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1) What is Henna?
Henna is a shrub from the plant Lawsonia Inermis. It holds a red dye that stains or prints on any surface it comes in contact with, when appropriately mixed.
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2) How long will the henna tattoo last?
It will last anywhere from 1 to 4 weeks depending on your body temperature level, where the henna is applied, the type of and how often you wash the hennaed area. The more you wash your henna tattoo the faster it will fade away. You can redo-it over to make it darker. Hands and feet last up to a month and anywhere else is approximately one to two weeks.
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3) How long should I leave the paste on my skin?
You can peel off the paste as soon as it dries. This can be anywhere from 1 to 2 hours. However, the earlier you take the paste off the lighter your henna tattoo will be. We recommend that you leave the henna paste for at least 3 hours in order to get a dark and long lasting henna tattoo.
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4) Do you have black henna?
There is no such thing as black henna. Black henna has a chemical component called PPD. This chemical (P-Phenylenediamine) causes an allergic reaction on the skin of many people. You should always ask the henna artist what is in his/her paste prior to purchasing a henna tattoo. You can reach a dark brown-to-black color henna tattoo by re-applying henna twice over the same design. Other options are using Harquus (a black body paint) or gilding with mica powder (which I also offer). These tattoos generally last about five to seven days.
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5) What color does the tattoo come out to? Are there any other colors to henna?
A natural henna tattoo is copper-orange to reddish-brown. A tattoo will start orange and then darken within the first 24-48 hours. There are no other natural colors to a henna tattoo. We do not use colors because the only way to obtain them is by adding chemicals that dye the henna.
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6) Can henna be used for hair?
Yes. Henna has first been used to nourish and dye hair. It is the only 100% natural hair dye. It also works very well as a conditioner. The dyed hair with henna gives a red to brown color tone depending on your original/natural hair color.
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7) Where do henna traditions come from?
Mostly India, the Middle East, and North Africa as well as parts of East Asia. Traditionally henna is used to celebrate weddings and pregnancies. A bride is hennaed a few days before her wedding to achieve a dark stain. She is not allowed to do housework in the groom’s new home until the henna has worn off. A woman is also hennaed in her eighth month of pregnancy to deter evil spirits, then again after the birth. She is not allowed to do any work until the henna wears off to encourage her to rely on others during that period of adjustment.
