Traditionally, Mehndi or henna tattoos are used for ceremonial occasions like festivals and weddings. Modern day women have taken to henna tattoos because of the ease of application, and the simplicity of the designs. The ink is applied with an applicator as if the design was being drawn with brush and ink on skin. There is no needle piercing which is painful. Also, the process itself is quick and easy. Anyone who can draw lines and curves can create amazing henna tattoos.
Not too long ago, henna tattoos became popular as beach side attractions, where locals would offer to create henna tattoos for tourists. Nowadays, henna tattoos can be had at tattoo shops and in some beauty salons. Anyone can also buy henna ink and equipment online, and do the tattooing at home.
1. Simple Henna Tattoo
If you look up Traditional Indian henna tattoos, you will see various complex and intricate designs. Often, these take up hours to accomplish, but simple images and shapes are also sometimes used. Some people in North Africa also use henna tattoos to create minimalist art, lines, shapes, numbers, or symbols. Henna may also be used to make traditional tattoo designs like words, phrases, or quotes. The limit is your imagination when it comes to henna body art.
2. Cute Henna Tattoos
Despite henna tattoos being a tradition for Indian weddings, using them for various eye-catching designs has no limits. You can have a henna tattoo for anything you want, just like a regular tattoo. There are different colors of this ink so that you can explore some cute options too. They can be anything from food, cartoon characters, or animals. It will be up to you if you want some artistic touches on your cute ink or you want it as it is.
3. Small Henna Tattoo
Opting for a small henna tattoo will take a quicker session, and it is an ideal choice for women trying out henna for the first time. Small henna tattoos are also excellent if you want a matching group tattoo. It often works well with simple designs, just like any regular tattoos. The ideal placement for small and straightforward henna ink is the hands, inner wrist, or fingers. You can have any design you want, but nature-inspired and geometric designs are some popular choices.
4. Intricate Henna Tattoos
If ornate and intricate pieces, then you should go for a traditional mehndi design. There are different ways to create these patterns, including net, shapes, symbols, and other nature-themed elements. The leg and foot are ideal placement for such a detailed piece. It can start from the calves down to the ankles and cover the top and soles of the foot. It is a fantastic piece of art created by a skilled artist.
5. Meaningful Henna Tattoo
The significance of henna tattoos can be observed in the wedding rituals of the Indian culture. A bride often gets henna tattoos on her palms, wrist, and arms. It is said that she will receive blessing through the elements inked. There are various images that artists can design on a bride’s hand. Some examples are the sacred Hindu symbol, the lotus flower, and swan tattoos for success and beauty. Accordingly, these tattoos are a tribute to the gods Brahma and Vishnu and represent eternity and purity.
6. Black Henna Tattoo
Generally, the colors used for female henna tattoo designs are orange, brown, and red. But if you want a more pronounced ink that appears darker than the usual, choose the jagua-based ink. It is sourced from a South American fruit juice. The use of this ink is more common in the traditional Caribbean and South American cultures. Check for details if you want dark-colored henna ink and avoid getting those toxic dyes labeled as “black henna.” It is not safe for the skin and may cause illness and scarring.
7. Glam Gold Henna Tattoo
Henna artists today are coming up with fabulous colors to create glamorous and beautiful henna tattoo designs. It is a lovely idea for special occasions such as weddings and anniversaries. The popular placement for this type of ink is one of the hands. The designs are ornate and elegant. Artists use gold and silver henna colors for a fantastic feast on the eyes.
8. Bold Red Henna Tattoo
Henna ink is not limited to dark and dark colors. You will also find bold red ink that makes a fiery choice for a tattoo. The red henna tattoo appears bright, beautiful, and brave. It is perfect for a woman who wants to make a statement. It is ideal for hand, finger, and wrist placement because of its stylish and vibrant finish. Some great designs that go well with bold red henna ink are leafy and chevron designs.
9. White Henna Tattoo
Some of the most popular henna tattoo ink are black, blue, and deep red colors. They look pretty impressive on women with fair skin tone. However, for those with deep colors, or those who want to try a unique trend, you may want to explore a white henna tattoo, an eye-catching alternative to the traditional henna. But contrary to its name, the artist only uses a mix of surgical grade adhesive and skin-safe body paint. So there is nothing here from the henna plant, and it will not cause any stain, discoloration, or bleach the skin. It does have the same texture as henna, and it is applied similarly. However, it does not last long; you may enjoy wearing it for a good three to 10 days.
10. Back Henna Tattoo
Opting to have it on the back is one of the best placement choices for a more detailed henna body art. There are a plethora of designs that you can explore for a fantastic henna tattoo on the back. Some are designed like a back necklace, while others use traditional Hindu elements such as lotus, paisley, peacock, and mandalas. Some even have embellished henna back tattoos. Seek out artists that can create stylish designs that combine metallic and straightforward colors for elegant body art.
11. Henna Finger Tattoos
Another striking henna tattoo placement is on the fingers. Any ink color will stand out across skin tones when inked on this spot. Most women choose to have simple and small designs such as dots, drops, leaves, or vines. But you can also have a full-color “drip-dye” look if you want. When you get inked on the finger or your hand, it will be visible to others, making sure that you choose an artist skilled in this style.
12. Henna Leg Tattoo
Henna tattoo is a beautiful alternative for women who want to try out a large tattoo design but are still hesitant to make it permanent. One popular placement for this is a leg tattoo. Getting inked on the leg is sexy, feminine, and eye-catching. In addition, you can show off your tattoo design when you wear a dress or shorts. If you are not sure about your chosen method for a leg tattoo, test it out first using henna.
