Page 4 : Henna Tattoos, Henna Designs

What is Henna? What are Mehndi, Mehandi and all those other words?
How do I get my henna to stain darker?
I cannot get my henna paste to stick on my skin. What could be wrong?
What consistence should my mixture be?
I heard that black henna is toxic?
Where did henna come from?
Is henna a tattoo? Does it hurt? How does it work? How long will it last? Is it safe?
Why is henna done?
How do you henna yourself?
Can men use henna?
Is the contemporary, fashionable use of henna sacrilegious?
What's the best henna?
Why does the henna paste look green but leave a orangy - reddish - brown stain?
How long should I leave the paste on for?
Can I use "hair henna" to decorate my skin?
Can I henna dark skin?
Can I grow a henna plant in my garden?
Can I henna those places where the sun rarely shines?
Can I go in the sun or swim with my henna?
Is it against my religion to henna?
Can I henna my infant?
Can I henna when I am pregnant?
Can I eat henna?
Who should not use henna?
How do I get rid of my henna FAST?
Can I add beet juice, Ink, paint or fabric dye to henna to change the color?
Can I use henna to tattoo myself permanently?
How can I make my henna pattern last as long as possible?

1. What is Henna? What are Mehndi, Mehandi and all those other words?

Henna is the Arabic name of a bush of the botanical name, lawsonia inermis. Leaves are harvested from this bush, dried and powdered to make henna powder. The paste made from this powder, used to dye the skin, is henna paste. The pattern on the skin resulting from the application of henna paste is called a henna. If you have henna patterns on you, you have been "hennaed". Since many countries from the Atlantic coast of Africa to Malaysia use henna, there are many other words for both the bush and the adornment; though in every country, the plant and the skin pattern are known by the same name. In India, there are several words for the plant and the art, because there are many languages and dialects in India. Since the words in these languages were not originally written in a Roman alphabet, there is a great deal of difference in translation of the word from those languages to English. Mehandi is the translation favored by several companies who publish henna pattern books in Delhi and Mumbai. Mehndi is a translation favored in Hindi. There are over 20 variations of the word for the henna plant and art that have been used in publication...all are equally correct.

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2. How do I get my henna to stain darker?

The secret to dark Mehndi is fresh henna powder. Henna naturally stains everything and anything dark. If you do not have strong henna it will not leave a strong marking. Adding too much like lemon juice or sugar water will not enhance your mixture; it will do the exact opposite. Our Henna/Mehndi kit is so strong, that we suggest you use our oil and a 1/2 a cup of tea. Also refer our step by step instructions on mixing henna.

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3. I cannot get my henna paste to stick on my skin. What could be wrong?

Chances are you do not have the proper henna for Mehndi. Only certain areas of the laminus plant (henna plant) can stain your skin. Most henna powders come from the whole plant being ground up. These powders contain spores, which take on a sponge like consistence when mixed. Mehndi powders come from the top of the plant, the blossoms. This powder is very smooth and lays on the skin easily. We only carry such powders.

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4. What consistence should my mixture be?

Not too clumps and not too watery. It should be like cake batter. Take a spoonful of the paste and hold it upside down. The mixture should fall off in big globs. It should not fall off all at once, nor should it just stick on. In our kit we recommend a half a cup of tea.
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5. I heard that black henna is toxic?

Black henna powders are toxic. Because they contain para phenyle diamine which can break the skin out in lesions. We do carry a safe black henna and other colors for the skin. None of our products contain para phenyle di amine Most designs of henna are very intricate, where do you begin? Begin in the middle, of circular designs, and simple work your way out. Break down the design, what every you do to one side do immediately to the other. This avoids getting lost in the design.

Black henna In Africa and in Medieval Persia, black henna is considered the most beautiful. In India, red henna is more auspicious. Both come from the same plant, but are obtained in slightly different ways. If you have absolutely fresh henna powder, and apply it in very hot weather, with an overnight wrap, to your palms and soles, the color may go nearly black with no extra effort. The perspiration and heat will darken the henna. to deep burgundy or near black in many people, especially if they have calloused skin, and have skin that is very warm to the touch. To get henna velvet black on palms and soles in the traditional way, the skin may be treated with something with a very base pH just after the henna paste is removed. There are several things which will accomplish this, but all of them can be harsh on the skin, and should be used with caution. Email us for more information on this, and photographs of the results. . There are many products on the market that are labeled black henna. MANY PRODUCTS LABELED AS BLACK HENNA ARE VERY HAZARDOUS TO YOUR HEALTH!! Natural henna is very safe.

