In many cultures
henna tattoos are used to celebrate special occasions and rites of passage through life. All over the world people use henna to celebrate pregnancy, manhood, marriage, holidays and even death. In India the art of henna tattooing is called Mehndi. The bridal tattoos done for Indian weddings are some of the most beautifully intricate tattoos around. After you choose a tattoo design that you like, the tattoo artist then applies the paste to your skin. The paste needs to stay on the skin for 4 to 8 hours in order to produce a dark stain.
These are made from a paste that contains black hair dye. The black hair dye used to make this paste can cause severe allergic reactions and permanent scarring. Before getting a henna tattoo ask the artist what color the tattoo will be, how long you need to leave on the paste and what ingredients they use in their paste. If the artist says the tattoo will be black, that they will remove the paste right away or refuses to tell you the ingredients, those are all warning signs that they are using dangerous black Henna. Do not get a tattoo from that person. There is no "safe" black henna. Henna leaves a reddish-brown stain only after the paste has been left on the skin from 4-8 hours. All legitimate artists have a card or aftercare instructions that list all of the ingredients they use in their paste.
Traditional henna has been used for beautification and decoration purposes for thousands of years. While it is known as Henna or Hene in the Middle East and Africa, people in India and Pakistan know it as Mehendi. The Henna plant, Lawsonia Inermis, generally grows in hot and humid climates and is cultivated in several African countries, including Sudan and Morocco, Asian countries such as India, and some of the countries in the Middle East. It was the Mughals who encouraged the cultivation of henna in India and Pakistan and used the traditional henna for beauty and decorative purposes rather than just for its medicinal value. Although the use of henna tattoos has spread across a vast geographic area in recent years, it continues to be largely used as a beauty product.
Henna is one of the best alternatives to permanent colour and is much in demand for its cosmetic value. Henna tattoos are made from henna paste that is formed from ground green henna leaves, mixed with water and other natural products. The paste, when applied to the skin or the hair, leaves a colour that can vary from orange to rich mahogany, depending on the quality of the henna being used. A major reason for henna's growing popularity is that its colour is temporary and fades away with time and washing. So people who wish to get intricate designs on their body, but are afraid of or dislike piercing the skin can opt for henna tattoos, which are not only attractive but also cheap and simple to apply. Henna tattoos match the advantages offered by other forms of temporary tattoos in that they are available in various designs and varied colours.
