What is Henna?

Henna does NOT hurt and it is NOT permanent!

Henna is a form of temporary "tattoo" that stains the top layer of skin cells. The dye comes from the powdered leaves of the henna plant, Lawsonia Inermis, and the powder is typically mixed with lemon juice, sugar, and essential oils (other henna artists' recipe may vary!) The paste is applied to the skin and left on for several hours. When it is taken off, an orange stain is apparent, and will darken over the next 24-48 hours.

The stain will last anywhere from 1 week to 4 weeks – depending on where on the body the henna is located, how fresh the henna was, and other factors such as exposure to chlorine water in pools. Henna will be darkest where skin is thickest, on the palms of the hand and the soles of the feet, and gets lighter as you move towards the torso. Keeping the paste on overnight and avoiding water for 24 hours will give you a darker, longer-lasting stain. Henna fades as your skin naturally exfoliates, and the rate of exfoliation varies from person to person and on different parts of the body.

What colors does henna come in?

NATURAL henna provides shades of red, orange and brown. There is NO such thing as “black” henna or any other color. In fact these products contain chemicals that can cause severe allergic reactions! NEVER get a henna tattoo if it appears black, or if the artist refuses to tell you the ingredients!

What do I do after you apply the henna?

1. Leave paste on as long as possible – the longer it’s on, the darker the stain! Minimum 3-4 hours, overnight is ideal! (Cover henna to protect sheets and clothes.) Do not touch or pick at it. Stay warm – heat helps promote a dark stain!

2. Scrape paste off, without using water. Use lemon juice or olive oil if necessary. Do this over a garbage can; the paste can stain clothing and furniture.

3. Your henna will darken over the next 24-48 hours. To prolong the life of the henna, avoid water as much as possible, especially during the first day. Before swimming or showering, apply olive or cooking oil, cocoa butter, or some other moisturizer to the design. If you have henna on your hands, wear rubber gloves when washing dishes.

Things to consider before hiring a henna artist:

Your henna artist will need good light to work. Do not ask your henna artist to work in a dimly lit room. If your henna artist cannot see, the designs cannot be very good.

Your henna artist will need to be out of the sun, rain, wind, and cold.

Your henna artist may need one or more tables and chairs, nearby running water to wash hands, and a trash basket.

Henna is NOT a tattoo. Henna is NOT permanent. Henna artists do not work with needles.

Henna does not have any particular religious significance, nor is it forbidden to any religion. Hindus, Muslims, Jews, Christians, and many other groups of people have used henna in their social celebrations. Henna is not forbidden to men, though it is primarily a women’s art.

Henna is plant that has a dye, lawsone, in its leaves, and that dye will stain skin, fingernails and hair.  

The paste stains skin just as a wet teabag stains a white tablecloth. Your artist will apply henna paste in patterns on people’s skin, and that will leave a temporary stain when the paste falls off. The henna stain will be orange when the paste comes off, and that stain will darken to a dark brick red or brown color in 48 hours.

Henna paste should stay on the skin for several hours or overnight, for the best possible stain. If your party activities are such that the people cannot keep henna paste on their skin, the stain will be lighter and fainter. Activities that lead to “henna mishaps” are dancing, swimming, and rambunctious or drunken behavior.

Henna patterns on skin last from 1 – 5 weeks. Henna lasts longest on palms and soles. Henna lasts briefly on upper arms, backs, and faces. 

Henna is NOT BLACK!

Dark brown or red is the normal color for henna. Any henna paste that quickly stains skin black has PPD in it, and that can cause severe allergic reactions, blistering and scarring. Do not EVER hire a henna artist who uses “Black Henna”. All Natural henna has a very high level of safety, and allergic reactions are very rare.

This section was written by henna artist Catherine Cartwright Jones, the world's leading authority on the history, traditions, chemistry and techniques of henna.