU with minimal wear and tear to the design. Since the Becoming Moonlight paste was raised, I chose to shave around it.
Overall, TEMPTU stayed better. If my pants weren’t rubbing against the Becoming Moonlight design, the outcome would have been different, however, it’s winter in Ohio… so pants are kind of needed.
TEMPTU is good for week-long wear, shooting a video or a movie, or a temporary tattoo on vacation. Becoming Moonlight paste is good for a weekend festival, holiday parties, homecoming, prom etc.
I am still learning to use these materials but the more I use them, the more comfortable I feel. With more practice, I will start to feel even more confident in my skills as a new artist!
How to create white Henna with TEMPTU: https://www.mehandi.com/Articles.asp?ID=273
I was inspired by patterns in this free ebook for both designs: http://www.hennapage.com/henna/what/freebooks/patterns1.pdf
You can view more free pattern books from www.hennapage.com
Liz • Ancient Sunrise Specialist