CAIRO - If you want to have a long-lasting manicure, it's no longer a problem, and it's the same if you want a painless tattoo. Many women, even monaqabat (fully veiled women) are enjoying such things nowadays. Egyptian women like using ‘legitimate' nail polish and having ‘legitimate' tattoos. This nail polish falls into two categories: black Egyptian henna and red henna from the Gulf. The red sort is used as a nail polish, as rich and poor women say it still allows them to do their ablutions properly, as the water can reach the nails easily, while other nail polish is prohibited, as it forms a layer on the nails so water cannot reach them. Many monaqabat prefer the black henna; indeed the women who work in social clubs, beauty centres and small mosques advise them to use it. “Henna is ideal for me, as I can pray and perform the ablutions easily; besides, it doesn't harm the nails. In fact, the opposite is true, as henna a natural, healthy herb,” says Souad Abul Maati, a 34-year-old housewife. Henna (Lawsonia inermis) is a flowering plant used since antiquity to dye skin, hair, fingernails, leather and wool. The name is also used for dye preparations derived from the plant, and for the art of temporary tattooing based on those dyes. Additionally, the name is misused for other skin and hair dyes, such as black henna or neutral henna, which are not derived from the plant. “Henna is a healthy herb and has useful results on the body. It won't harm the skin or nails, unlike many other low-cost cosmetic products,” says Rawiya Ibrahim, a 26-year-old beauty specialist. Meanwhile, monaqabat like the legitimate tattoos, made of henna, which only their husbands will see. The legitimate tattoos, popular with women of every class, are mainly red in colour, matching the legitimate nail polish, with the price ranging from LE50 to LE300. Rawiya says that the henna tattoos and nail polish have become very popular here, coinciding in an increase in the number of niqab (full veil) wearers. Henna is widely used by women who wear the niqab or hijab [headscarf] or no headgear at all, especially on their wedding day. “Henna also has a lot of medical and health benefits that make women tend to use it instead of other products,” she adds, mentioning some of its medicinal properties: - Henna helps in the treatment of baldness. Mustard oil boiled with henna leaves promotes the healthy growth of hair. Boil 250g of mustard oil in a tin basin. Gradually add 60g of the leaves to the oil and heat it. Then filter the oil through a cloth and store it in a bottle. Regular massage with this oil produces abundant hair. - The seeds of the henna plant are beneficial in the treatment of dysentery. They are powdered, mixed with ghee and made into small balls the size of a betel nut. Henna is also very helpful for this complaint, when taken with water. - The bark of the plant is useful in the treatment of liver disorders, like jaundice and enlargement of the liver. Either its powder is used in 1.25 to 5 decigram doses or its decoction in 30 to 60g doses in the treatment of these disorders. - Henna flowers cure headaches caused by the heat of the sun. The headache is relieved by a plaster made of henna flowers in vinegar and applied to the forehead. - A decoction of henna leaves can be used as a gargle in case of a sore throat. - Henna leaves are effective in the treatment of prickly heat. The leaves ground with water are applied over the affected area. - A paste of the leaves is applied on the soles helps relieve this condition. - Henna leaves are useful in the treatment of skin problems like boils and burns. They are locally applied on the affected area. Bruised leaves can be applied beneficially to rheumatic joints, inflammatory swellings, bruises and leprosy. - Henna is mainly used as a colouring agent. It is mixed with other natural dyes and is largely used as hair dye and even for textiles. The oil obtained from its flowers is also used in perfumery.
