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Henna is a reddish
dye Juan de Guillebon, better known by his stage name DyE, is a French musician. He is known for the music video of the single "Fantasy Fantasy is a genre of speculative fiction that involves supernatural or Magic (supernatural), magical ele ...
prepared from the dried and powdered leaves of the henna tree. It has been used since at least the
ancient Egypt Ancient Egypt () was a cradle of civilization concentrated along the lower reaches of the Nile River in Northeast Africa. It emerged from prehistoric Egypt around 3150BC (according to conventional Egyptian chronology), when Upper and Lower E ...
ian period as a hair and body dye, notably in the temporary body art of
mehndi Mehndi () is a form of temporary skin decoration using a paste created with henna. In the West, mehndi is commonly known as henna tattoo, although it is not a permanent tattoo. Mehndi is a popular form of body art in South Asia and resembl ...
(or "henna tattoo") resulting from the staining of the
skin Skin is the layer of usually soft, flexible outer tissue covering the body of a vertebrate animal, with three main functions: protection, regulation, and sensation. Other animal coverings, such as the arthropod exoskeleton, have different ...
using dyes from the henna plant. After henna stains reach their peak colour, they hold for a few days and then gradually wear off by way of exfoliation, typically within one to three weeks. Henna has been used in ancient Egypt,
ancient Near East The ancient Near East was home to many cradles of civilization, spanning Mesopotamia, Egypt, Iran (or Persia), Anatolia and the Armenian highlands, the Levant, and the Arabian Peninsula. As such, the fields of ancient Near East studies and Nea ...
and the
Indian subcontinent The Indian subcontinent is a physiographic region of Asia below the Himalayas which projects into the Indian Ocean between the Bay of Bengal to the east and the Arabian Sea to the west. It is now divided between Bangladesh, India, and Pakista ...
to dye skin, hair, and fingernails; as well as fabrics including
silk Silk is a natural fiber, natural protein fiber, some forms of which can be weaving, woven into textiles. The protein fiber of silk is composed mainly of fibroin and is most commonly produced by certain insect larvae to form cocoon (silk), c ...
,
wool Wool is the textile fiber obtained from sheep and other mammals, especially goats, rabbits, and camelids. The term may also refer to inorganic materials, such as mineral wool and glass wool, that have some properties similar to animal w ...
, and
leather Leather is a strong, flexible and durable material obtained from the tanning (leather), tanning, or chemical treatment, of animal skins and hides to prevent decay. The most common leathers come from cattle, sheep, goats, equine animals, buffal ...
. Historically, henna was used in
West Asia West Asia (also called Western Asia or Southwest Asia) is the westernmost region of Asia. As defined by most academics, UN bodies and other institutions, the subregion consists of Anatolia, the Arabian Peninsula, Iran, Mesopotamia, the Armenian ...
including the
Arabian Peninsula The Arabian Peninsula (, , or , , ) or Arabia, is a peninsula in West Asia, situated north-east of Africa on the Arabian plate. At , comparable in size to India, the Arabian Peninsula is the largest peninsula in the world. Geographically, the ...
and in
Carthage Carthage was an ancient city in Northern Africa, on the eastern side of the Lake of Tunis in what is now Tunisia. Carthage was one of the most important trading hubs of the Ancient Mediterranean and one of the most affluent cities of the classic ...
, other parts of
North Africa North Africa (sometimes Northern Africa) is a region encompassing the northern portion of the African continent. There is no singularly accepted scope for the region. However, it is sometimes defined as stretching from the Atlantic shores of t ...
,
West Africa West Africa, also known as Western Africa, is the westernmost region of Africa. The United Nations geoscheme for Africa#Western Africa, United Nations defines Western Africa as the 16 countries of Benin, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, The Gambia, Gha ...
,
Central Africa Central Africa (French language, French: ''Afrique centrale''; Spanish language, Spanish: ''África central''; Portuguese language, Portuguese: ''África Central'') is a subregion of the African continent comprising various countries accordin ...
, the
Horn of Africa The Horn of Africa (HoA), also known as the Somali Peninsula, is a large peninsula and geopolitical region in East Africa.Robert Stock, ''Africa South of the Sahara, Second Edition: A Geographical Interpretation'', (The Guilford Press; 2004), ...
and the
Indian subcontinent The Indian subcontinent is a physiographic region of Asia below the Himalayas which projects into the Indian Ocean between the Bay of Bengal to the east and the Arabian Sea to the west. It is now divided between Bangladesh, India, and Pakista ...
. The name ''henna'' is used in other skin and hair dyes, such as ''black henna'' and ''neutral henna'', neither of which is derived from the henna plant.