13. Henna Wrist Tattoo
A wrist and hand henna tattoo is aesthetically pleasing to the eye, and often it is also significant to the wearer. Despite henna ink designs being temporary, they offer an excellent alternative for women who are still toying with the idea of getting a permanent tattoo on the wrist. You can explore feminine, dainty, and delicate designs such as bracelet-style flowers or trending design options like mandalas. The mandala combines two sacred symbols of the Hindu religion and represents purity, divinity, and eternity.
14. Wrist and Finger Henna
This mehndi tattoo design may not have plenty of intricate details, but it is one of the most popular choices for women. It looks like a simple bracelet on the wrist, and the design extends towards one of the fingers. It looks great with a floral design and appears to be a cute piece of jewelry when viewed from afar. If available, you may request gold, red or white henna ink for this lovely design.
15. Henna Sleeve Tattoo
Sleeve tattoos are also fantastic and eye-catching. It is a single or a collection of designs that goes from the shoulder to the wrist. A henna sleeve tattoo is a great way of testing how a full sleeve tattoo will look without the commitment. And because it is temporary, you can easily experiment with the different designs available to you. Once you feel comfortable wearing a full sleeve tattoo, you can consider getting a permanent design.
16. Forearm Henna Tattoo
One of the best places for showing off tattoo designs is to have them drawn on the forearm. You can see your ink anytime you like, but you may also cover it up when the need arises. For example, traditional Arabic henna tattoo designs work wonderfully on the forearm because it features winding leaves and vines. You may also try geometric designs with grid lines and shapes or a quote tattoo.
17. Henna Ankle Tattoo
Ankle tattoos are a bit more subtle than other tattoo placements because they are often hidden away from attention. But many women love getting henna ankle tattoos. Compared to having permanent ink, henna ankle tattoos are painless! You can explore designs that look like anklets and foot jewelry. It gives off a uniquely feminine look which goes well with sandals or heels.
18. Henna Thigh Tattoo
Many women today are having a thigh tattoo. This trending placement is also a preferred spot for henna ink designs. It provides a sexy and curvy area for a more extensive and more detailed tattoo design. In addition, a henna thigh tattoo will allow your artist to use their skills to the full effect. During the summer season, you will find women displaying leg and thigh henna tattoos along with their colorful beach outfits.
19. Foot Henna Tattoo
Hindu culture considers foot henna tattoos to be a traditional practice. They view the feet to be a part of the body in constant contact with the Earth. Thus, tattoos on this part of the body also represent your connection to the natural world. You will find that mandalas, peacocks, and paisley designs to be popular choices for foot henna tattoos. However, if you want something less traditional, you can explore other designs for a fashion statement.
20. Henna Paisley Tattoo
Paisley designs feature mango-shaped images that have become a staple in Indian fashion. These designs are pretty versatile, and the decorations can vary in plenty of ways. Skilled artists can produce an intricate hand and feet henna paisley design that will surely make a statement. Paisley shapes and designs are commonly linked with fertility and luck.
21. Henna Shoulder Tattoo
Apart from the hands and wrist, many women also choose to try out a traditional-style henna tattoo on their shoulders. A popular option for this placement is the circular mandala symbols. It is a lovely piece that symbolizes divine harmony and the universe. The design radiates outside in a circular pattern. Thus it perfectly suits the curves of the shoulders.
22. Henna Flower Tattoo
Flower tattoos generally represent feminine values. They represent happiness and joy, and other elements such as vines and leaves further enhance the tattoo. Plant and floral-based henna tattoos are another popular wedding henna tattoo design. Even if you are not a bride, you can always look into these dainty and delicate art styles for a temporary ink session.
23. Sun Henna Tattoos
Another traditional henna tattoo design that may inspire you for an inking session is the sun, moon, and stars design. It represents an endless love like the skies. Others also opt for a tribal sun design inked with henna, a fun option while you are on a tropical getaway. The final look of your sun henna tattoo will be as complicated or as straightforward as you wish.
24. Peacock Henna Tattoo
The peacock is the national bird in India. Thus you will often see it designed in their henna tattoos. This bird represents beauty, and its feathers are associated with luck and prosperity. In some cases, peacocks are also believed to link heaven and Earth. Therefore, it is often combined with delicate and intricate henna tattoo details, and the most popular placement is on the back and hands.
25. Henna Hummingbird Tattoo
Even if henna tattoos are temporary, it is best to choose a creative, unique, and symbolic design. If you are not comfortable with the traditional patterns, you can always explore modern and cute pieces. For example, try out mehndi designs that feature a hummingbird and flowers. It is a great piece to wear if you are going on a vacation for the summer. You can also choose other combinations of elements for unique body art.
FAQ
Natural henna is brownish or reddish in color. There are, however, a few who have allergic reactions to natural henna. There are artificial henna preparations where a black dye has been included, and these dark henna dyes may cause a more pronounced allergic reaction.
Traditional tattooing uses a needle to inject ink under the skin and this can be painful. In contrast, henna tattoos are painted over the skin, where it is absorbed by the skin. With henna tattoos, the process is painless.
The length of the tattooing depends on the complexity of the design. However, since there is no needle piercing, it takes a shorter time to make a henna tattoo than a needle and ink tattoo. A simple design can take a few minutes, while a larger one can take up to 10 minutes. Larger, full foot or arm tattoo can take 30 minutes or longer.
The hanna ink is absorbed by the body with few adverse reactions. The henna dries up and forms a temporary tattoo where the skin has absorbed the dye. Traditional henna tattoos last up to two weeks before they totally fade.