Today, tattoos are insanely popular. They usually reflect a unique personality. But in this way of self-expression there is a big minus. Tattoos are difficult to remove. There is a great alternative to "lifelong" wearable designs - mehendi. This art came to us from the East and to this day is considered an actual way of decorating the body. Usually mehendi is applied to the palm, but you can cover the whole body with it. It all depends on your preferences. In general, let's figure out what methods of application and sketches of mehendi exist. The history and features of the use of this "painting" will also be discussed in the article.
What is mehendi?
Mehendi is a body painting with various oriental patterns using henna. This oriental art has other names, for example, mehndi, Hindi, Urdu. And, unlike the usual classic tattoo, this decoration is temporary, although it lasts for a long time. In addition, this method is considered hygienic, safe and painless. This is probably why there are so many mehendi fans among women.
Some don't know, but hand mehendi patterns are done in 3 styles. Of course, no one can force youstick to one style, we can safely combine them and get your own.
- Arabic style mainly contains oriental floral patterns.
- Indian style is also unusual patterns, a sign of which are thin lines, lace, ornaments, flowers. In general, hands painted in the Indian style of mehendi resemble openwork gloves.
- African style is geometric.
History of mehendi
Before it is worth saying that mehendi is a rather ancient art, and it appeared as much as 5000 years ago. It first appeared in ancient Egypt and only in the 16th century appeared in India. By the way, it was the peoples of the desert regions of India who were the first to discover the cooling properties of henna. They noticed that if the legs and arms are covered with a layer of henna leaf paste, then it protects against overheating. Therefore, women began to gradually create whole ornaments on the body. Even today, not a single wedding in India takes place without the ceremony of applying mehendi to the body of the bride. It is believed that the bride may not do household chores until the mehendi pattern is washed off. And the more intricate the drawing, the happier the life of the young will be. Generally speaking, all mehendi patterns have a sacred meaning and are aimed at attracting good luck and prosperity.
Meaning of symbols
Since in the East henna (mehendi) drawings are not applied just like that, we will tell you about the meanings of the most popular mehendi symbols.
- Flower. Floral motifs are considered the most popular in this type of body art. First of all, they meanfemininity and fragility, and also symbolize joy and happiness.
- The tear of Allah. This symbol is also called the Turkish cucumber. Most often, this pattern is applied to brides as a symbol of development, fertility and prosperity in the family. Inside the so-called Turkish cucumber, a grain is depicted. It symbolizes happiness in the future home. And along with the tears of Allah, they draw many small dots that represent the boundless love of the bride for her lover.
- Lotus. This pattern is considered the most popular among brides. Very often, it is pregnant women who depict the lotus in their mehendi. The meaning of this drawing denotes purity and purity, and also symbolizes he althy procreation.
- Crescent. This is perhaps the most delicate and beautiful pattern, so young girls choose it.
- Sun. Older women prefer to apply mehendi on the palm in the form of the sun, which represents wisdom and immortality.
- Triangle. This is another favorite mehendi in the palm of your hand. The meaning of the triangle lies primarily in protection from the evil eye and natural disasters.
- Octagon. This is another pattern that, according to many, is able to protect from all corners of the world.
- Disk of Vishnu. For women, this symbol means loy alty and chastity, and for men - strength, courage and courage.
- Star. This symbol represents the five elements, according to the Indian people: earth, water, air, fire and sky. And the six-pointed star means harmony between male and female.
- Feather. This pattern is suitable for extravagant and creative individuals whowant to emphasize their bright individuality.
- Owl. The owl pattern used to be applied only to influential and we althy people, because it is known that it personifies wisdom and power.
- Peacock. This pattern is mostly preferred by creative people. The peacock is a symbol of beauty and grace.
- Swallow. It is believed that this bird attracts good luck, so if you need it, this drawing must be on your hand.
- God Shri Ganesha. In India, the elephant has a special meaning, apparently, therefore, its image on the hand has a magical meaning. Even God Shri Ganesha has the head of an elephant and the body of a man. It represents cheerfulness and well-being.
- Fish. This pattern is chosen by those who wish to soon acquire a lover. Therefore, if you are in search of a betrothed, be sure to apply mehendi on your palm in the form of a fish.
