Here are some Frequently Asked Henna Questions
How do I prepare for my henna appointment?
How do I preserve my henna stain?
Henna Ingredient List & Disclaimer
What is Henna?
Henna is an all natural dye for the skin. Henna is extracted from the Lawsonia inermis tree by drying and grinding leaves and stems. The greenish powder, when mixed with an lemon juice, makes a temporary red, brown, or orange design on a porous surface. People use henna in ritual skin painting, called Mehndi, for birth and marriage celebrations. Western cultures have adopted henna to make temporary tattoos and organic hair dye. The Lawsonia inermis grows in hot, arid regions like North Africa and India. For centuries, people ground the foliage of the plant into a powder to dye cloth and skin. The strong pigment, lawsone, actually temporarily stains the skin. The dye is a dark pigment, but does not alter the surface permanently.
Please read the Henna Ingredient List & Disclaimer before contacting
Kelly Caroline Henna Art, LLC
How Long Does Henna Last?
A Henna tattoo typically lasts 10 days – 2 weeks. Some designs can can last 3+ weeks. The strength of the stain henna leaves behind is a variable based on skin type, the area of the body that is decorated, and the after care of the design. Henna stains the palms of the hands, the top of the hands and feet the longest. The stain will last longer if the area is not regularly exfoliated with soap and water. To protect your design in water, apply an oil or bee waxed-based balm over it. Henna starts out as a dark brown paste when it is applied. It dries usually in one hour. The longer you leave the dried paste on, the darker the stain will be and longer it lasts. You can wrap the dried paste with plastic wrap if you would like to wait overnight for the paste to fall off. When the dried paste falls off, the stain will be light orange in color and continue to darken. Remember, the henna design reaches its darkest 2 days after your henna is applied.
The henna stain as it darkens over 24 Hours
Please read the Henna Ingredient List & Disclaimer before contacting
Kelly Caroline Henna Art, LLC
How to Prepare for Your Henna Appointment?
Here are a few key things to remember before having henna done and how to care for henna:
1. Henna stains the best on clean, dry skin. Please do not apply any lotions or oils to the area where you want your design. Its a good idea to shower and exfoliate before your appointment, too.
2. For brides, make sure you have someone to assist you after your appointment if your arms, hands, feet, legs will be covered in henna.
3. Be sure to eat, use the restroom, take out your contacts, etc BEFORE we get started doing your henna since it will be very difficult to do these tasks after the henna is applied to your hands.
4. Remember that henna takes anywhere from 10 – 30 minutes to totally dry depending on the environment and amount of henna applied. Be mindful of this before deciding where your design will go. The less you move before it dries, the better. You want to avoid smearing and premature cracking of the dried paste. You’ll want to leave the dried paste on for as long as you can. The longer it stays on your skin, the darker you stain can get. At least 2 hours but overnight it best.
Please read the Henna Ingredient List & Disclaimer before contacting
Kelly Caroline Henna Art, LLC
How To Preserve Your Henna Stain.
*When the paste eventually falls off, the design will be a light orange / yellow. It will oxidize over the next 24 – 48 hours to be a rich dark brown / mahogany color.
* Avoid scrubbing the area with water or soap. Apply a natural oil such as sesame oil, olive oil or a waxy body balm like Mama Bee Belly Balm from Burt’s Bees before and after showering.
* ENJOY the pampering experience of having henna done !
Please read the Henna Ingredient List & Disclaimer before contacting
Kelly Caroline Henna Art, LLC
What Is “Black Henna”?
“Black henna” IS NOT real henna. Black “henna” contains unsafe and toxic chemicals such as PPD. PPD can cause scaring and extreme allergic reactions. Please be aware of the difference between fake, dangerous black “henna” & real brown henna- especially when traveling to coastal regions because that’s where black “henna” is most prevalent.
The henna that is used by Kelly Caroline Henna artists is only safe, organic BROWN HENNA powder mixed with essential oils.
Please read the Henna Ingredient List & Disclaimer before contacting
Kelly Caroline Henna Art, LLC
Henna Care Instructions
Please remember, henna body art is not an exact science. Henna stains differently on everyone for many reasons: area of the body, heat and moisture variables and aftercare. If you follow the above guidelines, your henna stain should last 1-3 weeks.
The following are some steps you can follow to ensure a nice stain:
1. LEAVE PASTE ON AS LONG AS POSSIBLE
You should leave the paste on as long as you can, at least 5-6 hours or more. Leave paste on overnight for best results. The longer the paste stays on the skin, the darker and longer it will last. Heat and moisture help the stain darken faster. Try warming up the area.
2. ADDITIONAL CARE
To add more depth to your stain, sparingly apply lemon juice to the paste to re-moisten it. Allow that to dry then wrap it with paper towel and then elastic bandage or plastic wrap overnight.
3. REMOVING THE PASTE
DO NOT USE WATER. You can use lemon juice or olive oil to remove the paste. You can also gently scrape the paste off or let it fall off naturally. The longer the stain stays dry, the better. The design will be bright orange when the paste is removed, but then it will continue to darken. The stain reaches its darkest point 48 hours after the paste is removed.
4. MOISTURIZE AND PROTECT THE AREA
Apply wax balm or oil to prevent exfoliation. Avoid rubbing the area with soap or washcloths. Also avoid moisturizers with fruit acids (Alpha-Hydroxy Acid) or bleaching agents that will prematurely lighten the stain. Exfoliation is what causes the stain to fade. The less you touch the area, the better.
Please read the Henna Ingredient List & Disclaimer before contacting
Kelly Caroline Henna Art, LLC