Henna tattoo - origin and popular motifs for various parts of the body
Tattoos are a beautiful body art that can be used to decorate the skin individually. However, a tattoo is usually very painful and can come at a high price, depending on its size and design. So if you don't dare to get a permanent tattoo, you can also opt for a temporary variant. The so-called henna tattoo is applied to the skin with an organic paste made from water and henna powder and no needles and ink are used. Since such a tattoo is not stabbed under the skin, but simply painted on it, it disappears completely after a certain time. Furthermore, the price for tattooing with henna is much lower and you can also tattoo yourself at home. You can find out more about the origin of henna tattoos, as well as the most popular patterns and motifs for various parts of the body, below.
What is a henna tattoo and where does the henna color come from?
The artistic body painting with henna originally comes from India and is called Mehndi. In many countries, such as India, Turkey, Morocco and Egypt, brides are given a beautiful painting of henna on their hands and feet. The ritual is performed on the night before the wedding together with friends and relatives and is called henna night.
The henna paint for body painting comes from the leaves of the henna bush, which are first dried in the shade and then ground. This creates the powder that, mixed with warm water, creates the color for the henna tattoo. The resulting paste can be applied directly to the skin, where it is absorbed into the skin and stains the first layers of the skin. It is green in color, however the resulting tattoos are brown.
In addition to tattoos, henna is known for its calming properties. It's a popular ingredient in hair conditioners, hair colors, and skin ointments. Pure henna cannot cause any allergic reactions. However, henna products are also available on the market that consist of chemical mixtures and can trigger an allergic reaction. This is the case with black or blue henna, for example. Note that the natural product is always brown or red and all other variations are unsuitable for painting the skin. We therefore advise you to pay attention when choosing a product, especially if you want to do a henna tattoo yourself.
And how long does a henna tattoo actually last? In contrast to classic tattoos, which last forever, this body art only stays on your skin for a short period of about one to a maximum of three weeks. Then the motifs fade and disappear completely after a little more time. If you want to keep the design on the skin longer, then the tattoos can be copied. So they have a longer shelf life.
The most popular henna tattoo designs and their meaning
Henna tattoos are particularly popular because they don't last forever and their design can be changed according to the wearer's wishes. The designs for such a tattoo usually consist of many different patterns and motifs that together create an elegant overall picture. A tattoo template or stencil is often used for painting, which makes it easier to paint on the numerous symbols. In the following we summarize the most popular motifs and their meanings.
- Flowers are one of the most common motifs for henna tattoos, because they represent a new beginning. That is why they have a great symbolic meaning, especially with the traditional bridal tattoos. Furthermore, the flower symbolizes love, happiness and life fulfillment. Leaves and tendrils represent the devotion to the relationship and are therefore perfect for the newlywed bride.
- Lotus flowers are considered to be the most popular type of flower for a tattoo with henna. They stand for purity, femininity and sensuality and look very elegant on the skin. Other popular types of flowers for the temporary tattoo are water lilies, sunflowers, and of course, roses. They fit any part of the body, with the hands and feet being the most commonly chosen.
- Another common design is the bird tattoo. The most popular species of birds for body painting are peacocks, phoenixes, swallows, hummingbirds, and swans. The birds as a whole symbolize freedom, with each species of bird also having a different meaning in itself. The peacock as a tattoo motif, for example, stands for impressive beauty and is often painted with extended feathers along the hands and whole arms. The swan, on the other hand, symbolizes success, whereas the parrot stands for love.
- The paisley or paisley pattern is one of the most common designs for a mehndi tattoo. It is particularly attractive and at the same time easy to do. The popular pattern is suitable for any part of the body and symbolizes happiness and fertility.
- Celestial bodies such as the sun, moon, stars and planets offer a wonderful variant for the henna tattoo. A full moon or a crescent moon combine wonderfully with some stars and look particularly beautiful and elegant. The design can be perfectly rounded off with a few dots and flourishes.
- Originally, Mehndi body art was mainly applied to the hands and feet of the future brides. Nowadays, however, a whole trend has developed for body painting with natural henna paste that fits various parts of the body. Nevertheless, the hands and arms remain one of the most popular places that women decorate themselves during their vacation or even themselves.
- Painting the feet has not lost its importance and is still widespread today. It offers a wonderful idea for the summer when you want to show off your legs. Another reason why the hands and feet are the most common parts of the body for a Mehndi tattoo is the fact that the coloring in these areas becomes much darker. This is due to the thicker skin on the soles of the feet, fingers, and palms of the hands. The henna tones several layers of the skin, becomes much darker and lasts longer.
- While the henna tattoo on the hand and foot could look almost black on some, the color on all other parts of the body is lighter and mostly brown or red. Even so, henna tattoos for the upper arm, forearm, back, shoulder, and wrist are just as popular. Pregnant women can also get a henna tattoo on their baby bump, which is perfect for the baby bump photos. However, before you can be painted with a beautiful design, you should test in advance whether you can tolerate the natural product. Otherwise allergic reactions can occur.
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