Etymology

The word ''henna'' comes from the
Arabic Arabic (, , or , ) is a Central Semitic languages, Central Semitic language of the Afroasiatic languages, Afroasiatic language family spoken primarily in the Arab world. The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) assigns lang ...
(
ALA-LC ALA-LC (American Library AssociationLibrary of Congress) is a set of standards for romanization, the representation of text in other writing systems using the Latin script. Applications The system is used to represent bibliographic information by ...
: ''ḥinnāʾ''; pronounced ).


History

The origins of the initial human uses of henna are uncertain; however, there are records that the plant was marketed in
Babylonia Babylonia (; , ) was an Ancient history, ancient Akkadian language, Akkadian-speaking state and cultural area based in the city of Babylon in central-southern Mesopotamia (present-day Iraq and parts of Kuwait, Syria and Iran). It emerged as a ...
, and was used in
Ancient Egypt Ancient Egypt () was a cradle of civilization concentrated along the lower reaches of the Nile River in Northeast Africa. It emerged from prehistoric Egypt around 3150BC (according to conventional Egyptian chronology), when Upper and Lower E ...
on some
mummies A mummy is a dead human or an animal whose soft tissues and Organ (biology), organs have been preserved by either intentional or accidental exposure to Chemical substance, chemicals, extreme cold, very low humidity, or lack of air, so that the ...
to dye their hair, skin, nails, or funeral wrappings. It arrived in
North Africa North Africa (sometimes Northern Africa) is a region encompassing the northern portion of the African continent. There is no singularly accepted scope for the region. However, it is sometimes defined as stretching from the Atlantic shores of t ...
during the Punic civilization through Phoenician Diasporas where it was used as a beautification tool.
Pliny the Elder Gaius Plinius Secundus (AD 23/24 79), known in English as Pliny the Elder ( ), was a Roman Empire, Roman author, Natural history, naturalist, and naval and army commander of the early Roman Empire, and a friend of the Roman emperor, emperor Vesp ...
wrote about its use in the
Roman Empire The Roman Empire ruled the Mediterranean and much of Europe, Western Asia and North Africa. The Roman people, Romans conquered most of this during the Roman Republic, Republic, and it was ruled by emperors following Octavian's assumption of ...
as a medicine, a perfume, and a dye.


