I’m sure that the majority of you guys reading this are wonder, “What is so special about henna that it deserves a whole post on this blog?”

Well, ever since I was little, the concept of henna as a traditional making has been engraved into my brain. Navratri? You put henna designs on your hands as a supplement to the extravagant outfit you are dressed in to go to Garba (an Indian dance).  Weddings? There is an entire night of celebration dedicated just to having the bride and the females of the family getting their hands and feet tattooed. And in my household, there was always a cone or two left around for my sister and I to do trial experimental designs with.

I remember waking up the next day with crusted mehndi to rub off. My favorite part was seeing the beautiful designs that had been placed onto my hand in a vibrant red or orange color. As a kid, I had even gotten in trouble with my second grade teacher once for “drawing on my hands with marker”. Henna tattoos have been a part of my childhood, and it is a part of my culture and who I am.

It is used in much of Africa, India, Pakistan, and the Middle East for similar reasons as to what my family uses it for. Any celebration is a cause for henna tattoos.

Henna is made out of a plant, which binds to the keratin protein in our skin- which is why it leaves a color. You may be familiar with people putting henna in their hair as well, because it is the safer alternative to hair dying, and actually serves as a conditioner for your hair as well.

Along with being used for aesthetics, henna actually has many medicinal purposes as well. It serves as method to prevent hair loss, and heals open wounds and burns, headaches, and fevers. Some farmers put it on animals as a natural sunblock as well.

I think this plant is one of the most amazing, with so many uses and extravagance. And to think, if it weren’t this blog I may have never known all about the wonderful things it does other than please a bridezilla hoping for a perfect Indian wedding.

So next time you get a henna tattoo at a fair, remember, it is actually good for you!