Q: How long does henna last?

A: Anywhere from 2-4 weeks is pretty standard. Usually henna will last 1-2 weeks of good color and 1-2 weeks of fading color. Certain things will lessen the life of the design such as chemicals in hot tubs and swimming pools, exfoliating, harsh soaps and scrubs, and lotions containing alpha hydroxy or other skin-sluffing chemicals. Henna does not tend to last as long on the torso or head. Henna on the head for example, will be lighter in color and will last about a week.

Q: Where does henna stain darkest?

A: Henna stains darkest on the hands, feet, ankles, and wrists. The further in towards the center of your body the design is put, the lighter it generally is. Henna stains darkest on areas with lots of dead skin.

Q: What is henna made of?

A: Henna is made from the crushed up dried leaves of the henna plant. These leaves are then sifted to remove debris and then henna is mixed with lemon juice, sugar, and a mixture of safe essential oils.

Q: What is black henna? Do you use black henna?

Natural henna never stains black. In the photos, the henna may appear black- this is because the paste is still on the skin. The paste, when dry is a blackish-green color.  Unfortunatley, some artists, especially in Mexico, Las Vegas, and Hawaii use “henna” that stains your skin black. The substance they are using is usually henna that has been mixed with with harmful chemicals such as PPD (para-phenylenediamine). This substance will dye the skin jet black in as quickly as 20 minutes, however PPD is a known carcinogen and can be quite harmful cause burning, rashes, scarring, and/or blood poisoning. Meghan’s Mehndi NEVER uses black henna.

Please email your henna questions to meghansmehndi@gmail.com and we will do our best to answer them. Look forward to hearing from you!