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6. Where did henna come from?

...a short history of henna. There is very persuasive evidence that henna was used by the Neolithic people in Catal Huyuk, in the 7th millennium BCE to ornament their hands in connection with their fertility goddess. The religion these people practiced was the predecessor to the religions of all the people in the ancient Middle East, and henna seems to have been used by all of these people as part of their adornment and belief system. The earliest civilizations that can be proved to have used henna include the Babylonians, Assyrians, Sumerians, Semites, Ugaritics and Canaanites. The earliest written artifact that mentions henna being used specifically as an adornment for a bride or woman's special occasion is in the Ugaritic legend of Baal and Anath, inscribed on a tablet from about 2100 BCE, from north west Syria. Anath was a goddess of fertility and battle. In the legend, she adorned her hands with henna before battle, and brides ornamented their hands with henna as a preparation for wedding. As henna is mentioned as a part of a legend, may be inferred that henna was in use by the Ugaritic people, as a bridal tradition, and as a women's celebratory cosmetic along the eastern coast of the Mediterranean for many centuries prior to 2000 BCE. There are many statuettes from Crete and Mycenae from the period 1700 BCE to 900 BCE that show goddesses synchronous with Anath, with raised hands that appear to be ornamented with henna. Several of these goddesses also have facial patterns that are identical with scarification that was used to honor the goddess Anath, and identical to patterns are made in harquus (a cosmetic closely related to henna) have been used until the present time by Arabs, Bedouins and North African tribal groups. There are numerous artifacts from Iraq, Palestine, Greece, Egypt, Crete and Rome from 1400 BCE to 1AD that show women with henna patterns on their hands. The early center of the use of henna as a woman's adornment seems to have been the eastern Mediterranean, where it grows wild. It is mentioned in the Bible as "Camphire" in the Song of Solomon, and was used by the Canaanite women in pre-biblical times. A Roman wall fresco, "The Aldobrandini Wedding" from 30 BCE, shows a scene identical with a "Night of the Henna" celebration, in which the Mother has henna patterns on her hand. The Canaanites spread their traditions, including the use of henna, across North Africa between 1700 and 600 BCE, specifically establishing the Berber traditions of henna in Morocco. Henna was used in Palestine from the earliest historical period, and there are Roman records of henna being used by Jewish people living in Jerusalem during the historical period of the birth of Christ. When Islam began in the 6-7th centuries AD, henna was incorporated into the customs of Muslims from the western Middle Eastern women's henna traditions that were widespread and long established. As Islam expanded quickly into other countries, the use of henna went with it. Henna was grown and used in Spain, by Christians and Moors from the 9th century AD to 1567 when it was outlawed by the Spanish Inquisition. All of the countries that were part of the Islamic world have used henna at some time, most frequently as part of wedding celebrations. Most of them continued to celebrate the "Night of the Henna" and regard henna as a beautiful and suitable ornament for women until the present. The most complex and elegant henna patterning in the Islamic world was from 900 to 1550 AD in Persia, Turkey and Iraq. There are many miniatures and pottery pieces showing elegantly patterned black henna from this period. Such delicate and expressive patterning did not reappear in henna until late in this century. Henna use in all the Middle Eastern and North African countries continued, though it fell out of favor early in the 20th century as women sought to emulate European and American fashions. The earliest artifacts showing henna in India, that I have found, are from about 400 AD, in the Ajanta caves. Though there are several figures in the Ajanta caves that have henna, they are only a very small percentage of all the people depicted. Therefore, though henna certainly was used from an early period in India, it was not widespread. Also, the henna appearing in Ajanta appears