

History of the Henna Tattoo

This tall shrub like plant grows in hot and humid climates and is generally found in Egypt, India, Africa and the Middle Eastern countries. The leaves of the Henna plant are ground into a powder, which is then made into a paste that colours the skin in a rich shade of mahogany.
The foremost advantage of using Henna is that the colour is temporary and fades away quickly. So for people who hate the thought of having tattoos that require piercing of the skin and are most often permanent, henna offers an attractive and easy opportunity. Henna tattoos are not only temporary tattoos, but can be applied quickly and in various designs. Henna has been an inexpensive way of adding to one’s beauty. It allows people to add exotic designs on their body at very little cost.
Henna has been known to have medicinal qualities as well. In Ayurvedic therapy, Henna is used as an anti-irritant and antiseptic for various skin allergies, heat rashes and to cool the body during hot summers. Due to its cooling properties, Henna is used in lotions and ointments for application on skin inflammations and even burns. Henna is also known to be a deodorant.

Different kinds of henna tattoo designs are in vogue in countries such as Morocco, India and the Middle East. While African designs are generally geometric in nature, Indian designs are more floral and ornate. Celtic designs are based on intricate pictures and animal designs and give a mysterious look. Even Chinese and Japanese designs have become popular for the application of temporary tattoos.
These designs can be traced on or copied very easily with Henna Pens. It is as easy as drawing on paper. Several other henna based cosmetic products, such as eyeliners and lipsticks, are also available.