| 1. Removing New Bindi From The Package
- When removing new bindi from the package, be sure to do so carefully. This is
especially true with formal sets as they tend to have tiny pieces that are hard
to remove. Some people prefer sliding their fingernail under the bindi until it
is completely loosened and others use a pair of tweezers to loosen it. Be
careful with the tweezers though because they seem to be more prone to
accidentally knock off the little gold accents and gemstones!
|
| 2. Placing Bindi - With a sticker
like back, bindi are incredibly easy to place with a little practice. If you do
not get it right, you can always peel them off and restick them several
times.There really is no "correct" way to place a bindi. It all
depends on what you feel comfortable with. Just like in step #1 above, the two
most popular ways are using tweezers and your fingers. When working with single
bindi, finger placement is usually very easy and works well. There are of
course exceptions. Using Tweezers can certainly help when placing very small
bindi or when applying formal sets as you may achieve greater precision with
them. |
| 3. Storing Your Bindi - Some people
do not keep their bindi at all. That is of course your option. You can use them
for your special event then peel them off and toss them in the garbage if you
like. Despite this, many people like to keep their bindi and form a collection
of different style and color variety. If you find a bindi you really like and
want to keep it, simply keep the original package it came in. It should have a
thick piece of clear plastic paper that it comes stuck to. When you are
finished wearing your bindi, remove it and stick it back to the paper. If it no
longer sticks you might consider adding a small drop of glue (see below) to it
OR you can place it in a container. |
| 4. Reusing Your Bindi - If you choose
to keep your bindi, you will likely want to use it again. Some bindis have
incredible holding power and may stick securely several times. More commonly,
the natural oils from your skin will remove the sticky backing and you will
have to add some glue to it. There are a few glues that are safe and gentle
enough for skin; however, the following are just suggestions and should be
tested carefully before using. If you notice any skin irritation, discontinue
at once! The one I like to use most often is Elmer's Washable Gel Glue Stick.
It is non-toxic and washes away from the skin completely. Using a gel insures
it will dry clear (even though it appears blue in the container). There are
also two other methods worth mentioning. The first is a suggestion from one of
our customers who advises using eyelash glue for tikka and bindi. The other one
that is probably most well known is a special bindi glue sold online and in
India. I do advise caution with all these methods but especially the bindi glue
as ingredients are not always monitored and can cause skin irritation. Anyway,
be careful but enjoy! |
| 5. Who Can Wear Bindi -While Bindi
started as a traditional Hindu marriage tradition, today it is open to anyone.
No matter what your background or your age, you can wear Bindi if you like. |
| 6. Where Should I Wear It -90 % of
frequent bindi wearers, apply the bindi between their eyebrows. Some like it
smack dab in the middle while others like it a bit higher. Bindi has grown so
much in popularity (thanks for cross-culturalism and pop divas like Gwen
Stefani) that they really are crossing all boundaries. The best way to sum up
bindi wearing in other places is "Let your imagination be your
guide!" |
| 7. Bridal and Formal Wear - In
addition to wearing the bindi on the forehead, bridal and formal looks often
use "sets". These can be prepackaged sets which were designed to be
worn together or a mixture of a large bindi with several smaller
"diamond" accents. Bridal and Formal wear bindi place the large main
bindi in between the eyebrows on the forehead then place the accents along the
brows. (See Bindi History Page for a good example of this) |
| 8. Eye Bindi - Another immensely
popular method of bindi wear is the eye bindi. I did not realize how popular
they were until last Mardi Gras when I saw about 50 parade watchers wearing
them. These are usually placed in the corner of your eyes. Some place them in
both corners while others only place them on the outside corner. |
| 9. Eyelash Bindi - In the past few
years it has become fashionable to also wear bindis along your eyelashes,
however, I recommend using the bindi specially created for this look or you
will end up with a real mess. |
| 10. Nail Bindi - Again, these work
best if you have the ones specially created for them but you can experiment.
You can try wearing them along the edge of your nails or placing flat ones on
the nail itself. |
| 11. Nose Bindi - This is also a very
popular form of bindi wear. Using a small bindi works best. Often the small
"diamond" accents are used but I have seen several smaller bindi in
different styles work well too. With this method, you do not have to worry
about snorting up the magnetic backing of those fake nose rings :-) |
| 12. Belly Button Bindi
- As America began toying with belly button exposure, a funny thing happened.
People started getting their belly buttons painted with henna (mehindi)
designs, pierced, using temporary tatoos and even real ones. Well of course it
did not take long for people to realize that bindi are a great way to add
sparkle and dress up that part of your anatomy. The sky is the limit with this
one. You can either purchase special belly button bindi OR get creative and
make your own from sets you like. |
| 13. Face Bindi - Nothing specific to
mention here, just wanted to say that I have seen bindi worn in pretty
interesting ways over the years and basically if you can imagine it you can do
it! |
| 14. Body Bindi - Same as #13! Good
Luck |
