Henna FAQ

1. What is Henna?

Henna used in hair coloring and skin staining products is made from the leaves of the henna plant, lawsonia enermis which are ground into a fine powder. The main ingredients in henna pastes are the henna powder, strained lemon juice, coffee or tea and eucalyptus oil. This paste when applied to the skin and left for a short period of time produces a temporary reddish brown stain that fades from the skin over days to weeks just as a tan would.

2. How do you apply it?

The skin is lightly cleansed. The paste is applied from a small bottle in a process that looks a lot like cake decorating. The paste is allowed to partially dry then coated with a sticky mix of lemon juice and sugar. This keeps the paste on the skin longer, intensifying the color of the stain. Wet henna paste will also stain clothes, so keep this in mind.

3. How long does it last?

Usually from 3 days to three weeks depending on many factors. The quality of the paste, the thickness of the skin where the paste is applied, how long the paste is left on the skin and how the skin is cared for after the application.

4. Is it safe?

Yes, the natural henna leaves, eucalyptus oil and other natural, non-reactive ingredients are used in our paste. Because of this, our tattoos are limited to a range of reddish brown colors. The hennotanic acid does not penetrate deep into the skin so it doesn't normally cause allergic reactions and you don't need to worry about the chemicals getting into your body through the skin. If you have extremely sensitive skin, you should try getting a very small test patch done before getting a full tattoo.

5. Are there therapeutic uses for Henna?

The American Art Therapy Association explains what art therapy is on their website (http://www.arttherapy.org/aboutarttherapy/about.htm): "Art therapy is based on the belief that the creative process involved in the making of art is healing and life-enhancing. Through creating art and talking about art and the process of art making with an art therapist, one can increase awareness of self, cope with symptoms, stress, and traumatic experiences, enhance cognitive abilities, and enjoy the life-affirming pleasures of artistic creativity." Henna body art is right in line with this approach in SO many ways! Here are some reasons I see for using henna art as therapy in a rehab setting: It helps clients tap into their creative process in a healthy, constructive (non-drug-induced) way. It provides a fun activity that can occupy up to several hours of time that might otherwise be spent in a less productive way. It provides a visual and personal way for clients to express things (feelings, issues) about themselves that they may not be able to verbalize; a client's explanation of the symbolism of her henna design could lead to discussion and resolution of some personal issues. The act of producing - or even watching somebody produce - a repetetive geometric design can be a meditative experience that is very calming (I would think this would be effective for clients who abuse depressants and need an alternative way to deal with stressful feelings, events or memories). A beautiful design on the skin is a great reminder of the relaxation induced by henna-ing oneself or getting henna'd by somebody else. The ability for clients to temporarily alter their appearance with a beautiful henna design of their own making is empowering in a very positive way. Clients who pair up and henna each other have to establish a certain level of trust because each is empowering the other to alter her appearance in a small way. For clients with self-esteem issues, henna art can provide a concrete visual way for someone to be and feel beautiful. Sometimes just getting somebody who is troubled to sit still for an hour and do nothing can be therapeutic - I think this is true for all of us, troubled or not!

 

6. What about black henna?

Before you let anyone give you a design using black henna, read this first!!! Black henna products often contain PPD (the chemical used in black hair dyes), which can cause blistering, scarring and other health problems. Yuck!

FYI - HennaMania artists only use natural henna products... nothing dangerous.

7. Can HennaMania also provide dancers, etc. for our party?

No, but check out our links page for some recommendations.

8. How much does it cost?

Simple designs start at $5

hands, feet, tummy, low back from $15 and up.

Henna artist for hire/ hour $60

Contact HennaMania for a complete price list.