About Henna
Henna is known locally throughout the Middle East and North Africa as ‘Henna’ or ‘Hene’. It is also known as ‘Mendhi’ or ‘Mehendi’ in India & Pakistan.
Henna powder destined for colouring the hair & adorning the skin is made from the crushed leaves of the Henna Plant Lawsonia Inermis, a tall shrub-like plant that thrives in hot and dry climates. To produce the finest quality henna powder the leaves are air-dried, out of direct sunlight, in order to preserve the staining properties. The dried leaves are then ground into a fine powder, ready for preparing henna paste.
Historically, across all of the Eastern regions where women have traditionally hennaed each other, the application is often strongly linked with ceremonial & celebrational occasions, like weddings and religious festivals. So henna has assumed an essential role in most Eastern households. Knowing no boundaries, at least twice a year, henna adorns the hands & feet of most women, princesses and housewives alike.
We began actively promoting Henna Body Art in the Western World back in 1993. The results are clear to see; Henna Body Art is here to stay and a new Western tradition of Henna Body Art has evolved, with new and exciting artwork running alongside traditional Eastern styles. Henna Tattoos are now a well-established part of our Western Youth Culture. The new ‘Henna Tattoo’ design styles are now filtering back to the East, creating a renewed interest in an old traditional product in today’s Eastern Youth Culture – Henna Body Art goes full circle!
