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Henna Who?
Henna You!
BY J.A. BEYDLER
Photos by Eva Janey Bramwell
Copyright 1999 by Parents' Press
When you want a tattoo and your parents say "No way," henna is a perfect compromise it's beautiful, it's temporary, it's safe, and it's way in.
All kinds of people who like body art (but don't want a permanent tattoo) are decorating with henna, a plant-based dye native to Asia and Africa.
The henna tradition is thousands of years old; all over Asia, the Middle East, and North Africa, henna is used to celebrate (weddings and rites-of-passage in India and Pakistan), to meditate (martial arts students in Thailand), and for everyday beauty (hands, faces and feet in North Africa).
Along with traditional patterns, teens favor Celtic-style knotwork, and "tribal" designs (big blocks of color in bold primitive designs).
Q: What is henna?
A: Henna is a desert plant (Lawsonia inermis). The dried
plant is ground and mixed with water to form a paste, which is
applied to the skin. In India, this art form is called "mehndi."
Q: Is it a tattoo?
A: No. Some people call mehndi a temporary tattoo, but it isn't
anything like. Tattoos are permanent; henna is temporary. With
a tattoo, a needle is used to insert ink under the skin; a tattoo
should never be tried at home. Henna is easy and fun to apply
yourself at home, or you can make an appointment with a professional
mehndi artist, in the studio or at your home.
Q: How long does it last?
A: 10 to 20 days, depending on the quality of the henna paste,
how long the paste is left on the skin, and how fast your skin
exfoliates (sheds old skin cells).
Q: Can I do it myself?
A: Yes. There are lots of books with design ideas and how-to
tips (see "Where To Find Henna"), even stencils for
a perfect design the first time. If you go to a henna studio
(or hire an artist for a party), the artist will show you patterns
to choose from, or will use your own original design.
Q: Is henna safe?
A: Yes. There has only been one recorded case of a life-threatening
reaction to henna in the entire U.S., and that was when a henna
hair product was used on the skin. Henna for hair has chemical
agents that should never be left to soak into the skin.
With more people trying mehndi than ever, some unscrupulous people are selling "colored henna." Henna does not come in colors; true henna ranges from dark brown to cinnamon in color. If a "henna" product claims to produce other colors, it has dye added to it and could be toxic.
Use a safe, all-natural mehndi product like those listed here. Apply the henna (and oil) in a small area first, and make sure you aren't allergic to either one.
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