The 411: Henna

My friend, Emma, created these cute little designs with Henna!

     Hi there! How is your summer? Have you ever noticed this strange trend come about? Maybe it's been out for awhile, but I only started getting into it recently. What is this trend? It's Henna! Henna is a paste to create temporary tattoos. Derived from India, Henna is becoming a contemporary and stylish summer trend. 

     I personally love this stuff, you could even call me "obsessed". Let's just say, I have a lot of strange little doodles and bits on my wrist and fingers, along with large, more intricate designs on my foot and hand. 

 

Left: A little flower on my foot. Right: My hand and foot covered in Henna.

     I think the thing I enjoy most about Henna is that you don't necessarily have to be artistic in order to do it. I don't consider myself artsy at all, but I can manage to create designs. It naturally looks cool and unique; no one questions a little mistake. It also doesn't irritate the skin so it won't bother you throughout the day.

     Another great thing about Henna is that it is temporary. It has a good lifespan, but it is still quite manageable to remove. I've heard of people practicing patterns or designs with Henna to see if they would like it as a real, permanent tattoo. I think it's brilliant. Even if you can't be bothered to attain a real tattoo or can't commit to one, Henna is a great substitute. 

I doodled on my friend, Kelli's, foot at work.

     Seriously, Henna is a wonderful and amazingly cheap product that I suggest anyone to get if they want to add a bit of body art this summer. Yes, I know summer is coming to an end soon, but that doesn't mean that it's too late to get it. 

     I buy Henna from Taj Mahal, an Indian restaurant in Iowa, at $1.75/tube. If that isn't convenient, I'm sure there are places closer to you that you could purchase Henna from. There are also online options, or even make a DIY version.

     Have you used Henna this summer? Love it? Hate it? Do you have a DIY recipe for Henna? I'd love to know how you make it!

xx Amanda

Twitter & Instagram: @amanda_wymore