Henna dyes hair, skin, and fabric organically, similar to a black tea dye. Henna is extracted from a tree by drying and grinding leaves and stems. The greenish powder, when mixed with an acidic liquid, makes a temporary red, brown, or orange design on a porous surface. People use henna in ritual skin painting, called Mehndi, for birth and marriage celebrations. Western cultures have adopted henna to make temporary tattoos and organic hair dye.

The henna tree grows in hot, arid regions like North Africa and India. For centuries, people ground the foliage of the plant into a powder to dye cloth and skin. The strong pigment actually temporarily stains the skin. It infuses porous surfaces with a darker pigment, but does not chemically alter the surface permanently.

Henna works because it is absorbed into material like hair and skin. You mix the powdered henna into a mud, using hot water, lemon juice, vinegar, or other acidic additives. An acidic mixture strengthens the dyeing properties. Then you apply the henna mud to a surface like the palm of your hand, bottom of your feet, or anywhere on your body. Leave the mud on for as long as possible, up to 48 hours. When it dries and crumbles off, the skin will have darkened to auburn, orange, red, or brown.

Depending on the fineness of the paste, you can apply henna with a tube, like icing a cake. With a lot of coordination and care, people can achieve intricate designs full of scrolls, swirls, paisley outlines, and dots. Henna tattoos create temporary bracelets, motifs, emblems, or words. In traditional Mehndi, Muslims and Hindus decorate the skin of those participating in special ceremonies, such as a wedding or circumcision, in places like Indonesia and India.

Dying with henna is entirely temporary. Hair dye may last up to six weeks, but skin dye will probably not stay visible for more than a week. This is because the dye has only sunken into the uppermost layer of dead and dying skin. When your skin flakes off through natural exfoliation, it will be gradually replaced by fresh skin of your natural color.

What color is my Henna Tattoo going to be?
& How long will it last?

The paste itself has a greenish tint which turns almost black when it dries. Once removed, the color of your Henna tattoo could span through tones of rich orange, red and brown depending on your skin tone, type and location of the tattoo. Your Henna color and longevity will differ across your canvas. It is darkest towards your hands and feet - designs toward the center of your body will be lighter. The longer you leave the paste on your skin, the darker your design will be and the longer it will last - we recommend leaving it on until it crumbles and falls off. Your new body art should last 1-4 weeks with 2 weeks being average.

How should I remove the paste?

• Gently scrape off paste using fingernails, a spoon, etc.
• If a spot is stubborn, moisten paste with Olive Oil to help remove and this will also help darken the henna color.

How can I make my Tattoo last longer?

• Avoid letting the area come in contact with water for as long as possible the first day.
• Cover design with Vaseline or Olive Oil before prolonged exposure to water.
• Use sunscreen before prolonged exposure to the sun.
• Don't go swimming in chlorine or salt water. They will fade your Henna tattoo very quickly.

Other Henna Artists use different color henna, do you?

• No!! See the following link to many of the reasons to stay away from such artificial pigments
  Click Here