Frequently Asked Questions

What is henna?

Short Version:

Henna (lawsonia inermis) is a bushy, flowering shrub that grows wild in regions experiencing cycles of drought and monsoon rains, specifically India, Egypt, Sudan, Pakistan, and Morocco. Generally, the native habitat of henna is Northern Africa, Southern Asia, India, and the Middle East. Everywhere that henna grows, there are cultures that have rituals using henna for medicinal, spiritual, protective, celebratory, and decorative purposes.

Henna leaves are ground into a fine powder, which is then made into a paste and applied via an applicator, very similar to icing a cake. Although different regions use different applicators including wooden stick, syringe, paintbrush, and more. The henna plant creates a dye molecule (lawsone) that binds to keratin in skin, hair, and nails.

Henna stains the skin a range of orange to dark reddish brown, sometimes even eggplant color. Any product that stains any other color, is not true henna.

What is jagua?

Jagua, genipa americana, is a South/Central American fruit that creates a blue-black stain on the skin.  It has been used for millennia  by  native South American  cultures for body adornment and medicinal purposes. 

Similarly to henna, it’s initial stain is faint and will darken over time and peak stain at 48-72 hours after application.

Jagua IS NOT black henna.  Jagua is safe to use on skin.  Black henna is very dangerous and is never recommended for use on skin. Read more about the dangers of black henna here: Henna Safety.

 


How long does the stain last?

This will depend on several factors, including:

  • how long the henna paste is left on skin

  • each person’s unique skin chemistry

  • stain aftercare regimen

  • where the stain is located on the body

  • jagua typically lasts longer than henna

Generally speaking, the stain will be optimal for 7-14 days and then will start fading from the skin, taking up to 3 weeks, sometimes longer depending on stain location on the body. Stain will stain darkest on palms of hands and soles of feet due to the thick skin in those areas. However, there are certain complications associated with these areas. If you’d like to henna these areas, we can talk about logistics for best possible outcomes.

Can I get my henna design wet?

Yes!….and NO! Let me explain….and you’ll want to read this twice, it’s very important.

*When the henna paste is on your skin, it is VERY IMPORTANT to NOT get water on the paste.

*For 8 hours after your remove the paste from skin, it is very important that you DON’T get the henna stain wet.

Eventually, YES, you can get your henna stain wet, in the shower, tub, pool, and even the Lake! Here’s the tricky part: The first 24 hours of your henna care are the most important and things must be babied a bit. In that 24 hour period it is NOT recommended to get your henna design wet.

However, AFTER that first 24 hours, go wild and feel free to frolic in the water. There is one caveat to that, for stain longevity, soaking is discouraged and I’ll explain why. The henna dye molecule (the part that leaves the stain, or “tattoo”) is bound to your skin cells. As your skin cells exfoliate off (the ones with henna in them), then the stain appears to fade. Soaking for long periods of time increases skin exfoliation, thus increasing the demise of your henna stain.

On a personal note, I use our hot tub all the time when I have a henna stain and it’s not a huge deal, though it will make the stain go away quicker.

Do you do events and parties?

Absolutely! Typically with these events, artist is paid hourly and henna services are provided to attendees. The hourly rate tends to be cheaper than pay per design at a festival, for instance.

I’ve done events at retail stores to draw crowds, celebrate birthday parties of all ages (6 and up only), sleepovers, bar mitzvahs, weddings, bride/grooms, ladies night, bachelorette parties, graduation parties, project graduation, after prom, customer/employee appreciations and much more. Henna is great for celebrations and is traditionally used for all of life’s transitions.

You can submit a event request here:

How did you get into henna?

I like to think that henna found me. I’ve been a professional artist since 2000 and have worked with many different mediums. A henna request fell into my lap and I was unfamiliar with the medium. I love to research, so I set out to find out all I could. I fell down a rabbit hole of henna research that continues to this day. I ordered a kit to make my own paste, and practiced and practiced. I’ve fallen in love with so many facets of henna. It’s a challenging art form that dates back millennia. When I interact with henna and share it with others, I feel like I’m connected to the centuries of people that have used it before me. The culture and history is fascinating! It’s truly a passion of mine to study henna and it’s history and cultures as used all over the world.