equally on men, women and servants, and was done as dip henna, without patterning. Bright red dip henna, made from a paste of fresh leaves was used, not the orange / brown/ black/ patterned henna made from dried and powdered leaves as appears in the Mediterranean and Middle East. From 600 AD to 1300 AD, bright red dip henna appears frequently on Boddhisattvas and Buddhist clerics depicted in sculpture and wall paintings in Northern India, Nepal, Tibet, Ceylon and Burma. After 1500 AD, henna is seen frequently on women in miniature paintings in India, though patterning is very rare until after 1700 AD. In Hindu India during this period, henna certainly is part of the cosmetic routine used by wives and concubines to look their best. Henna is also depicted on Kali and other Hindu deities during this period, and up to the present day. By 1700, the bridal celebration of the Night of the Henna was a well established part of Muslim India's traditions, and married Muslim women in India frequently used henna to ornament themselves. A portrait of Mumtaz Mahal has one of the earliest patterned henna on her hands that I have found in India. During the 1800s patterned henna is seen frequently in Indian artifacts, though the henna is always represented as red and never black. Dip henna and simple patterns adorn most women portrayed in Indian art since 1800, as well as many Hindu deities. Henna patterning in India has become very complex and beautiful in the 20th century, and is used as part of the celebration of almost all holidays. Timeline This is a list of countries where women traditionally used henna to beautify their hands for celebrations and luck, during some period between 7000 BCE and 1900 AD. These dates are approximate, but are supported by literary or artifact evidence, direct or indirect. Henna use may greatly predate earliest artifact evidence of henna use..... also there may be other uses of henna that predate women's celebration use. Turkey 4000 BCE to present (very compelling evidence of use as early as 7000 BCE) Syria 3000 BCE to present (possibly as early as 5000 BCE) Israel 2100 BCE to present (possibly as early as 8000 BCE) Jordan 2100 BCE through Ottoman Empire (possibly as early as 3000 BCE) Lebanon 2100 BCE through Ottoman Empire (possibly as early as 3000 BCE) Arabia 1700 BCE through present (possibly as early as 3000 BCE) Crete 1700 BCE to 900 BCE, and when under Moorish influence Cyprus 1700 BCE to present, when under Moorish influence Greece 1700 BCE to 1400 BCE, occasionally under Moorish or Turkish influence Libya 1700 BCE to present Tunisia 1200 BCE to present Egypt 1400 BCE to present Iraq 1300 BCE to present (possibly as early as 2500 BCE) Kuwait 1200 BCE to present (possibly as early as 2500 BCE) Iran 1300 BCE to present (possibly as early as 2500 BCE) Morocco 1200 BCE to present Western Sahara 1200 BCE to present Algeria 1200 BCE to present Mali 1200 BCE to present Sudan 1200 BCE to present Yemen 1200 BCE to present United Arab Emirates 1200 BCE to present (or earlier) Italy 100 BCE, and occasionally through Moorish influence Afghanistan 100 AD to present (probable use much earlier, perhaps to 1200 BCE) Pakistan 100 AD to present (probable use much earlier, perhaps to 1200 BCE) India 100 AD to present (probable use much earlier, perhaps to 1200 BCE) Nepal 600 AD to present (probable use much earlier) Sri Lanka 700 AD to present (probable use much earlier) Turkistan 800 AD to present Uzbekistan 800 AD to present Tibet 900 to 1300 AD Burma 800 Ad to present Thailand 800 AD to present Ethiopia 800 AD both Muslim and Christian communities Nigeria 800 AD to present Armenia 900 AD to present, both Muslim and Christian communities Azerbaijan 900 AD to present Sicily 1000-1200 AD Spain 900 AD to 1560 AD Portugal 900 to 1550 AD China occasionally 1000 AD to present, in Muslim population Sub-Saharan African countries, in Muslim influence Bosnia during Ottoman Empire and in Muslim influence Malaysia 1200 AD to present, Muslim and Hindu population Indonesia 1200 AD to present, Muslim and Hindu population South Africa 1800 to present, Indian and Muslim population Gypsy populations (dispersed) used henna when in Muslim or Hindu countries 1100 AD to present .

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7. Is henna a tattoo? Does it hurt? How does it work? How long will it last? Is it safe?

