Henna Tattoo

The art of henna has been practiced for over 5000 years in Pakistan, India, Africa and the Middle East. There is some documentation that it is over 9000 years old. Because henna has natural cooling properties, people of the desert, for centuries, have been using henna to cool down their bodies. They make a paste of henna and soak their palms and soles of the feet in it to get an air conditioning affect. They feel its cooling sensation throughout the body for as long as the henna stain remains on their skin. Initially, as the stain faded away, it left pattern on skin surface which led to ideas to make designs for decorative purposes. In the ancient Egyptian times mummies wore henna design and it is documented that Cleopatra herself used henna for decorative purposes.

WHAT IS HENNA

Henna is a paste made out of crushed leaves and twigs of henna plant. The paste can also be made from dried leaves of the plant by mixing it with hot water. When this paste is applied on skin (just like writing from a marker) and left for few hours, it leaves orange to dark maroon stain on the skin which fades away in 7 to 14 days.

TRADITIONAL HENNA
Henna is traditionally used for special occasions like holidays, birthdays and weddings in Africa, Pakistan, India, and the Middle East. The most popular of the traditions is the Mehndi (henna) Night where the bride, her family, relatives and friends get together to celebrate the wedding to come. The night is filled with games, music and dance performances that may have been rehearsed for months prior to the event by those closest to the bride while the bride gets extensive henna patterns done on her hands and feet that go to her elbows and sometimes, knees. The bridal patterns can take hours and are often done by multiple henna artists

The guests will usually receive small designs (tattoos) on the backs of their hands as well.

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HOW TO CARE FOR YOUR HENNA

Follow these tips to get a great stain.

· Let the paste dry for at least 1 hour; depending on where the tattoo is, overnight (if possible!) may be best.

· Don't wash the paste off! Instead, scrape it off using your nails, butter knife or something like a credit card.

· Rub off extra bits of henna with olive oil, not water.

· Try not to get the hennaed skin wet for 12 hours after you remove the paste.

· If the stain isn't very dark when the paste is removed, don't worry! The natural dyes in henna oxidize and the stain will darken over the next 2-4 days.

· Also, avoid pools and/or chlorinated water. These make the skin exfoliate faster, thus making the tattoo fade faster. Try not to scrub too hard in the shower.

We do henna service at both of our salons. We also do bridle henna, henna parties and mobile service.