Steeped in tradition, henna tattoos or mehendi as they are known, is an ancient Indian body art used for creating intricate tattoo designs on the hands and feet of women especially at the time of marriage. This non-permanent, painless method of acquiring great tattoos is as close as you can get to the real thing. The henna tattoos are made using a pigment paste made from the henna plant and painted on the skin. For this the leaves and stems of the plant are dried and crushed. The ground green henna powder is then mixed with an acidic liquid such as lemon juice or a strong tea to form a paste that creates red, brown and orange stains on your skin. The designs usually fade away in a few weeks. Although usually used by women, henna tattoo designs for men are equally popular. The henna tattoo designs can range from being small and intricate to large, mystical and whimsical. Here is a look at some henna tattoo ideas for men.
Henna Art for Men: Henna Tattoo Designs for Guys
Tribal Tattoo Designs: The single most popular tattoo designs, tribal tattoos draw inspiration from the tribal art and culture of Maori, Haida and Polynesian origin. Characterized by the stark black, arching lines the tribal tattoo designs usually consist of parallel or intersecting lines and curves that are thick on one end and come to a point. The patterns consist of shapes of scorpions, fish, skulls and many other interesting shapes. They curving arched lines not only look great on the arms and legs but also make for great tattoos on the back and the chest. Henna is a popular way of getting tattoos made as they are reminiscent of the ancient tattoo art followed by the different cultures.
Celtic Tattoo Designs: A popular way of expressing the religious symbolism and the culture, Celtic tattoo designs consist of interwoven lines representing knots, crosses, mazes and spirals. The strong Norse design influences lend a sense of beauty to the crisscross interwoven lines. In fact the intricate lines crisscrossing in the design are indicative of the cycles of life and the seasons. Read more on Celtic design tattoos.
Skull Tattoo Designs: The famed crisscross skull tattoos and other tattoo designs have a visual appeal unlike any other. The empty sockets of the skulls are a symbol of eternity, knowledge and human vanity. Historically, during war time skulls represented victory and triumph. Signifying death, these skull tattoos can be crafted with mehendi using special skills.
Zodiac Symbols Tattoo Designs: Our never ending fascination with the zodiac signs and our lives influenced by the celestial heavens, makes zodiac tattoo designs popular among men. Since each of the twelve signs has an animal or character associated with it, zodiac tattoos are a great way of showing off your own personal style. So a Leo can get a fiery lion tattoo or a Scorpio can get a cool scorpion tribal tattoo.
How to Get a Henna Tattoo
Henna tattoo application is very simple and is usually divided into three parts: making the henna tattoo cones, application of the tattoo and after care.
Henna Tattoo Cones/Pens: For making precise, intricate mehendi you can choose henna pens available in the market. Make sure that you perform a patch test though, because these pens contain chemical preservatives which can cause skin allergies and irritation. Pens containing original mehendi colors last longer than the ones with artificial colors.
Drawing the Tattoos: Unless the skin is irritated by the patch test you can now start applying the mehendi and printing patterns. Make sure to clean the area with hot water and soap and then remove the excess oils with an astringent soaked cotton ball. While there are a number of designs that a skillful hand can create with a mehendi pen, beginners can stick to less complicated tribal tattoos.
Henna Tattoo Care: For longer lasting darker colors, the henna needs to stay on for at least four hours. Since warmer body temperatures produce better colors keep the tattoo in wrapped to increase the body heat after which it can then be brushed off. Make sure that the mehendi does not come in contact with water for as long as possible especially with chlorinated or salt water as it can reduce the vitality of the colors. Read more on henna tattoo care.
Henna tattoo designs for men are versatile and great for people who do not want a permanent tattoo but still love the idea of it. What's more it is easy enough for you to do it yourself, but for more intricate designs you might have to find a henna tattoo specialist to help you get a cool new tattoo.
