What Is The History Of Henna Application?

Henna or more commonly, known as mehndi, is a dye that we obtain from a special plant called Lawsonia inermis. It has been used by people for centuries, especially in parts of the Middle East, the Indian subcontinent, and Africa. Not only is it used for decorative purposes, but it also has a lot of medicinal properties. For hundreds and hundreds of years, mehndi has been used for the purpose of body art, especially on hands and feet. The application of henna is a very common tradition among Hindus and Muslims. Wedding, mehndi parties, and Eid, all these occasions are incomplete without the application of henna in the hands of the girls. Not only is it used to beautify hands, but it is also used as a hair dye. 

How Do We Apply Henna?  

Nowadays, mehndi is available in the market, already made, in the shape of cones for easy application on hands. Certain chemicals are added in this henna to enhance their color on the hands. During older times, chemical mehndi was not available and women used to prepare mehndi at home, using mehndi powder obtained from mehndi plant. The powder was mixed with some water, forming a thick deep green paste which was then applied on the hands using an applicator. After applying on the hands, you leave it for some time until henna dries off, leaving behind a vibrant red color. 

How To Choose The Best Henna Design For Your Wedding?

In order to get a beautiful intricate pattern of henna on your hands, you need to have it applied by a henna artist or a henna expert. Not only does it adorn the hands and feet of the bride, henna also has certain cooling properties that can help calm the nerves of the bride.

The first thing to consider before you start your henna is choosing the right henna artist. Every henna artist has their own way of applying henna. Hence consulting and looking at works of different artists is important before you choose the best one for your wedding ceremony.  Usually, detailed and sleek designs are preferred overbold and thick designs which do not look as neat. 

Quality of mehndi is very important before you start your application. The darker the henna, the better it looks. Mehndi these days often have many chemicals that help in enhancing their color, but these chemicals can leave certain allergic reactions on your skin which can be detrimental. Hence it is important that you choose the henna that has a healthy composition and also leaves a beautiful color on your skin. Try patches of different mehndi and then select the one that suits them best to your skin. 

Designs matter a lot in determining what shape your hand looks. Depending upon the design you select for your hand, your hands can look broader or longer. Broader and geometrical designs look beautiful if you have long thin hands, but if your hands have a broader shape, leafy designs will suit your hands more. 

Application of henna on feet is as important as applying henna on your hands. Some brides just like to beautify their fingers while other brides apply henna up to their knees. 

What Are Some Medicinal Benefits Of Mehndi?

Mehndi is great for calming stress. It prevents headaches and fever which may be induced due to stress and anxiety before a wedding. 

• Mehndi is a very great ingredient for the growth of nails. 

• Some open wounds are also treated by mehndi in some areas of Asia. 

• Henna sometimes may also act as a sunblock. It can help in preventing tanning and sunburn. 

How Do You Get Your Perfect Bridal Mehndi Design?

If you want to get the perfect color of your henna before your wedding, the first thing you need to keep in mind is keeping crystal clear skin. There should be no layer of cream or oils on your skin and the hair should be removed 24 to 48 hours before you have your henna applied. Keeping yourself away from cold, keeping your hands and feet warm also play a role in getting the stain a little darker. In order to keep a layer of mehndi on your hands for your wedding, you can use a mixture of lemon juice and sugar, dabbing the mixture onto your dried mehndi with a cotton pad. Another most important factor is keeping your hands as far away from water as possible.