Preparation and application


Body art

Whole, unbroken henna leaves will not stain the skin because the active chemical agent,
lawsone Lawsone (2-hydroxy-1,4-naphthoquinone), also known as hennotannic acid, is a red-orange dye present in the leaves of the henna plant ('' Lawsonia inermis''), for which it is named, as well as in the common walnut ('' Juglans regia'') and water h ...
, is bound within the plant. However, dried henna leaves will stain the skin if they are mashed into a paste. The lawsone will gradually migrate from the henna paste into the outer layer of the skin and bind to the
protein Proteins are large biomolecules and macromolecules that comprise one or more long chains of amino acid residue (biochemistry), residues. Proteins perform a vast array of functions within organisms, including Enzyme catalysis, catalysing metab ...
s in it, creating a stain. Since it is difficult to form intricate patterns from coarsely crushed leaves, henna is commonly traded as a powder made by drying,
milling Milling may refer to: * Milling (minting), forming narrow ridges around the edge of a coin * Milling (grinding), breaking solid materials into smaller pieces by grinding, crushing, or cutting in a mill * Milling (machining), a process of using ro ...
and
sifting A sieve (), fine mesh strainer, or sift is a tool used for separating wanted elements from unwanted material or for controlling the particle size distribution of a sample, using a screen such as a woven mesh or net or perforated sheet mater ...
the leaves. The dry powder is mixed with one of a number of liquids, including water, lemon juice, strong tea, and other ingredients, depending on the tradition. Many artists use sugar or molasses in the paste to improve consistency to keep it stuck to the skin better. The henna mix must rest between one and 48 hours before use in order to release the lawsone from the leaf matter. The timing depends on the crop of henna being used. Essential oils with high levels of
monoterpene Monoterpenes are a class of terpenes that consist of two isoprene units and have the molecular formula C10H16. Monoterpenes may be linear (acyclic) or contain rings (monocyclic and bicyclic). Modified terpenes, such as those containing oxygen func ...
alcohols, such as tea tree, cajuput, or
lavender ''Lavandula'' (common name lavender) is a genus of 47 known species of perennial flowering plants in the sage family, Lamiaceae. It is native plant, native to the Old World, primarily found across the drier, warmer regions of the Mediterranean ...
, will improve skin stain characteristics. Other essential oils, such as eucalyptus and clove, are not used because they can irritate the skin. The paste can be applied with many traditional and innovative tools, starting with a basic stick or twig. In Morocco, a syringe is common. A plastic cone similar to those used to pipe icing onto cakes is used in India. A light stain may be achieved within minutes, but the longer the paste is left on the skin, the darker and longer lasting the stain will be, so it needs to be left on as long as possible. To prevent it from drying or falling off the skin, the paste is often sealed down by dabbing a sugar/lemon mix over the dried paste or adding some form of sugar to the paste. After some time, the dry paste is simply brushed or scraped away. The paste should be kept on the skin for a minimum of four to six hours, but longer times and even wearing the paste overnight is a common practice. Removal should not be done with water, as water interferes with the oxidation process of stain development. Cooking oil may be used to loosen dry paste. Henna stains are orange when the paste is first removed but darken over the following three days to a deep reddish brown due to oxidation. Soles and palms have the thickest layer of skin and so take up the most lawsone, and take it to the greatest depth, so that hands and feet will have the darkest and most long-lasting stains. Some also believe that steaming or warming the henna pattern will darken the stain, either during the time the paste is still on the skin or after the paste has been removed. It is debatable whether this adds to the color of the result as well. After the stain reaches its peak color, it holds for a few days, then gradually wears off by way of exfoliation, typically within one to three weeks. Natural henna pastes containing only henna powder, a liquid (water, lemon juice, etc.) and an essential oil (lavender, cajuput, tea tree etc.) are not "shelf stable," meaning they expire quickly, and cannot be left out on a shelf for over one week without losing their ability to stain the skin. The leaf of the henna plant contains a finite amount of lawsone. As a result, once the powder has been mixed into a paste, this leaching of dye molecules into the mixture will only occur for an average of two to six days. If a paste will not be used within the first few days after mixing, it can be frozen for up to four months to halt the dye release, for thawing and use at a later time. Commercially packaged pastes that remain able to stain the skin for longer than seven days without refrigeration or freezing contain other chemicals besides henna that may be dangerous to the skin. After the initial seven-day release of lawsone dye, the henna leaf is spent, therefore, any dye created by these commercial cones on the skin after this time period is actually the result of other compounds in the product. These chemicals are often undisclosed on packaging and have a wide range of colors, including what appears to be a natural-looking color stain produced by dyes such as sodium picramate. These products often do not contain any henna. There are many adulterated henna pastes such as these, and others, for sale today that are erroneously marketed as "natural", "pure", or "organic", all containing potentially dangerous undisclosed additives. The length of time a pre-manufactured paste takes to arrive in the hands of consumers is typically longer than the seven-day dye release window of henna, therefore one can reasonably expect that any pre-made mass-produced cone that is not shipped frozen is a potentially harmful adulterated chemical variety. · Henna only stains the skin one color, a variation of reddish brown, at full maturity three days after application. Powdered fresh henna, unlike pre-mixed paste, can be easily shipped around the world and stored for many years in a well-sealed package. Body art quality henna is often more finely sifted than henna powders for hair.


