Henna Tattoos

While we were stuck in Mobile last weekend we did go to Bel-Air Mall and I found out I really was not getting out enough. There were several stalls in the mall that had stuff I had never seen in a mall before. One was offering these Henna tattoos. Technically these are not really tattoos but skin decorations and are properly called mehndi. The pigment is put on top of the skin instead of under the skin and is not permanent. It can last from 2 weeks to 2 months. This type of skin decoration is usually done on the palms and feet and originated in India where it is used in the marriage ceremony. The pigment is made from plant material. In recent years sometimes synthetic dye is added to the henna paste to give a black color in contrast to the reddish brown of henna.It can cause a severe allergic reaction that may result in death.
Other stalls were offering teeth whitening and back massage (10 minutes for $12). There was a stall selling what appeared to be African carved pieces. they may have been made in China. I am not knowledgeable enough to know, but they were cute. So maybe they were not authentic.
This sand sculpture was a mall decoration and I liked it.