One of the coolest displays of art that I have seen was henna design - no, really. It was a really cool nature design and was utilized in the form of giving a tattoo. Tattooing is simply using what nature has to offer and using it as a form of expression on the human body. In many cases the natural ingredient is ink. But there is something so quaint and ethereal about henna design that I find it to be simply breathtaking.

The first time I had the opportunity to see henna design in action was during my trip to Rajasthan, India. It was quite an exotic odyssey. The state is located in the desert and is known for its large community fairs. It is a central meeting point where people from the neighboring villages gather to celebrate and they can last anywhere from a few days to a few weeks. The longer the duration, the bigger the fair. And the bigger the fair, the more mammoth the attendance.

I was there for the Fall fair. It was a four-day event and the energy there was absolutely astounding. The people were simple and their wants simpler. The colors and spirit found there were something that never before even remotely have come before these eyes. This is where I saw my first henna design, and I must say it was quite impressive.

I happened to notice the henna design as I was walking around the fair trying to capture the color of all that I saw. I saw two women sitting on the on ground and were totally engrossed in their task. When I moved closer, I saw that it was a henna artist and that she was applying one of the finest henna designs I have ever witnessed.

I just kind of stood there in a daze admiring her work in launching a much joy she spread by artfully sketching her henna designs on people's hands. It was a very simple operation and there were not a lot of implements require for her to create her art. Just a tube of henna and her active imagination. She had a book of designs that the customers can browse through to choose one they wanted. And she would set to work to draw the design in all its glory on their hands.

That's all that I needed to give me hooked on the art of henna designs. Now I'm actually compiling a book of henna designs. Guess who is going to be on the cover? My henna design muse of course! She is the perfect choice and I'm thrilled to include her.

Have you ever seen henna design? It's simply captivating as an art form. It's used in society as a popular way to produce natural tattoos that are temporary by nature. It harnesses the power of nature and produces beautiful manmade results in the form of temporary tattoos.

Henna designs are rich with colour. Artists that perform henna design often have a portfolio of designs to hand that you can choose from. Find one you like and have it put on you by the artist. There's no need to worry about any long term effects due to the fact that by nature itself they aren't long lasting. The artists requirements in terms of what they need to work with is quite minimal. A portfolio design and some henna combined with a large helping of creativity is all that's needed. The henna design is then drawn onto the subject as per their requirements.

Henna designs tend to last for the longest duration of time on both the hands and feet, so this is where they are most commonly drawn. It is then put on the skin using something such as a brush, then once completed it its wrapped which results in a vibrant colour. Henna designs last anywhere from one to four weeks in duration. This is largely dependent upon what quality of henna paste was used.

Some henna designs can be very finely detailed with great complexity, which you may find surprising for something that is most certainly finite. I guess all good things come to an end, but the great thing is you can get another great design drawn onto you whenever you like. If you decide you do ever want a henna design or a permanent tattoo be sure to check out our site for more great coverage.

Henna tattoos are a natural form of body art - a safe and temporary alternative to getting a real tattoo. Henna tattoo artists use a natural henna ink which is made from powder from the leaves of the henna plant. They make a paste with the henna powder and paint a henna tattoo anywhere on your body.

The tradition of henna tattooing, also called mendhi, has been practiced for millions of years. They have found henna art traces as far as back as the tombs of pharaoh's day. Henna tattoo art is still a popular tradition today.

Before applying henna ink to your skin, make sure to test a small amount on your body and check for allergic reactions. Henna tattoos rarely cause reactions in people, but its important to make sure. Once you know the henna ink will not cause a bad reaction, you or your henna tattoo artist can begin the work of art on your skin.

The sky is the limit with the patterns and images of henna tattoos, but the colors are usually limited to dark shades of red, green, brown, or black. This also depends on how your skin reacts since every skin tone will take the henna tattoo ink a little differently.

Henna tattooing was recently introduced and made famous in the US by Madonna, Demi Moore and a few other celebrities. The reverence for the henna, however, has been in existence probably ever since the first henna tree, or rather the first henna hedge, set its roots into the soil of the planet earth.

Henna is a shrub in its truest form and it can reach a height of six yards. The henna plant blossoms in very fragrant white or rose red flowers and the species is sometimes classified under the name of Lawsonia alba Lam. or Lawsonia ruba.

This writer first learned of henna a few decades ago, when she was invited to a henna night in Southwestern Turkey. Henna night is sort of a female stag party, usually scheduled to take place the night before the wedding or a couple of days earlier when the women get together and paint each other's hands and toes with henna. The henna night is famous for the camaraderie of women and the constant girlish giggling even among the matronly set. The party is akin to the girls night out, not just with henna painting but with the food, drinks, and a lot of fun.

