Henna is a dye made from plants. It is used as a temporary tattoo ink. This temporary form of body art can be used for spiritual practices or just as a form of expression. Not only is it a great type of body art for someone who doesn’t want to commit to a permanent tattoo, but it is also intricate and beautiful. It is a separate body art form from tattooing. Continue reading below to learn everything you ever wanted to know about henna.
What is Henna Made From?
Henna is a dye that’s made from the ground plant Lawsonia inermis, which is otherwise known as the henna tree. Other names for the plant include the mignonette tree and the Egyptian privet. It is ground or crushed and turned into a powder before it is combined with water. Then the liquid is used to stain the skin with an intricate design. People commonly refer to henna as the style of body painting, but it really is the plant and the crushed powder used to dye the skin.
How is Henna Used?
Henna liquid is then applied to the skin with a brush, staining the skin. The characteristic style uses complex patterns, symmetry, and images of the lotus flower and other plants. It can be a black, red, brown, or mahogany color. Basically, the dye is used as paint on the body, designed in a variety of styles and in a few different colors. While henna comes from a plant, it is easily applied to the skin in a temporary way.
How Long Does Henna Last?
After the body is painted, the dye lasts for a period based on how much is applied and how much the person scrubs their skin. Henna can last for a few days or a few weeks. If you exfoliate your skin, you can begin to scrub the dye off your body sooner. Or, if you avoid scrubbing it in the shower, you can keep the paint around longer. It depends on how much you avoid exfoliating the skin where the henna is located.
Where Does Henna Come From?
You might be able to easily Google where henna comes from. Henna tattoo shop near me is a popular search, but it won’t provide the history. It is difficult to know where henna comes from because it has been used for over 5,000 years. It is called mehndi in Hindi and Urdu; the use of henna as body dye is used in India, Pakistan, North Africa, and the Middle East. Originally, it was used for its cooling properties by people who live in hot desert climates. It was made into a paste, which the palms of the hands and soles of the feet were soaked in. Over time, the use of henna on skin transformed from protective to decorative. Furthermore, there are uses for henna other than on the skin.
What Are the Other Uses of Henna?
Like other powders such as turmeric, henna is used for its medicinal properties in addition to being a skin dye. Henna is used as an anti-inflammatory agent. It can relieve stomach ulcers and other bowel issues. Containing properties to help fight infections, reduce spasms, decrease the growth of tumors, and more. While there isn’t that much scientific evidence to support these uses, they have been used for these ailments for centuries and more studies are popping up all the time.
Henna is a dynamic plant that potentially has many uses, but it is primarily used as skin dye. The plant is crushed and ground into powder and applied onto the skin with a brush. The dye is used to make intricate designs, creating symmetry and symbolic images. Most people simply like the way henna looks, but it was first used on the skin as a cooling agent, which is still common in many parts of the world, whether henna is used or another plant is applied.
An ancient application, henna has remained in the modern-day. Henna has become popular in Western countries not only because it looks beautiful, but because it is temporary. You can even try out a design with henna before getting a permanent tattoo. Whatever you are into, henna is a dynamic and intricate style of skin art that has many applications and a long, storied history. If you are interested, it shouldn’t be hard to find a henna tattoo location.
