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What is Henna?
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What is henna made from? • How does it work? • History & Origins • Chemical "Henna"
What is henna made from?
Natural henna has 4 main ingredients:
Henna Powder
The henna plant (lawsonia inermis) is native to North Africa. It is also cultivated in Egypt, India, Iran and parts of Africa. Farmers harvest the leaves, dry them and grind them in to a fine powder.
Wet Stuff
The most common liquids used to mix henna paste or water and lemon juice. Some artists choose to use other citrus juices, black tea, or rose water. In some traditional Moroccan recipes, tea is steeped overnight to add strong tea water to the mix.
Sugar
Some artists swear by refined sugars, like dextrose. Most artists, myself included, use regular table sugar - the same
kind that you put in your tea or coffee. (Much to my partner’s frustration whenever he goes to make a coffee, only to find I’ve used the last of the sugar in my henna.)
Essential Oil
Oils don’t just make the henna smell good, the right essential oils are key to a rich henna stain. The right essential oils will draw the dye from the henna powder to make it ready to stain your skin. Over the past decade, I’ve experimented with many different henna oils to create a secret artisanal blend designed to help create rich, long-lasting henna stains.
How does henna work?
Henna is a semi-transparent dye. Instead of completely changing the colour of your skin cells, the henna stain sits on top of your natural skin colour. This means that the colour of your henna stain will be totally unique, and will always compliment your natural colouring.
You probably already know that your skin cells wear away naturally over time as new cells make their way to the surface. But did you know that these layers of skin are arranged differently on different parts of the body?
The skin on the palms of your hands and the soles of your feet are made of up lots of thin layers packed tightly together. The closer you move towards your torso, your skin has fewer layers of thicker cells.
The dye molecule in henna (lawsone) reacts with the keratin in your skin and hair to leave a stain. Where the
stained cells are packed tightly together, like on your hands and feet, this results in a rich, dark stain. Where the skin is thicker, there are fewer layers of skin, and henna stains appear lighter.
The longer the henna paste sits on your skin, the more layers of skin it can stain. This is why it's important to keep the henna paste on your skin for as long as possible. By staining more layers of skin, the stain appears darker and lasts longer.
When the henna paste is first removed, the henna stain is orange. Over the next few days, the henna will react with the air in a process called 'oxidising'. This is the same process that makes apple slices turn brown. The colour of the henna will change from orange to a shade of brown. It is most noticeable during the first 24 hours, but can continue for up to 3 days.
Good preparation and aftercare are key to developing rich henna stains. For more information on how to get darker henna stains, click here.
Where does henna come from?
History & Origins
It is almost impossible to say exactly where the practice of applying henna began. The tradition has roots in several cultures and countries, both for cosmetic and medical purposes.
One of the oldest written records of applying henna to the skin comes from Egypt in the the Ebers Papyrus. The document suggests that henna may have been used medically since 1550 BCE when it was used as a remedy for rashes and headache. Mummified bodies have been found with their hair and fingertips appearing to have henna stains. The mummy of Queen Hatshepsut (ca. 1458 BCE) was found to have henna dye in her hair, and the mummy of Ramses II (ca. 1213 BCE) was noted to have henna on his fingertips and toes.
A wall painting from the Tomb of Nebamun. Source: British Museum
Some historians argue that the practice of cosmetic henna originated in India. Others claim is was brought to India by the Mughuls around 1200 BCE.
Written documentation of ornamental henna dates back to 2100 BCE. The Ugaritic legend of Baal and Anath, found in northwest Syria, denotes women using decorative henna for special occasions. Meanwhile in Greece, wall paintings in Santorini showing women with henna on their nails and feet date back anywhere between 3000 to 6000 BCE.
But perhaps the oldest use of henna comes from 7000 BCE. There is strong evidence that the neolithic people of Catal Huyuk may have used henna to decorate their hands in connection with their fertility goddess.
The Many Names of Henna
Whilst 'henna' is perhaps one of the most popular and recognisable names in the West, the practice goes by many different names.
The word 'henna' is believed to come from the Arabic term الحناء (al-ḥinnā). In the Indian subcontinent, it may be more commonly referred to as 'mehndi', or a similar variation. The term 'mehndi' is believed to be derived from the Sanskrit “mendhikā.” In Telugu it is called as Gorintaaku, while in Tamil is it known as "Marudhaani". In Hebrew, henna is often referred to as Camphire or kopher, especially in older religious texts. Kopher is used several times in Song of Songs, and is generally accepted to refer to the henna plant.