- Snail. This pattern represents closure. That is, when a person wants to hide from the world and protect himself from external encroachment, a snail flaunts on his body.
Required tools
If you decide to make mehendi on the palm of your own, then you will need the following set of necessary:
- Henna leaf paste.
- Lemon juice as a solvent.
- Any essential oil, but eucalyptus, orange or lavender is better.
- Small capacity.
- Special cone.
- Q-tip to remove missteps.
- Stencil or waterfelt-tip pen.
How to make mehendi paste at home?
You can cook mehendi paste yourself. Of course, you can also buy it in the store, in general, the choice is yours, but our recipe will definitely not be superfluous. First, it should be said that the henna that is sold in the form of hair dye is not suitable for mehendi. You will need to purchase a special pigment powder.
To prepare pasta (200 g) you need:
- Henna pigment - 40g
- Lemon - 3 pieces
- Sugar - 2 tsp
- Orange oil - 2 tsp
- You will also need a bowl, measuring spoon and plastic bag.
Start cooking:
- Sieve the henna powder through a fine sieve.
- Squeeze the juice from the lemons and strain if necessary.
- Next, combine the powder with lemon juice in a bowl. The mixture should resemble the consistency of toothpaste. Close the bag tightly and leave in a warm place for 12 hours.
- If the paste is too runny, add some more henna.
- After this time, add sugar and butter to the paste, mix and set aside again for 12 hours. As a result, you will need a day.
- Mehendi paste is ready!
How to make mehendi at home? Stages
Applying a mehendi pattern consists of three main steps:
- Preparing the skin.
- Drawing.
- Final stage.
But the first step is to do an allergy test. To do this, apply a smallamount of paste on your wrist and wait. If no allergic reaction followed, then you can safely proceed to drawing.
At the preparatory stage, it is necessary to wash the skin thoroughly with soap, peel or scrub. You also need to remove all the hair in the place of the future mehendi. And be sure to treat the area with alcohol. Next, apply eucalyptus oil and wipe the skin with a mixture of lemon juice and sugar - this will make the pattern brighter.
For beginners, it is better to use a special stencil. Attach it to your skin with tape. You can also apply the design with a water felt-tip pen or a soft pencil, which can be easily washed off when the design dries. The drawing will look more elegant if the lines are as thin as possible, and for this the hole in the cone should be minimal. If you make a mistake somewhere, don't be discouraged, remove the excess with a cotton swab and continue working. After applying the pattern, you must wait until it dries, and then remove the remnants of henna with a dry towel. Finally, treat the skin with lemon juice to fix it and brush the mehendi with oil.
How to make mehendi on your hand yourself? Easy sketches for beginners
If you decide to make mehendi on your hand for the first time, then our sketches will help you with this. For beginners, the simplest patterns are suitable.
And as you gain experience, you will be able to start more complex work.
How totake care of the pattern?
In order for the mehendi drawing to please you as long as possible, you need to properly care for it. Here are some tips:
- First of all, after applying the drawing, it must dry completely, most likely, it will take at least an hour. And those places where the pattern was applied with a denser layer will dry longer.
- As soon as the top layer of henna dries, do not wash it off with water, it will fall off at the slightest touch.
- For 8 hours, try to avoid contact of biotatu with water.
- The next day, smear the mehendi with essential oil.
- Since mehendi is afraid of water, for the entire time that the pattern will show off on your body, try to minimize visits to swimming pools, saunas, baths, and the gym.
- When washing dishes, wear gloves or apply sunscreen to the mehendi.
- Also, do not rub the pattern with a washcloth.
- Do not apply whitening cream to the pattern.
- And do not wipe with alcohol.
If you follow all these rules, the mehendi will be bright and beautiful for a long time.
How long does mehendi last?
Mehendi will show off on your body for a maximum of 3 weeks. But you will notice its fading in advance, the drawing will become paler and paler. Since we wash our hands most often, the pattern will be washed off the brushes faster. And with the feet, the pattern will also quickly wear off, due to the constant friction of the shoes.
Conclusion
Now you are familiar with thisway of self-expression, like mehendi in the palm of your hand, sketches, we also offered you how to make pasta, you know, so you can safely create at home. Good luck in your new business!
