Mehandi - Henna

Mehandi - Henna

Henna, also called mehndi and mehandi, is an all-natural, reddish brown body stain that looks like a tattoo but isn't.  The paste made from the dried, ground leaves of the henna shrub, Lawsonia Inermis and a liquid solution that varies from place to place and person to person, has been in use as a cosmetic from ancient times.  Some of the earliest records that we have shows its use in Ancient Egypt where it was used to stain the hands, feet nails and to colour and condition the hair.  Traces of henna have even been found on the nails of mummified Pharoahs.  In the days of the Pharoahs the wearing of henna was a mark of being of the higher classes, if you could take the time needed to apply and care for your skin you obviously lived a life of luxury, over time that changed and every woman be she of high or low birth, country or city born had henna applied to her skin, many at least twice a year for special occasions. 

The dried, crushed henna powder is mixed with a combination of liquids, some used are black tea, coffee, water, lemon or lime juice and assorted essential oils, the paste is then left to cure for several hours before it is ready to apply on the skin.  After the design is complete the paste is left on the skin anywhere from 6 to 24 hours, many times it is wrapped and left on overnight to achieve a deeper stain. Henna works by staining the outer layer of skin, called the epidermis.  The deepest cells of the epidermis are constantly creating new cells and as these new cells rise to the surface the old cells die and are discarded, thus causing the design to gradually fade away.