Hair/eyebrow dye


History

In Ancient Egypt,
Ahmose-Henuttamehu Ahmose-Henuttamehu ("Child of the Moon; Mistress of Lower Egypt") was a princess and queen of the late seventeenth dynasty of Egypt, 17th-early eighteenth dynasty of Egypt, 18th dynasties of Egypt. Family Ahmose-Henuttamehu was a daughter of Phar ...
(17th Dynasty, 1574 BCE) was probably a daughter of
Seqenenre Tao Seqenenre Tao (also Seqenera Djehuty-aa or Sekenenra Taa, called 'the Brave') was a pharaoh who ruled over the last of the local kingdoms of the Theban region of Egypt in the Seventeenth Dynasty during the Second Intermediate Period. Famil ...
and
Ahmose Inhapy Ahmose-Inhapy or Ahmose-Inhapi (referred to as Anhapou by Maspero) was a princess and queen of the late 17th Dynasty and early 18th Dynasty. Life She was probably a daughter of Pharaoh Senakhtenre and was sister to Pharaoh Seqenenre Tao, and t ...
. Smith reports that the mummy of Henuttamehu's own hair had been dyed a bright red at the sides, probably with henna. In Europe, henna was popular among women connected to the
aesthetic movement Aestheticism (also known as the aesthetic movement) was an art movement in the late 19th century that valued the appearance of literature, music, fonts and the arts over their functions. According to Aestheticism, art should be produced to b ...
and the
Pre-Raphaelite The Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood (PRB), later known as the Pre-Raphaelites, was a group of English painters, poets, and art critics, founded in 1848 by William Holman Hunt, John Everett Millais, Dante Gabriel Rossetti, William Michael Rossetti, ...
artists of England in the 1800s.
Dante Gabriel Rossetti Gabriel Charles Dante Rossetti (12 May 1828 – 9 April 1882), generally known as Dante Gabriel Rossetti ( ; ), was an English poet, illustrator, painter, translator, and member of the Rossetti family. He founded the Pre-Raphaelite Brother ...
's wife and muse,
Elizabeth Siddal Elizabeth Eleanor Siddall (25 July 1829 – 11 February 1862), better known as Elizabeth Siddal (a spelling she adopted in 1853), was an English artist, art model, and poet. Siddal was perhaps the most significant of the female models who pos ...
, had naturally bright red hair. Contrary to the cultural tradition in Britain that considered red hair unattractive, the Pre-Raphaelites fetishized red hair. Siddal was portrayed by Rossetti in many paintings that emphasized her flowing red hair. The other Pre-Raphaelites, including
Evelyn De Morgan Evelyn De Morgan (30 August 1855 – 2 May 1919) was an English painter associated early in her career with the later phase of the Pre-Raphaelite Movement, and working in a range of styles including Aestheticism and Symbolism. Her paintings are ...
and
Frederick Sandys Anthony Frederick Augustus Sandys (born Antonio Frederic Augustus Sands; 1 May 1829 – 25 June 1904), usually known as Frederick Sandys, was a British painter, illustrator, and draughtsman, associated with the Pre-Raphaelites. He was also asso ...
, academic classicists such as
Frederic Leighton Frederic Leighton, 1st Baron Leighton, (3 December 1830 – 25 January 1896), known as Sir Frederic Leighton between 1878 and 1896, was a British Victorian painter, draughtsman, and sculptor. His works depicted historical, biblical, and clas ...
, and French painters such as
Gaston Bussière Gaston Bussière (April 24, 1862, in Cuisery – October 29, 1928 or 1929, in Saulieu) was a French Symbolist painter and illustrator. Biography Bussière studied at l'Académie des Beaux-Arts in Lyon before entering the école des beaux-ar ...
and the
Impressionists Impressionism was a 19th-century art movement characterized by visible brush strokes, open composition, emphasis on accurate depiction of light in its changing qualities (often accentuating the effects of the passage of time), ordinary subjec ...
, further popularized the association of henna-dyed hair and young bohemian women. Opera singer
Adelina Patti Adelina Patti (19 February 184327 September 1919) was a Spanish-Italian opera singer. At the height of her career, she was earning huge fees performing in the music capitals of Europe and America. She first sang in public as a child in 1851, a ...
is sometimes credited with popularizing the use of henna in Europe in the late nineteenth century. Parisian courtesan
Cora Pearl Cora Pearl (born Eliza Emma Crouch; December 1836 – 8 July 1886) was an English courtesan or Cocotte (prostitute), cocotte of the French demimonde who became most well known during the period of the Second French Empire. Early life Eliza Emma C ...
was often referred to as La Lune Rousse (the red-haired moon) for dyeing her hair red. In her memoirs, she relates an incident when she dyed her pet dog's fur to match her own hair. By the 1950s,
Lucille Ball Lucille Désirée Ball (August 6, 1911 – April 26, 1989) was an American actress, comedian, producer, and studio executive. She was recognized by ''Time (magazine), Time'' in 2020 as one of the most influential women of the 20th century for h ...
popularized "henna rinse" as her character, Lucy Ricardo, called it on the television show ''
I Love Lucy ''I Love Lucy'' is an American sitcom that originally aired on CBS from October 15, 1951, to May 6, 1957, with a total of 180 half-hour episodes spanning six seasons. The series starred Lucille Ball and her husband Desi Arnaz, along with Vivian ...
''. It gained popularity among young people in the 1960s through a growing interest in Eastern cultures.


