Henna, or mehndi, is an ancient body art which uses a natural dye to created beautiful temporary patterns on the skin. The dye, lawsone, comes from the leaves of the henna plant (Lawsonia Inermis.) When the ground leaves are mixed into a paste and applied to skin, the dye soaks into the surface cells of the skin. These surface cells exfoliate over time making henna designs temporary. The process, when done correctly and with pure henna, is completely safe, natural, and fun way to wear art and celebrate your body.

The words "henna" and "mehndi" both refer to the plant, the paste made from the plant, and the art made from the paste. The henna plant grows only in warm climates where night time temperatures tend to stay above 50 degrees Fahrenheit. The plants only produces substantial amounts of dye in desert

regions such as the Arabian Peninsula, the Middle east, Northern Africa, and Northwest India. All of these areas have traditions of using henna for dying skin, hair, textiles, and medicinal uses.

Henna Paste is made when the leaves of the henna plant are dried, milled and sifted into what appears to be green baby powder, and smells like hay. They powder is then mixed with a mildly acidic liquid like lemon juice. This releases the dye from the plant matter. Certain essential oils such as lavender or cajeput are added because they contain monoterpene alcohols that help dissolve the dye. Sugar is also added to help the paste have some elasticity and stick to skin better. The past is then applied to skin and left on for several hours or more. When the paste is removed, the skin beneath will be orange. With exposure to the air over a day or two the color matures to something in the range of deep browns and reds. This “tattoo” will fade slowly over the next 2 weeks as the dyed surface cells are exfoliated.
In cultures that have henna traditions, henna is often used to celebrate holidays and religious celebrations. It is important to understand, however, that henna is not a holy item or practice. Its much like the Christian use of an evergreen tree to celebrate Christmas. Evergreen trees are in no way holy to Christians, its just a traditional way of celebrating.
Its easy to get hooked on henna! Unlike ink tattoos, you'll never run out of canvas... At least not permanently. There's always more to learn. One can study the science of how henna works, the traditions in which it is used, the patterns that vary by region and of course developing one's artistic ability. Welcome to a new obsession!