In English, there are no useful words to describe a henna stain ornamenting the skin, so henna are frequently called "henna tattoos". Hennaed skin is not tattoed. A tattoo is a permanent design in the skin, made by forcing pigment into the underlying layers of the skin, usually with a needle. Henna is a dye that colors the outermost layer of the skin. It does not go into the blood bearing layers. The skin is not pierced. It will not bleed. It cannot hurt. It feels about like having your skin decorated with pudding. Henna contains hennotannic acid, which dyes collagens (skin cells) and keratin (hair and fingernail cells) very easily. The dye is released from the vegetable matter and made available to dye skin at pH 5.5 or more sour. It takes time for hennotannic acid to bind with cells, so the henna paste must stay moist and in contact with the skin for a while. Heat makes the dye darker. The henna stain will last until that top layer of your skin exfoliates. All the skin on your body gradually exfoliates and is replaced by new skin in 1-12 weeks, depending on individual factors. The henna, then, will last as long as 8 weeks on the thick soles of your feet, or go away as quickly as 3-4 days on very thin parts of your skin. The newly grown in skin will not have a henna pattern on it. It is very very unusual for anyone to have an adverse reaction to natural henna, but it does happen. Henna is one of the safest cosmetics ever used, but a patch test is a good idea if you're unsure.

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8. Why is henna done?

Henna is done by women to ornament and beautify themselves, and it is also done for special celebrations. Betrothals, weddings, the eighth month of pregnancy, at birth, 40 days after a woman gives birth , naming ceremonies and circumcisions, are all events celebrated with henna. Ids, and other religious holidays are occasions to be hennaed. There are also some healing ceremonies associated with Zar in North Africa which include the use of henna. Women henna themselves and their friends and relatives for most festivals in India, as part of the celebration....along with dressing beautifully, partying, and taking a break from work. It is especially a relief during very hot weather, as henna is cooling. It is certainly a part of wedding traditions for both women and men, best known in the "night of the henna" parties. It is used by Hindus as a part of preparations for weddings, as well as throughout the Islamic world. Sephardic Jews used henna in a night of the henna party, and in Armenia, Christian women and men also adorn themselves with henna. In the "night of the henna" parties, the bride is ornately adorned with henna, and instructed in the duties of her new status as wife. All the bride's friends and relations join to help her make this transition to womanhood auspicious and successful, wishing her many children and all happiness. In the groom's party, his friends and relations wish him wealth and prestige, as well as many children. There are a great number of henna traditions, of a wide variety over all the centuries that henna has been used. So, art of henna is expressive of the human love of beauty, and the hope for an abundant, loving life.

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9. How do you henna yourself?