Today

Commercially packaged henna, intended for use as a cosmetic hair dye, originated in ancient Egypt and the ancient Near East and is now popular in many countries in South Asia, Europe, Australia, and North America. The color that results from dyeing with henna depends on the original color of the hair, as well as the quality of the henna, and can range from orange to auburn to burgundy. Henna can be mixed with other natural hair dyes, including '' Cassia obovata'' for lighter shades of red or even blond and
indigo InterGlobe Aviation Limited (d/b/a IndiGo), is an India, Indian airline headquartered in Gurgaon, Haryana, India. It is the largest List of airlines of India, airline in India by passengers carried and fleet size, with a 64.1% domestic market ...
to achieve brown and black shades. Some products sold as "henna" include these other
natural dye Natural dyes are dyes or colorants derived from plants, invertebrates, or minerals. The majority of natural dyes are vegetable dyes from plant sources—roots, berry, berries, Bark (botany), bark, leaf, leaves, and wood—and other biological sourc ...
s. Others may include metal salts that can interact with other chemical treatments, oils and waxes that may inhibit the dye, or dyes which may be allergens. Apart from its use as a hair dye, henna has recently been used as a temporal substitute to eyebrow pencil or even as eyebrow embroidery.


Traditions of henna as body art

The different words for henna in ancient languages imply that it had more than one point of discovery and origin, as well as different pathways of daily and ceremonial use. Henna has been used to adorn young women's bodies as part of social and holiday celebrations since the late
Bronze Age The Bronze Age () was a historical period characterised principally by the use of bronze tools and the development of complex urban societies, as well as the adoption of writing in some areas. The Bronze Age is the middle principal period of ...
in the
Eastern Mediterranean The Eastern Mediterranean is a loosely delimited region comprising the easternmost portion of the Mediterranean Sea, and well as the adjoining land—often defined as the countries around the Levantine Sea. It includes the southern half of Turkey ...
. The earliest text mentioning henna in the context of marriage and fertility celebrations comes from the
Ugarit Ugarit (; , ''ủgrt'' /ʾUgarītu/) was an ancient port city in northern Syria about 10 kilometers north of modern Latakia. At its height it ruled an area roughly equivalent to the modern Latakia Governorate. It was discovered by accident in 19 ...
ic legend of
Baal Baal (), or Baʻal, was a title and honorific meaning 'owner' or 'lord Lord is an appellation for a person or deity who has authority, control, or power (social and political), power over others, acting as a master, chief, or ruler. The ...
and
Anath Anat (, ), Anatu, classically Anath (; ''ʿnt''; ''ʿĂnāṯ''; ; ; Egyptian: '' ꜥntjt'') was a goddess associated with warfare and hunting, best known from the Ugaritic texts. Most researchers assume that she originated in the Amorite ...
, which has references to women marking themselves with henna in preparation to meet their husbands, and Anath adorning herself with henna to celebrate a victory over the enemies of Baal. Wall paintings excavated at Akrotiri (dating before the eruption of
Thera Santorini (, ), officially Thira (, ) or Thera, is a Greek island in the southern Aegean Sea, about southeast from the mainland. It is the largest island of a small, circular archipelago formed by the Santorini caldera. It is the southernmos ...
in 1680 BCE) show women with markings consistent with henna on their nails, palms and soles, in a tableau consistent with the henna bridal description from Ugarit. Many statuettes of young women dating between 1500 and 500 BCE along the Mediterranean coastline have raised hands with markings consistent with henna. This early connection between young, fertile women and henna seems to be the origin of the Night of the Henna, which is now celebrated in all the Middle East. The Night of the Henna was celebrated by most groups in the areas where henna grew naturally: Jews, Muslims, Sikhs, and Hindus among others, all celebrated marriages and weddings by adorning the bride, and often the groom, with henna. Across the henna-growing region,
Purim Purim (; , ) is a Jewish holidays, Jewish holiday that commemorates the saving of the Jews, Jewish people from Genocide, annihilation at the hands of an official of the Achaemenid Empire named Haman, as it is recounted in the Book of Esther (u ...
, Eid,
Diwali Diwali (), also called Deepavali (IAST: ''Dīpāvalī'') or Deepawali (IAST: ''Dīpāwalī''), is the Hindu festival of lights, with variations celebrated in other Indian religions such as Jainism and Sikhism. It symbolises the spiritual v ...
,
Karva Chauth Karva Chauth or Karwa Chauth or Karaka Chaturthi () is a Hindu festival celebrated by Hindu women of Nepal, Northern India and Western India in October or November on the Bikram Sambat month of Kartika. Like many Hindu festivals, Karva Chau ...
,
Passover Passover, also called Pesach (; ), is a major Jewish holidays, Jewish holiday and one of the Three Pilgrimage Festivals. It celebrates the Exodus of the Israelites from slavery in Biblical Egypt, Egypt. According to the Book of Exodus, God in ...
,
Mawlid The Mawlid () is an annual festival commemorating the birthday of the Islamic prophet Muhammad on the traditional date of 12 Rabi' al-Awwal, the third month of the Islamic calendar. A day central to the traditions of some Sunnis, Mawlid is al ...
