Henna is a
plant which prepares a dye used for temporary tattooing. It is usually used to
dye skin, hair and fabrics. In the olden days, henna was used for cosmetic
purposes in different parts of the world such as South Asia, North Africa, and
Egypt. Today, many of those countries still use henna to carry on traditions.
In South
Asia, henna is traditionally used for special and religious occasions, such as
weddings and Diwali. Brides get henna done the day before their wedding, with
religious beliefs in mind. It is said that the longer the henna lasts on her
hands, the happier she’ll be with her marriage. The traditional henna look has
a lot of design and involves a lot of small detail.
I was a
model for a henna artist a few years back, and she had done a traditional
Indian bride henna design. In the photo shown below, the henna was freshly
applied. When it dries, it becomes hard, which is when you would ideally apply
a mixture of sugar and lime juice, which is said to further illuminate the
henna when the hard layer is rinsed off.
Although
henna is used for religious purposes in many countries, it is also used for
cosmetic purposes in North America today. It is especially popular during the
summer, and is offered at several puplic places such as Canada’s Wonderland and
Harbour Front. Unlike the traditional henna look, these public places offer a
variety of different designs that people can choose from. For example, I went
to Canada’s Wonderland last year, and got a rose henna tattoo with my name on
the side. Henna can be traditional, as well as a fashion statement.
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