You can prepare your own fresh henna paste and henna yourself very easily with things you already have in your kitchen. Exotic ingredients are part of many people's recipes, but are not absolutely necessary. Purchase the best quality and freshest henna you can. If the henna powder is green and richly fragrant, it is fresh. If it is tan and odorless, it is stale. If your henna is fresh, you will get a dark brown or burgundy stain. If your henna powder is stale, you will get a pumpkin-colored stain. A fancy recipe will improve stale henna somewhat, but not much. If your henna is fresh, a simple recipe is all that's needed. Sift your henna powder through a tea strainer. Henna powder often has twigs and plant scraps left from processing, and some henna powders have sand and dirt in them. If you want to make henna patterns with fine lines, sift the henna powder again through the control top part of pantyhose. When you are sifting henna powder, avoid inhaling the henna dust. When your powder is sifted, mix enough fresh lemon or lime juice (strained) into it to make the power into a paste as thick as mashed potatoes. Let that sit at cool room temperature over night. This will make the plant cells release the hennotannic acid. After the thick henna paste has begun to release its dye, thin it out so it's easier to draw with. The best consistency for henna paste for decorating is softer than toothpaste but thicker than stirred-up yogurt. You can thin it out with more lemon juice, you can use coffee, tea, or you can make your own special mixture. If you boil cloves with strong coffee, and strain that and mix it into the henna paste, the cloves will make the henna slightly blacker. Cloves contain gallotannic acid, which helps the hennotannic acid make a darker dye. Coffee and tea contain tannin, but not in sufficient quantities to change the color of the henna stain very much. There are many other things that henna artists add to their henna pastes, and there is no one perfect recipe. Try things and develop your own recipe! Stir your henna paste well to get out all the lumps! When your henna paste is at room temperature and at a useable consistency you can make patterns on your skin with it. Many traditional henna artists apply henna with a thin twig, porcupine quill, kohl stick, or wire. Just dip the stick into your henna paste, and draw with it....the henna should be a little viscous so that you can pull out a line as you draw it along your skin. Many contemporary henna artists use little squeeze bottles with metal tips, that fiber artists use for gutta lines on silk. Many on-line henna suppliers and fiber arts suppliers carry these bottles. If you haven't done henna before, practice drawing with henna on a paper towel to get used to medium. If you're unsure what you want to draw on yourself, or if you're not confident that you can get it right on the first try, sketch in the pattern on yourself with washable children's markers first. You can henna over the marker lines. If you want to practice hennaeing without wasting henna, try using your cones or sticks with toothpaste or cake decorating gel. Wash your skin with hot water and soap to remove lotions, oils and dirt before you henna. If your skin is clean, oil free and warmed it should take henna well. If you are trying to henna skin that is naturally oily, like a man's upper arms or back, you will need to use rubbing alcohol or witch hazel to remove as much of the skin oil as possible. Henna will stain darkest on palms and soles. The skin there is thickest and most absorbent. Where the skin on your body is thin, henna does not stain as well. The poorest places for henna staining are chests, heads, oily skin or sunburned skin. If you make a mistake with your henna on your skin, scrape off the mistake quickly with a toothpick, or wash the area. Henna begins to stain your skin within the first minute. Let the henna dry on your skin. Be very careful to keep the henna pattern perfect as it dries. You will need to keep the henna on your skin for at least 6 hours, very warm, and slightly moist to get a good henna stain. If you can keep it on overnight, and get it hot, that is best. There are several ways you can accomplish this. Try different ways and see what works best for you. You can sit perfectly still in a very hot humid room. This is traditional, and works very, very well, but is inconvenient and uncomfortable. Here are some ways that are more compatible with contemporary urban life: You can seal the henna with New Skin spray to prevent smudging, and wrap the henna with toilet paper, plastic wrap and tape. This is very effective where the weather is cool, and where it is difficult to get the skin really warm. Your perspiration under the wrap will rehydrate the henna, and the wrap will darken the henna color by warming the skin. There are many variations on wrapping, try several to see what is most suitable for you. The most important things are that the henna must remain undisturbed, even through sleeping overnight, and that the skin be warmed and slightly moistened with perspiration. Other useful wrapping materials are cotton, gauze, paper tape, ace bandages, and liquid latex. Each is wonderfully useful for some specific purpose. Liquid latex is especially useful for bosoms and navels, and other places where wrapping would be clumsy or impossible. You can also seal the henna by dabbing it with a lemon juice and sugar mixture that has been boiled into a syrup, going over it several times carefully until there is a sugar-candy crust holding the henna in place. This is most effective in very warm climates, where a wrap would quickly become uncomfortable and overly sweaty. If you warm your hennaed skin near a fire, or rest for an hour or two with a heating pad over your wrapped henna, your henna will be much darker. Your henna will be darkest in hot summer weather. It will be most difficult to get dark henna when the weather is cold. After the henna has been on your skin several hours or overnight, you can remove the green paste to see the orange-brown stain underneath. If your water supply is not strongly chlorinated, you can just rinse off the henna paste, and the henna will darken with exposure to air. Rain water and distilled water will not harm your henna. If you suspect that your water has a lot of chlorine, scrape the henna off with a dead credit card, and let it darken without rinsing. As your henna stain is exposed to the air, it will oxidize and darken gradually over the first 48 hours. If your henna paste was made from really fresh henna, it will darken on your skin easily, and with no particular assistance. Oil may help your henna look its best, but it does not actually make the henna darker. If you have used New Skin to seal your henna and prevent smudging, oil such as cocoa butter will remove it easily.

