Fashion & Beauty Tips

Henna (or mehndi) is a tropical plant derivative that, when applied to the skin, leaves behind an orange to burgundy stain which can last for several weeks. Henna is very important in traditional Hindu weddings, which is where it began several thousand years ago.

SIGNIFICANCE OF BRIDAL MEHNDI

For Middle-Eastern and Indian brides, it is considered to be good luck; the darker the mehndi design is, the longer it lasts. These intricate mehndi designs are applied to the bride and her female friends and family. It is said that the darker the mehndi design, the more love her in-laws will have for her and the stronger the marriage will be. Also, as long as the mehndi design is on the bride's hand, she will not be asked to do any housework. Applying lemon juice to the mehndi afterward can also help you achieve a darker design.
CALMING EFFECTS OF HENNA

Henna is also popular because of the benefits for the body; it has a cooling and calming effect on the body and mind, not only for the person receiving the mehndi design, but also for the person designing it. Henna is thought to have other "healing" properties as well and has been widely used to treat a variety of disorders such as dandruff, skin lesions, burns, etc. It could be thought to be beneficial because of the natural ingredients that are added to the mehndi plant, such as lemon juice and essential oils like tea tree oil.
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Mehndi designs are typically very intricate and elaborate with the mehndi being applied out of a cone (similar to a cake decorating tube). You can follow a design from a template or, for an easier way, you can put a stencil over your hand and apply the mehndi over the stencil. To make the cones that are used in applying the mehndi, cut plastic freezer bags into 6” squares and then roll it into a cone, leaving a very small opening at the bottom for the mehndi to squeeze out of. Tape the cone into place, leaving no gaps for the mehndi to squirt out from. Fill the bag halfway with the mehndi and then twist the top to keep it in. You can also purchase mehndi cones from Middle-Eastern stores or online if you don't want to make your own. Mehndi designs are not just for Indian brides though, these designs have also been seen on celebrities such as Madonna and Demi Moore. Now that you know a little more about henna, you can try using it to decorate yourself, just as women in India have been doing for thousands of years.