Henna is a paste made from dried henna leaves and other ingredients such as water and then placed in a small cone and piped on the skin in various designs. We will be sharing with you some easy and simple henna designs that you can create yourself and do for Eid or if you’re just bored and have nothing to do at home.
The Origin of Henna
Henna, also known as Mehndi has been used for over 5000 years in Pakistan, India and the Middle East. Some say its origins date back to more than 9000 years. This is due to the fact that henna has cooling properties and people of the desert used to use henna to control their body temperature. When the henna faded away, it left behind patterns on the skin which is where the ideas of making designs from henna started. The poor also used henna to decorate their bodies since they could not afford jewelry.
Uses of Henna Today
Today, many people use henna on their bodies to create beautiful and intricate designs. In the East, Henna is used commonly as a wedding tradition. People apply henna designs on themselves during Diwali, weddings, and Eid to name a few. Henna art has also become popular among Arab women recently.
Since the 1990s, henna has become a growing trend in the West. This is due to the fact that many celebrities have started applying henna on their bodies and showed them off in public, videos and movies. As a result, henna has become a world wide trend known as ‘temporary tatoo’ since it’s painless to apply and fades away after a short period of time.
The Process of Applying Henna
There are various ways in which henna can be applied. You can apply it directly from the cone it comes in, from a paintbrush or from a bottle that has different sized tips for better control.
Based on the size and intricacy of the design, it typically dries in 15-30 mins and may start to crack. A sugar water mixture should then be applied on top of the henna design in order to seal it in and keep it from flaking or coming off. The design should then be wrapped in plastic to lock in body heat, which will make the color of the henna come out darker.
The longer the wrap is left on, the better chances you have of your design coming out a dark color. You can leave the wrap on for a few hours to even overnight for best results. The henna then has to be gently scraped off to reveal the color below. The resulting henna tattoo then lasts anywhere from 1-3 weeks.
Easy and Simple Henna Designs
Here are some simple henna designs that anyone can do by themselves, even beginners. You can also alter them to your liking to make your own design.
