Temporary, or flash tattoos are no new phenomenon. Any child of the 80s will remember the peel and press tattoos we branded ourselves with after all it was a fun way of exploring body art without any commitment.
Flash body art, recently made a comeback in fashion—from paisley henna designs to gold Bohemian decals, flash tattoos are without a doubt the most trendy body accessory.
The idea of temporary body art came from the five-thousand-year-old eastern tradition of applying henna, better known in the East as mehendi, which can be applied to the skin and hair.
Henna is made by combining dried up leaves of the Lawsoniainermis plant with water and lemon juice to form a thick paste. It is then packed in a funnel that is pierced at the tip and ready to be applied to the skin in delicate patterns. Once the paste dries, the dye of the plant leaves behind a temporary deep reddish-brown stain. A henna tattoo can last up to three or four weeks, depending on the length of drying time.
Henna tattoos are commonly seen during South Asian and Arab wedding ceremonies with the root purpose of the designs pertaining to health, prosperity and fertility for the bride.
The bride’s arms and legs are traditionally fully covered with intricate henna patterns, and the groom’s name is usually cleverly hidden amongst the paisley patterns. Her hands and feet are also adorned with henna, leaving family members and loved ones to feed and pamper her throughout the mehendi ceremony. Often, wedding guests also apply henna to celebrate the nuptials.
So how do you wear the age-old tradition of temporary tattoos in 2015? Henna can be applied anywhere from head to toe with an endless amount of design possibilities. Flash tattoo decals are usually sold as simple circles, lines or arrows so wearers can mix and match and create their own look. The most common designs include Native American markings, Bohemian style, and mock-stacked jewelry.
Celebrities’ love donning temporary tattoos from the east and west and A-listers from Alessandra Ambrosio to Beyonce sport flirty designs at music festivals and concerts.
Check out how the famous faces below chose to flaunt their flash tattoos:
1. Rihanna—Henna-inspired (real) tattoos.
[Photo Source/@badgalriri Instagram]
2. Katy Perry goes diagonal with her henna tattoo.
[Photo Source/Pinterest]
3. Kylie Jenner shows off a henna tattoo on the back of her hand.
[Photo Source/Pinterest]
4. Beyonce—Hand henna tattoo.
[Photo Source/Tumblr]
5. Ariana Grande—The songstress wasn’t shy to share this photo of her getting playful with white flash henna tattoos.
[Photo Source/@arianagrande Instagram]
6. Selena Gomez chose a low-key approach and wore her temporary henna tattoo on her foot.
[Photo Source/@selenagomez Instagram]
Whether your body art is in the form of henna or decals, adding a few body decals can take your look from drab to fab, just remember to make sure you are taking care of your skin this summer, so you are prepped and ready for your own henna inspired tattoos.
Modified Date: February 26, 2015 3:35 AM
Henna Tattoos and Temporary Body Art Make a Fashionable Comeback
