What is Henna?Henna is a reddish-orange dyestuff prepared from the dried and ground leaves of this plant, used as a cosmetic dye and for coloring. Henna Tattoos are temporary tattoo made by dye from the henna plant. Henna Tattoo designs are used for body art and hair dye for years. Henna or Mehndi as known traditionally has made it place in the entire world, a driven culture of centuries. Henna has been used to adorn young women’s bodies as part of social and holiday celebrations since the late Bronze Age. Henna is typically applied during special occasions like weddings and festivals. It is usually drawn on the palms and feet, where the color will be darkest because the skin contains higher levels of keratin which binds temporarily to lawsone, the colorant of henna. Henna was originally used as a form of decoration mainly for brides. Henna Tattoo designs artwork is a real work of master piece and is generally safe without causing you any pain if done by an educated and ethical henna artist.
Body piercing and tattoos are forms of body art that have been practiced throughout history by various cultures. Tattoos and body piercing are done as expressions of independence, for religious or cultural reasons, or to adorn one's body. Tattooing is accomplished by injecting pigment into the deeper layers of the skin, usually by way of needles or air pressure. The term henna tattoo is inaccurate, because tattoos are defined as permanent surgical insertion of pigments underneath the skin, as opposed to pigments resting on the surface as is the case with mehndi. Mehndi decorations became fashionable in the West in the late 1990s, where they are sometimes called henna tattoos.
Henna paste is usually applied on the skin using a plastic cone or a paint brush, but sometimes a small metal-tipped jacquard bottle used for silk painting is used. The painted area is then wrapped with tissue, plastic, or medical tape to lock in body heat, creating a more intense color on the skin. The wrap is worn overnight and then removed. The final color is reddish brown and can last anywhere from two weeks to several months depending on the type of the paste. In order to boost up dark stain essential oils such as tea tree, lavender or cajuput and ingredient like tea is added or sugar water is applied on tattoo designs to décor.
There is evidence that mehndi as a ceremonial art form originated in ancient India. Intricate patterns of mehndi are typically applied to brides before wedding ceremonies. It is done during the seventh month of pregnancy, after having the baby, weddings, engagements, family get-togethers, diwali, as well as on other occasions.
Likely due to the desire for a "tattoo-black" appearance, many people have started adding the synthetic dye PPD to henna to give it a black color. The high profit margins of ‘black henna” and the demand for body art that emulates “tribal tattoos” further encourage artists to ignore the dangers. PPD is extremely harmful to the skin and can cause severe allergic reactions resulting in permanent injury or death. PPD can cause severe allergic reactions, with blistering, intense itching, permanent scarring, and permanent chemical sensitivities.
