Decorate Your “Muffin Top” With Pregnancy Henna
February 03, 2010I recently read about a photographer and henna artist in Colorado who have teamed up to provide this unique service. Leah Reddell has been a professional face painter for years and began painting intricate henna designs on “preggo bumps” three years ago. For her, it’s a ritual — a sort of rite of passage marking the final days of gestation. “I also see it as a shift of perspective toward a new opening of beauty. The pregnant belly isn’t exactly glamorous, between stretch marks, that weird dark line, blotchy, itchy, dry and generally irritated skin. Then pop goes the belly button. Good God. By month eight, most women`s big concern is how in heck to get the baby out of there ASAP — not how to relish the last few weeks of pregnancy,” she says. But, she has found a way to do just that.
How it works?
Clutching what looks like a pointy pastry bag, she slowly squeezes brown paste onto the woman’s pregnant belly, creating beautiful designs freehand. Only limited by your imagination, she has created designs from symbols of peace and strength to flowers. Capturing the process and the finished product on film, her partner photographer Maureen Sullivan stylizes the photo with interesting props, scarves and poses. It’s Glamour Shots for baby bumps!
Why Henna?
Unlike a tattoo, which can be painful, the henna paste feels cool and relaxing when applied. Smelling of lavender and lemon juice, it’s also very calming–a great thing when you’re eight months pregnant. A temporary tribute, the stain lasts about three weeks and fades as your skin exfoliates, so you don’t have to worry about how it’s going to look on your flatter stomach post-delivery. But, before you rush out to try it, be sure you know what’s in your henna. Henna paste is safe for a pregnant belly, but make sure your artist doesn`t use black dye, which can burn your skin.