Remember how in childhood, imitating a screen hero, we drew patterns on the body with a ballpoint pen or felt-tip pen or decorated ourselves with chewing gum stickers? And having come home, they washed off all the arts without effort with warm water and soap. Mendi is akin to those children's art, only done professionally and is the oldest art of India.
This is a painless technology for applying henna, while the skin is not injured, there is no risk of infection with unpleasant diseases. Holds mehndi for up to two weeks, after which you can apply a new pattern. If the pattern is bored before, then it can be easily removed by rubbing with a soaped washcloth several times. Body painting is done in beauty salons. However, at home you can create a beautiful mehndi with your own hands.
To do this, you need to have minimal drawing skills and pre-prepared materials. We hasten to upset you, a bag of ordinary henna for coloring hair will not work for this purpose, you need to find a special powder for painting on the body. Black henna often gives an allergic reaction, so before use, make a test by applying a lot to the elbow and leaving it for a day.
So the technology is simple. We need a bag of henna, the juice of one lemon, one fourth cup of strong black tea (or 2 bags of instant coffee in bags, diluted in a quarter glass of water), one drop of vegetable oil.
1. Tea or coffee is mixed with lemon juice.
2. Pour the mixture into dry sifted henna in a thin stream, thoroughly mixing the mass.
3. The result should be a homogeneous, viscous mixture without lumps. Leave it for 4 hours.
4. We transfer the mass to a plastic bag, piercing a corner with a needle. You can use a toothpick or soft bottles.
5. Prepare a mixture of 4 tsp. sugar and 2 tsp lemon juice to fix the pattern, a blunt-ended needle or a toothpick, cotton balls and a rag to make timely adjustments in case of misses.
6. Choose a place to decorate. Traditionally in India, mehndi is applied to the palms and feet, however, you can also decorate the back of the palm, the upper arm and leg. Give up the idea of decorating your face, ears and chest with this technique.
7. Lubricate the skin with oil.
8. Using a stencil, draw the main lines with a felt-tip pen, and then squeeze the mixture from the bag.
9. If you have artistic talent, you can apply the pattern with a wooden stick or brush.
10. As the pattern dries, wet it with a mixture of lemon juice and sugar.
11. The drawing should dry for 8 hours, try to move less with that part of the body where the painting is painted, after which excess henna is peeled off with a stick.
12. Do not be surprised that the picture on the first day is orange; it darkens the next day.
13. In order to extend the life of the painting, do not rub the pattern with a washcloth and do not use alcohol-containing products. It is still good to hold hands over the fire, only a little without fanaticism and subsequent burns.
14. The remaining mixture can be stored in the freezer for up to three months.
Success in discovering your new talents!