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10. Can men use henna?

In most of the countries where henna is used by women, men use it also, though usually less frequently, and with much less patterning. Grooms have a "Night of the Henna" comparable to women, and henna is also a part of the celebration of circumcision in many traditions.

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11. Is the contemporary, fashionable use of henna sacrilegious?

Though henna is used in the context of many celebrations, some of which religious, henna is not in itself sacred. Henna is applied by mothers, sisters, and friends, rather than by clergy. Henna it is most frequently applied in a home, rather than in a church, synagogue, temple or mosque.... The application of henna is considered auspicious and lucky, but is not required as a sacrament in any religion. Henna is a cosmetic women use to make themselves attractive to their husbands, for good luck and as a part of looking their best, rather than as a sacred decoration for a spiritual purpose. Henna is part of the social celebration of life's events: weddings, births, naming, circumcisions, festivals, funerals....and is very frequently used between the women of a family to strengthen friendships and familial bonds. Henna is nearly always regarded as beautiful, blessed and lucky, even as being effective in repelling malevolent spirits, rather than being specifically sacred. Henna is a part of the world of household magic, not religious sacrament. In all of the countries that have traditionally used henna, it has been sometimes very fashionable as women's adornment, and sometime out of fashion. The patterns used in henna generally reflect the interests and tastes of women at the time, and are not usually regarded as magical, though they may be considered lucky. Women have changed the use of henna every time it has moved from one country to another, to suit their tastes, needs and sense of beauty. There is no one correct tradition of henna. Henna has changed many times over the last 5000 years, and been used in many ways by very different people. The resurgence of henna in the late 20th century, and its introduction into Euro-American culture is just one more phase in the history of henna. The contemporary use of henna as a body art, at its best, is no less valid than at any time before...it is just very new, and still taking shape.

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12. What's the best henna?

The best henna is made fresh from the freshest henna powder, finely powdered, and free from twigs and crud. The more quickly the henna gets from the bush to your skin, the more dark and beautiful the color. If you purchase henna at a store, its hard to tell how long the box has been on the shelf, and how long it was in warehouses before that. If you can get henna from an Internet supplier who is getting it straight from the growers, that is probably your best source, unless you have a friend or relative who can bring you some directly from the country where it is produced .... or ... if you can, grow your own. If you do have very fresh henna powder, you can prolong it's usefulness by keeping it enclosed, lightproof and damp proof in your refrigerator. In a store, look for 100% pure henna powder with no added ingredients, that is meant for skin, not hair. Do not purchase any powder labeled "black henna" that seems to be a hair dye. It will not dye your skin black, it will just leave a grubby smudge.

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13.Why does the henna paste look green but leave a orangy - reddish - brown stain?

The green in the henna paste is chlorophyll. The hennotannic acid stains your skin some color in the range of maple leaves in the fall. Maple leaves are green in the summer, when you see the chlorophyll. In the fall the green is gone, showing the other colors. When the green leaf paste is removed from your skin, you see the stain color. Why is my henna stain a whimpy orange? If the henna powder sat for a long time in a shop window, (prominently displayed because it is so trendy), in a warehouse, in a customs depot, or on a store shelf, it will become very stale. Whimpy henna color comes from stale henna.

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14. How long should I leave the paste on for?

For our premixed henna colors only leave the color paste on for ONE HOUR. If using the henna powder kit, we recommend at least four hours for paste on or around the hands or feet. Areas other then hands and feet, like navels and biceps leave the paste on for 6 hours. The reason for leaving the paste on longer for parts that are not hands and feet is henna works off the heat of your body. The hands and feet loss a lot of heat, therefor making the henna take faster. So keep those henna areas .

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15. Can I use "hair henna" to decorate my skin?

Henna for hair is not as fine a quality as henna that is produced to decorate skin. It might work a little, but it won't work very well. Also, there may be other ingredients that can interfere with the henna stain on your skin, or the "hair henna" may include dyes that are not meant to be used on skin...those dyes may harm your skin!

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16.Can I henna dark skin?

