To me, Henna is an unrecognised art form. It is seen as a tradition that has to be honoured purely because that’s what it is…a tradition. I would like to see henna making a come back, I would like to see it appreciated for the true beauty and skill that it is. Before I became involved in the wedding industry I knew nothing about henna. I knew what it was and how it looked but that was about as far as my knowledge on the subject stretched. Now I am fully trained and I feel like I can really understand how important and meaningful this long standing tradition is.
So what is Henna? And why is it such a key element in forming a tradition that dates all the way back to 12th Century? Henna is a completely natural dye that is extracted from the plant known as Lawsonia Inermis, the baby shoots of the plant are taken and ground into a fine powder. The rest of the plant is dried and ground to make hair products such as shampoos and hair dyes. Henna is not only used for decoration but can be used for medicinal purposes, in some case curing skin irritations and thinning hair.
The science behind how Henna works has also always intrigued me. It’s such an amazing thing that just by applying this cold, smelly, brown paste to your skin it can create a beautiful temporary work of art that stains your skin for up to two weeks without creating any irritation and most of all is completely painless. Henna works by reacting with the Keratin protein in the skin creating a temporary stain on the first few layers of skin. It is partnered with oil, water and/or tea to create the darkest stain as possible.
Art, to me is a way of expressing ones passion and Henna is an art form as well as a science that encompasses the love a bride has for her groom on a canvas as intimate as the brides body. The main reason for the tradition is originally to show the groom that the deeper the colour of his bride’s mendhi, the more love she has for him and the more their marriage will be built on strength and love. So if you are a bride looking to have mendhi done for your wedding I urge you to re think the reasons to why you are having it done. Do it, not purely out of tradition and because it’s what your family require you to do. Take pride in it and remember that the intricate patterns on your skin represent the love, strength, faith, passion that you will experience in your marriage.
If you are interested in learning more about henna and the application of mendhi, Dulce Designs runs regular courses that will teach you more about this ancient art and how to turn a hobby into a business. If you are a bride interested in having mendhi done for your wedding day then please visit www.dulcedesigns.co.uk to view our portfolio.
Please contact us on any of the following details; email us at info@dulcedesigns.co.uk or call us on 0778 955 0899. All images are copyright to Dulce Designs.
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