Henna body art

What is henna? Where it came from? What is used for? 

More about henna body art.

Europe was reach by a new art branch - henna body art. We can see that there are  many workshops in festivals or events which are connected with India culture. Maybe sometimes you  accidentally sight a girl with painted hands or feet. Yes - its henna art and it is a new way to express your beauty.

What is henna?
Henna (Lawsonia inermis, also known as hina, the henna tree) is a flowering plant.
Henna has been used since antiquity to dye skin, hair and fingernails, as well as fabrics including silk, wool and leather.

Historically, henna was found to be used in the Arabian Peninsula, South Asia.

Henna has been used as a cosmetic hair dye for 6,000 years.

Down below you can see where henna art  is mostly located.

What's the point of using henna or henna traditions.

Every country has different traditions of using it. Like in India, as a part of Hindu and Sikh weddings, henna is applied during wedding ceremonies. Traditionally it is thought that the darker the henna on the bride's hand, the more intensely her husband will love her. Henna was regarded as having Barakah ("blessings“), and was applied for luck as well as joy and beauty. Brides typically had the most henna, and the most complex patterns, to support their greatest joy, and wishes for luck.

Henna dye types:

There exist natural (most known and most trusted), black, dark red and white henna. The longest effect stays just with natural henna dyes, other colors is washed out very quickly. 

Process of painting: 

The main body parts where henna dyes stays the longest is hands, palms, arms, feet. Painted parts can stay with temporary tattoo for more then 7 days. To make tattoo more soaked into skin you can peeling it and you can apply some natural body oil (it is good with coconut or olive oil). It is important: if you make a mistake you have to be very fast to clean the part you want to clean, other ways it will stay it. 

When you finish your tattoo, you have to wait until it gets totally dry, when you see the dye is dry and cracked then you just scratch everything off. Important - don't wash it. After you take everything off, you can add again some oil to make it more into your skin. 

  

Henna ornaments
Usually henna tattoo's are based on Indian holy symbols like lotus flower, animals or  mostly mandala principle.

Where you can get henna dyes?
It's hard to find these dyes in Slovenia. Usually all Indian shops has henna paints. Tube costs around 3 euros and with one tube you are able to draw many little tattoos.