Henna

Whenever you hear the word henna, pictures of tattoos come to mind. You may have had henna on you already once, twice or perhaps more. But do you know what henna is?

Known to the scientific world as Lawsonia inermis, Henna is a flowering shrub that has been used for centuries primarily because of its pigment properties. It naturally grows in countries with hot climates like in northern Africa, the Middle East and southern Asia.  Henna has been used for centuries not only as a dye but also for medications and as a perfume.  

Harvested henna leaves are made into powder by drying, grounding and straining. The fine powder is then made into paste. Henna paste is then used to dye skin, hair, fingernails, leather and wool. It was also traditionally used in ceremonies where henna is applied to hair, hands and feet. This tradition is as believed to ward off evil and bring the wearer good luck. 

In traditional Mehndi, henna is used to decorate the skin of those participating in special ceremonies like weddings. 

Fast forward to present time, Henna is now becoming a trend and since henna is grown in various tropical or subtropical regions around the world, many varieties of powder are produced from bright green to grayish-green to a dull brown in color. Mixed with other essential oils like eucalyptus, the resulting henna dye can be mostly in reds, purples, oranges or browns.

With the numerous henna designs available, more and more are becoming attracted to getting a henna tattoo. While others who love making changes to their hairs opt to use henna hair dyes. 

As one henna enthusiast wrote: “ I love henna tattoos because  they are fun to get spontaneously, they aren't permanent and it helps me decide if I want the 'real-deal' !”