Natural Henna
Quick Summary:
WHY CHOOSE HENNA?
You want to experience traditional henna.
You have extremely sensitive skin.
You want a quick dry time (20mins).
You want more henna and are working with a budget.
WARNING/ THINGS TO KNOW!
*Book appointment 2-3 days before event for stain to mature properly*
Stain: Will last 1-2.5 weeks depending on aftercare or location. Further from hands/feet the lighter the color is.
Avoid water for 24hrs : You must shower and shave (yes, even peach fuzz gets in the way of the henna going on the skin) before the appointment, and you can’t get design wet for 12-24hrs after application.
Sealant: You can let it fall off naturally, use natural oils to moisturize and avoid water. However, traditionally the henna is sealed with lemon juice/sugar or more recently medical tape to keep henna on skin longer making for a darker stain.
Ingredients- Tea Tree, Cajeput and Lavender Essential Oil, Water, Sugar, Henna Powder, Lemon Juice.
Hey babes,
This post is all about Natural Henna’s history, uses, stain, and before/aftercare! If you're new to this world of henna, or just wanting to freshen up your knowledge before booking an appointment with us, I highly recommend taking the time to learn about each of our products so you can make the best decision possible for your needs. Jagua, White Henna and Natural Henna not only have very different stains, but they also require different aftercares (ex: drying time, what to wear, how far out to book event…etc.) to get the darkest and longest lasting stains (excluding white henna b/c that doesn’t technically stain the skin). With that all out of the way, you can check out the history/uses at the bottom or just read the before/aftercare. Let’s dive in!
STAIN
Book 2-3 days BEFORE event.
Fresh stain is orange and takes 2-3 days to develop into a deep burgundy-brown stain. (see image a&b below)
Darkest on palms of hands and feet. (see diagram c below)
Lasts about 1-3 weeks with proper aftercare.
The longer the paste is left on the skin, the darker it will be.
Color varies between individuals body chemistry, temperature, and pH levels.
Will fade naturally as skin is rejuvenating, so keep skin hydrated with any natural oils and balms.
Henna is a natural plant, so it's extremely rare to have an allergic reaction to it. (Notify us if you have allergy to Lavender or Cajeput)
a. Fresh Henna stain after paste has been left on 19 hours.
b. Henna stain 36 hours after paste removal.
c. Diagram showcasing the stain on the body.
Appointment Disclaimer and Policy
You are guaranteed fresh natural henna paste for your session.
The client is responsible for following before/after care instructions for each session.
Deposits are necessary to complete the booking and are taken out of the sum total.
To cancel and get a refund, notify us a minimum of 72 hrs before the appointment.
To reschedule, notify us a minimum of 24 hrs before the appointment.
We allot 10 minutes of grace time for each appointment.
$15 late fee charged for every additional 10 minutes late.
We are very flexible and work very hard to meet the needs of our clients. Things happen in life, so as long as you communicate with us, we will work with you. However, there is a zero tolerance policy on no call or no shows that results in you losing the deposit and being black listed from booking future appointments.
The Haus of Henna is not responsible or liable for the final stain due to the nature of the body chemistry variables and what aftercare done by each client.
All sales are final.
Before Care
Remove hair from desired area for seamless application.
Make sure skin is clean and free from oils and lotions.
Gently exfoliate area to remove dead skin cells.
Dress accordingly because the design will be wet when you leave.
After Care
Dry time depends on size, and will take 15-45 minutes.
The longer you keep the henna paste on, the darker the stain will be.
Keep paste on at least 8-12 hours for a good stain, but 12+ hours is highly recommended.
You can add the medical tape or lemon sugar sealant option to protect your design. (Read here.)
DO NOT REMOVE WITH WATER!!! Avoid getting stain wet 12-24hrs after removal, or it will prevent stain from oxidizing and maturing.
Scrape off dried paste or use coconut/ olive oil to remove any remaining bits on the skin.
If using medical tape to seal henna, the tape will remove the henna. Use coconut oil to moisturize skin.
Henna reacts well to heat, so stay warm or get some sun, it will help the stain darken.
AVOID: Hand sanitizer, hot tubs, exfoliating area, soap, detergent... anything that dries skin out. (Wear gloves when doing chores)
History and uses
What is henna?
Henna is a plant that grows and has been traditionally used all over Asia, North Africa and the Middle East for centuries. The word henna refers to the style of design as well as the name of the plant/paste, which can be confusing because henna designs can be created using other mediums such as: Jagua, white/red/black henna, or tattoos…etc. The plant contains a pigment called lawsone which when activated stains the skin by binding to the proteins in it. Each henna paste recipe is unique to every artist and culture. We like to keep things safe and simple by only using an all natural recipe consisting of: henna powder, water, sugar and essential oils. Starting out henna was applied with bare hands, twigs/stick, but now it’s most commonly applied with a cone (what we use), jacquard bottle, or syringe (popular in Morocco.)
What are different uses for henna?
Henna has long been used to dye the skin, hair, nails and even textiles. We currently only specialize with adorning the skin and nails. Henna hair dye has many benefits such as to strengthen, nourish, and condition, but please consult a professional hairstylist before application. Henna is applied during various stages of a persons life such as: weddings, childbirth, cultural and religious affairs, and other rights of passage/momentous occasions throughout ones’ life from the magic of birth to the glorious end. Due to the hot climates henna grows in, it was first discovered and used as a cooling agent/sunblock when applied all over the hands and feet. Although henna has transitioned from strictly utilitarian use to now decorative, the use of henna as a natural sunblock is visible when a tan line forms around a henna stain exposed to the sun.
What are the different styles?
Every region and culture has their own henna traditions, superstitions, and henna styles. Henna or Mehndi Night is a custom when all the women and young girls (No boys allowed) come together to celebrate, dance, and apply henna to the bride and close relatives, to bless the occasion. Traditionally henna is applied by close relatives like an Aunt or by a local go-to henna artist in the community, but now it has become more of an elaborate event where a whole team of professional henna artists carry out the tradition.
Indian Bridal Mehndi
Most recognizable due to the condensed yet intricate designs. This style is full of elements such as: nature, symbolism, earth, animals, and even portraits of the bride and groom. Fun fact: It’s a tradition to hide the grooms name in the mehndi; and it’s believed the darker the stain is the more your mother in law will love you/you will have a more fruitful marriage.
Arabic/Gulf Henna
The designs are more spread out and have a lot more shading and floral and netting elements.
Indo-Arabic Fusion Henna
A lovely middle ground when you want your mehndi to be detailed but you want it to breath with some negative space.
Pakistani Henna
Similar to the Indian Mehndi, but without any of the hindu symbols. The focus tends to be more on dome, mandala, floral and leaf elements.
West0-Indie Fusion Henna
Inspired by the Indian Mehndi and Bollywood. When it comes to detail, this style is much more focused on elements that are more jewelry inspired. Think chandeliers, bold lines, with a little of traditional mixed in. A style I get asked for a lot and is similar to my own artistic style.
Moroccan Henna
So unique! This style unlike the others is commonly applied with a syringe instead of cone, and the lines are so geometric. Think tribal symbols, zigzag lines, triangles, and lots of dots. This is the style that is usually used on men due to the straighter lines and lack of curvature.