The Art of Henna

Our favorite body art by our favorite henna artists.

Practiced for centuries, henna art is full of rich tradition. In the Middle East, Africa, India and Pakistan, henna art remains a popular fixture in weddings and religious celebrations. The beautiful and intricate patterns have even gained popularity in the West over the past few decades.

Henna of the World

Indian/Pakistani: Mandalas with heavy intricate patterns along the fingers is a common Indian/Pakistani henna design, along with paisley designs.

Khaleeji: Khaleeji designs consist of floral patterns, usually repeated in different sizes, with fluid lines starting from the wrist to the fingers.

North African: Patterns here are popular for the geometric lines and angles. The motifs are usually applied to the back of the hand or fingers, only.

White Henna: White henna is a contemporary take on the beautiful tradition, mostly applied in delicate lace-like patterns.

The Artists

Here are a few of our favorite designs, as we get ready for Ramadan:

Ghazal is a beautician from Pakistan and has been residing in Khobar most of her life. She picked up the practice out of love for the art form and taught herself the different application methods. Aside from conventional henna art, Ghazal specializes in white henna.

Instagram: ghazals_art

Maryam is from Qatif and has been a henna artist for over a decade, starting at the age of 16. Maryam learned the art through practicing on friends and family before becoming a sought-after henna professional specialized in a range of designs.

Instagram: maryam_shbyb