Henna Tattoo Designs - mehndi

Some examples of mehndi - traditional henna tattoo designs.

Mehndi - the art of using henna to produce stunning tattoo designs. This artform has been practiced in India for hundreds of years and began with the wealthier members of society. In Indian society the elaborate decoration of women's hands and feet is often done in preparation for wedding ceremony, and can take many hours to complete.

The practice has its roots with the story of Parvati and Shiva, the Hindu god of destruction. According to the story Parvati would decorate herself with henna in order to please him and win favour. Because of her success, henna tattoo designs on the skin were associated with sensual allure and martial prosperity, not to mention winning favour with the Gods.

The intricate designs used in traditional mehndi do have particular significance, however in western culture the designs can be anything your heart desires. There are plenty of style guides online if you're curious about creating your own henna tattoo designs.

Henna Tattoos - information for the uninitiated

If you're considering placing a henna tattoo design on your body, here's some things that you may or may not know. As with real tattooing, it's important to be aware of the procedure, aftercare and potential health risks of this type of body art.

Here's how to maximise your enjoyment and minimise the associated risks:

• Avoid using so called "black henna" - PPD (para-phenylenediaime) based henna can cause blistering and skin irritation. Real henna is not black. If you have blistering or itching after the application of your henna tattoo design, seek medical help immediately.
  
  This sort of henna tattoo is most commonly used for temporary tattoos, and not in traditional mehndi. Not everyone will develop irritation - but why take the risk?
  
  If you're unsure whether you're about to be decorated with "black henna" enquire as to the final result. If you're told that the result will be "black", you're not being tattooed with real henna. Pure henna is safe and has been used for centuries. PPD based henna is most definitely not!
  
  
• Henna Tattoos turn out somewhere in the spectrum between orange and dark brown. The only time a henna tattoo is black is before the dried henna is peeled off. After that the design will initially be orange and will darken with time, developing a more brownish hue.
  
  
• The design should be left on the skin for a long as possible. Certainly a few hours. The longer the henna is left on the skin, the darker the resulting henna tattoo will be. When you finally peel off the dried henna the skin will continue to darken for up to 24 hours.
  
  
• Avoid exposure to water for as long as possible. Like a real tattoo, water is the natural enemy of a newly-applied henna tattoo.
  

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Check out some DIY mehndi here.

Henna Tattoo Designs - try before you buy

You know what they say - the difference between people with tattoos and people without tattoos is that tattooed people don't care whether or not you have a tattoo!
Having a real tattoo applied to your own skin can be an incredible experience. I have a number of tattoos myself and I don't regret any of them. I think part of the reason for that was that before I had Nick from "Tatooz 'R Us" ink me, I made very sure that I was happy with the design and location of my potential tats.

I'll never forget a great piece of advice I was given when I told my friends about my plans for a new tattoo. I was a cleanskin at the time, and a good friend gave me this advice. He said: "Before you get a tattoo, you should get a hold of the design and make sure you're happy with it. Once you've done that, wait six months and make sure at the end of that time it's still something you want to have on your body permanently".

Great advice - and something I tell anyone who asks me about my tatts. Make sure you like the design. Henna tattoo designs might be something to consider. There are many artists who will use henna to apply a potential tattoo before you take the plunge for real.

Some people will be gung-ho and rush into getting tattooed, select a piece of flash artwork from the wall of the nearest studio and slap their money down. I don't have any statistics, but I'll bet that the majority of them are kicking themselves 12 months later when they look in the mirror.

Henna tattoo designs might just be the compromise you're looking for - they're permanent enough that you'll get a feel for having something on your skin 24/7 - at least for a few days. They'll go away eventually, so you're not stuck with them if you decide your design sucks, or you're not happy with the positioning.

If you're considering getting tattooed, try henna. Tattoo designs are wide and varied. Check out this great site for some inspiration.

Check back often, we'll be talking about Mehndi next! Some of the most amazing henna tattoo designs are done in this artform.