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 The so-much
popular tattoo can be left behind this year since body-art admirers now thrive for
the new approach in body decoration, that is mehndi. Mehndi is the painting on body
in henna which is deemed to be the ancient procedure popular in many countries.
Whereas the European fashion is often indulged in eastern temptation, the art
of mehndi was about to be grabbed and accepted, earlier or later.
Mehndi and
tattoo have more in common, though henna painting has more advantages to tattoo
that it has nothing to do with injuring the skin and insertion of the pigments
under the adipocellular tissue. In case with mehndi the painting is painless at
all. The mehndi image lasts for about three weeks and then the other image can
be applied or the skin can be left clear to relax. Mehndi is the favorite body
art for women residing in North Africa and several Arabian countries, but it is
more than popular in India.
Mehndi is attributed the features of talismans and charms. So, the bride’s body
is applied with henna to create the intricate picture just before the wedding
event, and henna remainder is buried. This is done to save a woman from adultery
and make the marriage stronger. Any Indian woman is sure than mehndi is done to
bring happiness and protect from misfortune.
Mehndi often
cultivates the herbal ornament as flowers, branches with leaves, interlaced stems,
as well as birds and insects. Traditions of various nations assume varied
esthetics of mehndi. Thus, in the Middle East
the herbal ornaments and simple images are highly demanded. Bedouins insert
feet and palms into the dilution of henna without disturbing themselves with
artistic aspects. Mehndi for the Indian women is the essential part of wedding
preparation procedure. Temple
dancers love painting their bodies with henna from palms to arms and from feet
to knees. Such paintings are like laces since they are clearly and thoroughly
painted.
Fashion followers
in Europe and America
revived mehndi art in the third millennium only. First were Hollywood
celebrities as Demi Moore, Naomi Kampbell and Madonna who tried mehndi. The European
beauty salons and body-art salons used the revived concern about this
technique. The service of henna painting costs from ten to fifty Euros,
depending the location and complexity of the picture.
Mehndi is
easy to be done at home. The special henna for mehndi is required, though the
simple henna used for hair dying can be applied. A pack of henna is required as
well as a third of the strong black tea, one lemon juice and a drop of oil,
olive is better than others. Tea is mixed with lemon juice, then the mixture is
poured into the henna and stir until the mass is homogeneous. A drop of oil is added in the end. The mixture
should be thick and viscous. The paste is placed into the polyethylene pack and
the corner is cut off.
Then the
skin is treated to degrease with spirit. Nevertheless, mehndi art masters assure
that two-three drops of eucalyptus oil can make the pattern more durable and
also the irritation can be avoided.
The contour
of the picture is done with the help of the stencil. The basic lines are drawn with
the fountain pen and only then the henna is pressed out from the pack. Mehndi professionals
use wooden sticks while painting. In the end the picture is left to dry within
six to eight hours and then the excess henna is scraped away with the stick. When
taking a shower or a bath, you try to avid scrubbing the mehndi ares with the bath
sponge since the life span of the pattern is then decreased. The paintings made
by henna are easily removed with alcohol-containing lotions. Today body-art
professionals can help and choose the modern paintings that symbolize something
particular or any incredible pictures that can express your feelings. Once the pattern
is not liked, just use all to scrub it away, and try again. It is not done
forever and this is the advantage to tattoo, the other advantage is that mehndi
looks more natural than tattoo bluish color. And this is what vouches for
mehndi.
Mehndi is
kept longer as body-art in the summer time more than in other seasons. So,
summer is the perfect period to get painted.
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