Come, my beloved, let us go out to the fields,
let us lie down under the henna bushes
SONG OF SONGS | CHAPTER 7, VERSE 11
Traditional and Cultural Significance
For many cultures, the use of henna has become a significant part of several celebrations.
Henna is often an important part of betrothal, marriage, pregnancy and childbirth. In many Southern Asian cultures, henna is an important part of the pre-wedding celebrations. It is often said that a bride with a deep henna stain will have a happy marriage. Bridal designs typically include symbols, icons and patterns to bring blessings, luck, joy and love. The groom's name or initials are often hidden inside the design; if the groom fails to find his name or initials before the end of the wedding night, it is said the wife will be in charge of the marriage.
Henna is also associated with many religious festivals, including Karva Chauth, Diwali, Eid-ul-Fitr and Eid-ul-Adha.
Henna isn't just used cosmetically. The Zar in North Africa have several healing ceremonies which include the use of henna, and several cultures have a history of using henna for medicinal purposes.
When we use henna, it is important that we recognise and respect its rich history.
Western Popularity
It is important to recognise that henna has not always been popular in the West. For nearly 200 years, British imperialism led to cultural destruction and devastation. Many traditional cultural practices were forcibly stamped out, and those that survived were often viewed as 'less than' traditional White British customs.
Some of these views still affect how henna is viewed today. Many people of colour have experienced bullying or harassment for wearing henna.
Henna as a fashion accessory became popular in the West in the early 1990s. Actress Demi Moore and singer Gwen Stefani are often credited with popularising the art, and many celebrities and influencers have since joined them.
More recently, Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Cambridge and Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Sussex both made headlines when they received henna during their pregnancies.
Beyoncé has worn henna for her pregnancy in 2017, and for Coldplay's "Hymn for the Weekend" music video. And in 2018 Queer Eye's Tan France showcased his henna on his Instagram page.
More and more people are discovering the beauty of henna, and Joyful Henna Isle of Man is proud to be sharing this beautiful art with the Isle of Man.
Chemical "Henna"
If it's not brown, it's not henna!
Not all henna is created equal! The internet is filled with imitation henna products, promising instant colourful stains. Often these 'henna' products are filled with dangerous, undisclosed chemicals that could cause anything from mild irritation to permanent scarring.
Golecha, Prem Dulham and Kaveri are common chemical 'henna' brands containing dangerous, undisclosed chemicals
Chemical 'henna' cones look appealing at first glance. They offer a wide range of colours, and often promise instant stains. No more waiting 2-3 days for your colour to develop! They also don't need the same delicate handling as natural henna.
The cones are usually brightly coloured, and often plastered with words like "export quality" and "100% natural". They may also have pictures of beautiful women with tikka or mathapatti in their hair, or wearing brightly a coloured sari or lehenga.
Mass-produced imitation 'henna' products are often laced with undisclosed chemicals. Many contain synthetic colourants and chemical stabilisers which are often unfit for use on skin.
One of the most dangerous and commonly-reported chemicals is paraphenylenediamine ("PPD"). which is commonly found in "black henna". PPD can cause allergic reactions, chemical burns, and has been known to cause long-term health complications. People who have experienced PPD exposure often go on to develop sensitivities to other chemical products including hair dye.
How to Stay Safe
With so many dangerous imitation products on the market, it's easy to feel overwhelmed. Here are some easy things you can do to make sure you or your henna artist is working with safe, natural henna:
ALWAYS ask your henna artist to list their ingredients. The mixing method might be top-secret, but your artist should be happy to tell you what they've put in their paste. (If they can't or won't, it's time to walk away!)
NEVER trust henna that doesn't come with careful care instructions. Natural henna must be used as soon as possible once it has been made in to a paste.
ALWAYS check the cone. Be on the lookout for common chemical brands like Golecha, Prem Dulham and Kaveri. Lookout for brightly coloured, branded foil cones that have been sitting on a shelf. Natural henna cones will usually be hand-made by a henna artist.
NEVER buy henna from commercial sites like Amazon or eBay. These are hot-spots for businesses selling chemical 'henna' pastes online.
ALWAYS work with henna professionals who work exclusively with natural henna, and who prepare their own henna.
Our Commitment to Safety
Joyful Henna Isle of Man uses natural ingredients to hand-make our henna paste. The paste is produced in small batches to ensure the highest quality and safety. If you have any questions about our paste, please contact us.
Want to know more?
Check out the Blog for a more in-depth look at chemical "henna" pastes and the associated risks.