One good thing about henna tattooing: unlike the tattoos the western culture is used to, the henna tatto is not permanent, for it fades away in time or it comes out after a few washings. Some women who are well known local artists can create fancy designs with a pastry bag, a toothpick, or a rolled piece of paper dipped into a paste of crushed henna leaves.

First, to make the henna paste, henna leaves are crushed and mixed well. For the tattooing or rather the henna painting, the henna paste has to be at room temperature. Chilling the paste reduces the color. Henna painting craves heat. As a matter of fact, the ladies put their feet on a heating pad even before the henna is on their skin.

When one observes the leaves of the henna plant carefully, it is easy to see the red veins going through the leaves. Most of the red color comes from those veins. After the henna is on the skin, it is topped with a little sugar and lemon juice mixture to set the colors, and also some heat is applied from a heating pad or a heated Mediterranean tile. The longer the wait, the stronger is the color.

There are several different species of the henna plant because it is so widespread in the temperate zones of Middle East, Asia, Australia and North Africa.

Women have worn henna through the centuries as decoration, and in some tribal regions, different henna decorations helped distinguish different tribes. Henna is also considered a medicinal plant, for it has been used from the earliest times as an astringent and a sedative, finding its way into many folk remedies. Since henna shows some ultraviolet screening activity, it is sometimes used as a sun-blocker.

Washing the hair with henna gives it a slight reddish tint and a wonderful shine. It is believed that henna feeds the hair follicles and helps stop split ends.

Joy Cagil is an author on a site for
Writers (http://www.Writing.Com/) Her training is in foreign languages and linguistics. She has a degree in Turkish philology and she has lived and traveled some in Turkey. In her background are varied subjects such as psychology, mental health, and visual arts. Her portfolio can be found at http://www.Writing.Com/authors/joycag

Henna is great for strengthening hair as well as being capable of bringing hair the world's most beautiful natural colors. Gorgeous shades of coppers, auburns, reds, cinnamons, brown and burgundies... Radiantly rich colors and a thick head of healthy locks with lustrous volume- what more could a girl want?

Now before you run out and actually henna your hair, there are some things to consider. Have you recently died or permed your hair? Would you plan on perming your hair in the future? If so, you may wish to rethink or hold off! Henna is great for your hair, but doesn't play well with chemical hair treatments. Unless you want to risk a head of green hair, or goodness knows what else, you really want to wait at least 30 days from your last perm or coloring. Also, once henna is applied to your hair, it is said that the color can remain for up to one whole year!

I even ran a little experiment just for the purpose of having this information to share. Hey, we're all friend here, right? I can take the risk of a head that looks like ripe lime for the team!

Now until this experiment, I have been dying my hair with henna for well over a year and a half. Prior to that, I was an avid permanent hair dye user, so I know how my hair reacts to permanent dye. Even with naturally dark brown hair and the occasional grays, my hair would take to dye very well- even with very light shades. For my experiment I waited 10 weeks from my last henna application and used my old favorite brand permanent dye in a light "strawberry blonde" color.

The results? As usual, my dark roots took to the dye like a charm, including my iridescent silver hairs. Now, the rest of my hair is another story... The entire rest of my head remained the very same EXACT color it was before it was introduced to the dye! The dye had absolutely no effect, even since it was a good two and a half months since my last use of henna. So from the conclusion of this experiment, we can gather that if you decide you want to go henna, don't plan on going back for a long time!

Another factor to consider is your desired outcome. Henna, even though it is obviously is a powerful sticking dye, is not capable of actually lightening your hair. Also, if you have lighter colored hair, the highlights in certain shades may be more intense. Sometimes it takes a few tries of different types of henna and herbal additives to achieve the exact shades you're looking for.

So is it worth it? Well, only each individual person can decide. There are those that try it and curse the names of those that introduce them to it for ages! Yet, there are many such as myself, that swear by it. Even after my experiment, it made me realize how much I don't miss chemical hair dyes. Yes, as a life long brunette, sometimes it was fun to be a blonde for a little while here and there. However the benefits of not having to trim my hair excessively every month from brittle split ends, the added volume and shine to my hair, and the fact I know I'm taking a safer route for my body and the environment, more than makes up for it. Besides, the whole "cherry chocolate" shade I've been using looks pretty good on me!

You can visit Lisa Chambers' website at http://www.chambersessentials.com for more free information, recipes, and tips based on natural or "crafty" point of views.