Henna (Lawsonia Inermis), also known as mehndi is  a desert shrub.  It grows in hot, dry climates like India, Pakistan, the Middle East, and parts of Africa.  The leaves of the plant are dried and crushed into powder.  The powder is then sifted multiple times to leave only the finest henna.  This powder is then mixed with water and essential oils to make a paste.  This henna paste is used to draw the henna on skin.

Henna is considered to be safe for children over age six, and pregnant women.  Black “henna” contains PPD which is a toxic chemical which can cause severe allergic reactions and permanent scars.  Real henna leaves a reddish stain which takes hours to develop. Hiral Henna only uses natural henna and ingredients and does not recommend the use of black “henna”.

Applying the henna designs can take a few minutes for a simple motif to several hours for intricate bridal mehndi.  The paste should be left on for 6 hours or overnight for best results before scraping off.  The stain should be bright orange at first, and darken over 24-48 hours after paste removal.  For best results, avoid touching water to your henna design for several hours after paste removal. To prolong the life of your design, apply something greasy (oil, lotion, petroleum jelly, etc) before bathing.  Also, pat the area of the henna design dry instead of rubbing it.  The more you exfoliate, the quicker your henna design will fade away.

Henna designs last 1-4 weeks depending on which part of the body you get them on and how well you take care of them.  Henna tends to stain better and last longer on thicker skin such as your palms and feet.  Areas that are not exfoliated often such as your legs last longer than henna on your hands, which are washed a lot.  Neck, back, and belly henna tends to last for 7-10 days only, because that skin is thin oily.

Henna shows up on just about everyone. If your skin is a very deep color the best place for a design is on the palms of the hands.  No matter what your skin tone, henna always shows up best on the palms of the hands. Glitter henna is also a great temporary option.

* Please shower before your appointment and leave the skin clean and dry (i.e.: no lotions or sprays).
* Waxing,manicures, and pedicures should be done before the henna.
* Henna takes up to 48 hours to reach the peak stain color, so be sure to book your appointment at least 2 days before you want to show off your henna.