, and most saints' days were celebrated with some henna. Favourite horses, donkeys, and salukis had their hooves, paws, and tails hennaed. Battle victories, births, circumcision, birthdays,
Zār In the cultures of the Horn of Africa and adjacent regions of the Middle East, ''Zār'' (, ) is the term for a demon or spirit assumed to possess individuals, mostly women, and to cause discomfort or illness. The so-called ''zār'' ritual or ' ...
, as well as weddings, usually included some henna as part of the celebration. Bridal henna nights remain an important custom in many of these areas, particularly among traditional families. Henna was regarded as having
Barakah In Islam, ''Barakah'' or ''Baraka'' ( "blessing") is a blessing power, a kind of continuity of spiritual presence and revelation that begins with God and flows through that and those closest to God. The Quran is said to be charged with ''barakah' ...
("blessings"), and was applied for luck as well as joy and beauty.Westermarck, E. (1926). Ritual and Belief in Morocco Vols 1 & 2. London, UK: Macmillan and Company, Limited Brides typically had the most henna and the most complex patterns to support their greatest joy and wishes for luck. Some bridal traditions were very complex, such as those in Yemen, where the Jewish bridal henna process took four or five days to complete, with multiple applications and resist work. Specific henna designs may also vary by region. For example, geometric shapes such as triangles and diamonds characteristic of traditional Moroccan beading are represented in Moroccan henna designs. The fashion of " Bridal Mehndi" in North Indian, Bangladesh, Northern Libya and Pakistan is currently growing in complexity and elaboration, with new innovations in glitter, gilding, and fine-line work. Recent technological innovations in grinding, sifting, temperature control, and packaging henna, as well as government encouragement for henna cultivation, have improved the dye content and artistic potential for henna. Though traditional henna artists were from the
Nai Nai or NAI may refer to: Music * ''Nai'' (album), an album by singer Anna Vissi * Nai (pan flute), a wind instrument, also known as a pan flute (Romania and Moldova) * "Nai" (song), a 2007 CD single by Irini Merkouri Organizations * NASA Astro ...
caste in India and barbering castes in other countries (lower social classes), talented contemporary henna artists can command high fees for their work. Women in countries where women are discouraged from working outside the home can find socially acceptable, lucrative work doing henna.
Morocco Morocco, officially the Kingdom of Morocco, is a country in the Maghreb region of North Africa. It has coastlines on the Mediterranean Sea to the north and the Atlantic Ocean to the west, and has land borders with Algeria to Algeria–Morocc ...
,
Mauritania Mauritania, officially the Islamic Republic of Mauritania, is a sovereign country in Maghreb, Northwest Africa. It is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the west, Western Sahara to Mauritania–Western Sahara border, the north and northwest, ...
,
Yemen Yemen, officially the Republic of Yemen, is a country in West Asia. Located in South Arabia, southern Arabia, it borders Saudi Arabia to Saudi Arabia–Yemen border, the north, Oman to Oman–Yemen border, the northeast, the south-eastern part ...
,
Libya Libya, officially the State of Libya, is a country in the Maghreb region of North Africa. It borders the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Egypt to Egypt–Libya border, the east, Sudan to Libya–Sudan border, the southeast, Chad to Chad–L ...
,
Somalia Somalia, officially the Federal Republic of Somalia, is the easternmost country in continental Africa. The country is located in the Horn of Africa and is bordered by Ethiopia to the west, Djibouti to the northwest, Kenya to the southwest, th ...
,
Kenya Kenya, officially the Republic of Kenya, is a country located in East Africa. With an estimated population of more than 52.4 million as of mid-2024, Kenya is the 27th-most-populous country in the world and the 7th most populous in Africa. ...
,
Sudan Sudan, officially the Republic of the Sudan, is a country in Northeast Africa. It borders the Central African Republic to the southwest, Chad to the west, Libya to the northwest, Egypt to the north, the Red Sea to the east, Eritrea and Ethiopi ...
, the
United Arab Emirates The United Arab Emirates (UAE), or simply the Emirates, is a country in West Asia, in the Middle East, at the eastern end of the Arabian Peninsula. It is a Federal monarchy, federal elective monarchy made up of Emirates of the United Arab E ...
,
India India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area; the List of countries by population (United Nations), most populous country since ...
and many other countries have thriving women's henna businesses. These businesses are often open all night for Eid,
Diwali Diwali (), also called Deepavali (IAST: ''Dīpāvalī'') or Deepawali (IAST: ''Dīpāwalī''), is the Hindu festival of lights, with variations celebrated in other Indian religions such as Jainism and Sikhism. It symbolises the spiritual v ...
and
Karva Chauth Karva Chauth or Karwa Chauth or Karaka Chaturthi () is a Hindu festival celebrated by Hindu women of Nepal, Northern India and Western India in October or November on the Bikram Sambat month of Kartika. Like many Hindu festivals, Karva Chau ...
. Many women may work together during a large wedding, wherein hundreds of guests have henna applied to their body parts. This particular event at a marriage is known as the Mehndi Celebration or Mehndi Night or Laylat al Henna, and is mainly held for the bride and groom.


