Mehndi Design Invades Hollywood
Mehndi designs have captivated tinsel town. If you see Gwen Stefani,
Madonna, Yasmin Bleeth, Demi Moore and Drew Barrymore, they have
something else in common besides their gorgeous looks. These Hollywood
celebrities have been caught sporting mehndi design arts all over tinsel
town. Madonna’s alluring hands were covered in Mehndi design as she
grazed Bachendorf's Jewelers print ad for the Ebel line of fine watches.
You see Gwen Stefani sport this body art in many of her concerts and
tours.
 This body art has not only caught the attention of female
celebrities, even the guys are going gaga over mehndi designs. Have you
watched the artist formerly known as the Prince performs lately? Yes,
his body is like a canvass to fascinating mehndi designs.
Glossies like Vanity Fair, Vogue and Cosmopolitan have also helped
popularize this body art not just in the US and Europe but all over the
world. Origin of mehndi design Mehndi designs make use of
henna which comes from a bush called Lawsonia inermis. This reddish dye
has lance-shaped leaves, which are dried and powdered to make henna. It
can thrive in humid and arid locations. This is the reason why it is
quite abundant in India, North Africa and Middle East.
 While many
literature sites India as the origin of Mehndi, there are some records
that showed ancient Egyptians using henna to stain the extremities of
Pharaohs before mummification. As a cosmetic, mehndi art is believed to
be one of the key for the Pharaohs to please the gods and therefore
guarantee a good afterlife. Mehndi designs are used in all Hindu
weddings and festivals, but Hollywood celebrities have considered mehndi
designs as fashion jewelry and means of expressing their uniqueness.
It’s a pine-free alternative to permanent tattoos, and relatively
distinctive way to stand out from the crowd of usual fashion. While
mehndi designs are commonly used to adorn the hands and feet, there are
styles that also extend to the neck and appendages. There are four
different styles of mehndi designs based on their origin. The Indian and
Pakistani designs are made up of teardrops, paisley patterns and fine
lines, and look like finely embroidered stockings.
The Middle Eastern style uses predominantly floral designs and do not
follow a distinctive pattern. The Indonesian and Southern Asian styles
are a fusion of Middle Eastern and Indian designs, and makes use of
colors on the toes and fingernails. Lastly, the North African style
creates patterns that conform to the shape of the feet and hands that
extend to the arms and legs as if they are long gloves or stockings.
How to apply mehndi design There are lots of beauty and tattoo
shops that can paint you an exquisite mehndi design. However, you can
also make your own henna paste and create your own mehndi design. First,
dry henna leaves for a few weeks until it is crisp and tender. Pound or
grind the dried leaves finely. When creating the henna paste, you’ll
need henna powder, strong tea, a few drops of eucalyptus oil, limed
juice (strained) and one tablespoon of sugar. Mix the ingredients one by
one until a smooth thin paste is obtained. Leave the paste covered for
24 hours for all the ingredients to react thoroughly. Apply the henna
using a fine tipped cone or pen. Your imagination is your limit to the
mehndi design you can create. Remember, that it takes around 2-3 hours
for the henna paste to dry and stain your skin. Once the paste has
dried, you can rub the henna off your palm to remove the flaky part. You
can then enjoy parading your henna tattoo for around to two weeks.
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