Happy Tuesday! Trends usually change. But there are some trends that last forever. Same is the henna trend. Henna has been around for a long time, assumed to be 9000 years old. Real henna is a plant based natural substance, dye prepared from dried crushed leaves powder. Traditionally, henna was used to dye hair, skin and fingernails, as well as fabrics like wool and leather.
will henna tattoo ever rule the world?
Mehndi has its roots deep down in history. Mehndi is often used in the eastern parts of the world to celebrate occasions such as weddings. It is celebrated as a pre-wedding in Hindu and Sikh culture where mehndi or henna is applied to the hands, palm and feet of the bride. It is believed to be a paste with good spirits and brings love, good fortune, prosperity for brides. The main purpose of applying henna to the brides-to-be, is cooling the body and relieving the bride of any stress before her big day.
Earlier, only a few patterns were used to art the hands and feet of a bride. There is no limit to reasons one chooses to apply henna, but most often it is still a moment to mark a special moment in time. Marriages and fertility are the most common celebrations where henna is used.
With the change in time, a lot of new inclusions have been added to the designs. Along with new designs, henna tattooing has also been used to create art on different parts of the body, like shoulder, back neck, belly, legs, thighs, waist, or any part of the body they love to rock with henna design.
The best of henna tattoos is, it does not hurt. It does not tattoo the skin and is not considered tattooing. It is actually the stain released from the applied paste prepared from dried crushed leaves powder. As these are temporary tattoos, they fade away naturally within 3-4 weeks of time.
Mehndi is also known for its powerful medicinal benefits.
- It is applied due to its cooling effect on the body as it keeps the nerves calm.
- It is used as antiseptic for fungal or bacterial skin infections.
- It draws out fever and also provides relief from headaches caused by the heat of the sun.
- It improves blood circulation in the body and enhances general health also.]
- It helps to improve hair health. It helps seal the hair cuticle, preventing breaking and increasing the shine and appearance of the hair. It is also a natural treatment for dandruff.
- It is also a powerful body detoxifier.
Henna is completely safe in its natural form and has no side effects. But these days, henna is used under various skin like “black henna” or “neutral henna”, neither of which is derived from henna plants. Black henna or neutral henna includes chemicals like p paraphenylenediamine(PPD) which can be very harmful to the skin. This chemical is only permitted for use in hair dye, because of associated health risks. People still use black henna on skin to get real-like tattoos. Black henna temporary tattoos stains black in color because of PPD present in it, but it can cause chemical burns and lead to allergic reactions. Natural henna, which is generally safe to use, is an orange color, with a red or brown tint to it.
These days, henna art is not limited to the body. It has created its way towards crafts with henna inspired designs.
Crafts decorated with henna designs look very ethnic as well as beautiful, and grab the attention. Not only the decorative pieces, but henna inspired designs on clothing and shoes are also gaining popularity.
Henna is one of those trends that will always be present either this way or that way. Henna has become a worldwide trend as a temporary tattoo as it comes without pain and long term commitment. From tradition to fashion, henna ruled the hearts, henna is and will keep ruling the world!
Are you a fan of Henna Tattoos? Let me know in the comments.
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Chantel Keona 