Henna is NOT a tattoo.  Henna is NOT permanent.  Henna artists do not work with needles.

Henna does not have any particular religious significance, nor is it forbidden to any religion.  Hindus, Muslims, Jews, Christians, and many other groups of people have used henna in their social celebrations.  Henna is not forbidden to men, though it is primarily a women’s art.

Henna is plant that has a dye, lawsone, in its leaves, and that dye will stain skin, fingernails and hair. 

The paste stains skin just as a wet teabag stains a white tablecloth.  Your artist will apply henna paste in patterns on people’s skin, and that will leave a temporary stain when the paste falls off.  The henna stain will be orange when the paste comes off, and that stain will darken to a dark brick red or brown color in 48 hours.   

Henna paste should stay on the skin for several hours or over night, for the best possible stain.  If your party activities are such that the people cannot keep henna paste on their skin, the stain will be lighter and fainter.  Activities that lead to “henna mishaps” are dancing, swimming, and rambunctious or drunken behavior.   

Henna patterns on skin last from 1 – 5 weeks.  Henna lasts longest on palms and soles.  Henna lasts briefly on upper arms, backs, and faces.  

Dark brown or red is the normal color for henna.  Henna is NOT BLACK!  Any henna paste that quickly stains skin black has PPD in it, and that can cause severe allergic reactions, blistering and scarring.  Do not EVER hire a henna artist who uses “Black Henna”.  All Natural henna has a very high level of safety, and allergic reactions are very rare. 

Children under the age of 6 should not have henna because they may be G6PD deficient. No infant should be hennaed.
 
Your henna artist will need good light to work.  Do not ask your henna artist to work in a dimly lit room. If your henna artist cannot see, the designs cannot be very good. 

Your henna artist will need to be out of the sun, rain, wind, and cold. 

Your henna artist may need one or more tables and chairs, nearby running water to wash hands, and a trash basket. 

This section was written by henna artist Catherine Cartwright Jones, the world's leading authority on the history, traditions, chemistry and techniques of henna.