Henna is a translucent stain. If your skin is dark enough that your palms are lighter than the backs of your hands, your palms will take henna easily and beautifully, with excellent contrast. On the rest of your skin, you the henna will stain in the range of dark amber - red - burgundy - rust or brown contrasting the natural color of your skin. On darker skin, bold patterns are more likely to show up well than the fillagree work that shows up easily on pale skin.

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17. Can I grow a henna plant in my garden?

Henna plants are available from garden suppliers on the Internet, but they do not do well in temperate climates. They are susceptible to many garden pests, and are fussy plants. Henna grows well only in a climate where the nights are always warm, it never ever freezes, and there are at least 3 months of weather over 100F every summer. Rajasthan, Israel, Egypt, and places with climates like them, are excellent places to grow henna. The Yukon, and Terra Del Fuego are virtually hopeless places to grow henna.

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18.Can I henna those places where the sun rarely shines?

Henna won't hurt those places, and has been used to comfort heat rash and sweatiness down there. It improves the texture and fragrance of skin that is normally buried under clothing. Full body patterned henna is a tradition in many Middle Eastern countries, where is is regarded as greatly enhancing a woman's sensuality. Do not put henna on mucous membrane tissue.

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19. Can I go in the sun or swim with my henna?

Henna is a complete sunblock...so if you get a tan when you are hennaed, the henna may leave an un-suntanned pale pattern after it has exfoliated. You can swim, but if the water has a lot of chlorine, or you swim for a very long time, you henna may bleach out and exfoliate more quickly than usual.

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20. Is it against my religion to henna?

Christians, Buddhists, Animists, Jews, Muslims, Hindus and Gypsies have all used henna. Henna is not a religious practice, it is a cosmetic, and is not specifically forbidden by any religion. Though the Spanish Inquisition outlawed the use of henna, is was part of "ethnic cleansing" to force Moors and Jews out of Spain, and the Christian women who were using henna protested the law, arguing that henna was not a Muslim religious practice.

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21.Can I henna my infant?

It is not safe to henna a child under 6 months of age, as their skin is very thin, and their body's acid-balancing mechanism is not well established. It is not advisable to henna children under the age of 6...if for no other reason than they are not likely to hold still for very long, and are apt to spoil their patterns.

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22. Can I henna when I am pregnant?

Some cultures regard it as very auspicious to henna when pregnant, some regard it as extremely unlucky. It certainly does no harm to henna a pregnant woman, as long as you use only natural pure henna, with a very simple recipe. Large pregnant bellies, however, may have very thin, new skin, that do not take henna particularly well.

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23. Can I eat henna?

Don't bother. It's lousy. It's not poisonous, but it is really not good for you , either.

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24. Who should not use henna?

In India, widows are not supposed to use henna, and the goddess Lakshmi disapproves of pregnant women using henna. Men rarely use henna after their "Night of the Henna", except as a skin conditioner. These, however are cultural restrictions that don't extend beyond their traditional domains, so if you wish to henna...do so.

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25. How do I get rid of my henna FAST?

If you need to get rid of your henna pattern quickly, you will need to bleach and exfoliate that area. Acne medications that have alpha-hydroxies and anti-bacterials will help remove henna. Facial scrubs with exfolients will help. Frequent washing with bleach will fade henna quickly from your hands. It is better to wash and exfoliate several times gently over 2 or 3 days than to try to remove the henna all at once. Do not scrub so hard that you hurt yourself.

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26. Can I add beet juice, Ink, paint or fabric dye to henna to change the color?

Very, very few things will easily dye skin. None of the above will improve or significantly change the color of your henna pattern. They might stay on top of your skin briefly, but they will not dye your skin as henna does.

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27. Can I use henna to tattoo myself permanently?

No. Henna paste is not sterile, and should never be inserted under the skin.

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28.How can I make my henna pattern last as long as possible?

Oil your skin frequently to deter exfoliation. Go over the henna patterns with new henna every several days, carefully retracing the lines. In many traditions, a bride does no housework as long as her hands are ornamented with henna. In Rajasthan, women who always excuse themselves from doing housework to preserve their beautiful henna are referred to as "Mehndi spoiled".

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About K-Sora

Travelling is my life

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