History of the Henna Tattoo

By: Juell Rahman

Temporary henna tattoos have become quite the rage in recent times. However, henna has been around for a long time and has been used by Indian and African women for its colouring and nourishing properties. In fact, the beginnings of the use of henna can be traced back thousands of years to ancient Egypt. It is only over the past decade or so that temporary tattoos have emerged as the hottest accessory in the West. The absence of chemicals and temporary colour are the main advantages of a henna tattoo.

Egyptian roots of the Henna Tattoo

The Henna plant traces its roots to Egypt, from where it was brought as a gift for the Queen Mumtaz in India. The Mughals then encouraged the usage of henna as a beauty product and a decorative application on the skin, especially at the time of weddings. The history of the henna tattoo dates back nearly 5,000 years, when the Egyptians used them on their hands, hair and nails. Even the fingers and toes of Pharaohs were stained with henna before mummification. Henna is also believed to be a symbol of good luck and is applied before any auspicious event in various countries, such as India, Turkey, Iraq and Saudi Arabia.

Henna tattoo and its advantages

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.

Henna tattoos and varied designs

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.

About the Author: Juell Rahman has written numerous articles on the subject of skin decoration and the use of henna tattoos, he is an expert in this field.