Regions


Algeria

In
Algeria Algeria, officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria, is a country in the Maghreb region of North Africa. It is bordered to Algeria–Tunisia border, the northeast by Tunisia; to Algeria–Libya border, the east by Libya; to Alger ...
, brides receive gifts of jewellery and have henna painted on their hands before their weddings. The bride and the groom seal their vows in front of their guests by getting a circle-shaped henna applied on the palm of their hands. Usually, the grandmothers or mothers of the groom and bride apply this henna, and a small decorative pillow with a satin ribbon is attached to their hands for a few hours.


Afghanistan

In Afghanistan, henna is also known as "kheena". Culture of Afghanistan, Afghan tradition holds that henna brings good luck and happiness.Monger, George. 2004. ''Marriage customs of the world: from henna to honeymoons.'' Santa Barbara Calif: ABC-CLIO. It is used by both men and women on many occasions such as wedding nights, Nowruz, Nawroz, Eid al-Fitr, Eidul fitr, Eid al-Adha, Eidul Adha, Shab-e-barat, Shabe-e Barat, and Khitan (circumcision), circumcision celebrations.


Armenia

Henna traditions were widespread in both Eastern Armenia, eastern and western Armenia, however, the customs differ based on region. The henna night, called ''hina gisher'' or ''khennagedje'' in Armenian language, Armenian, has always been deemed an essential part of Armenian marriage traditions. In Kayseri, Kesaria, henna parties were organized by the bride’s female friends and family on the Friday before her wedding. Traditional Armenian henna was usually applied on the fingertips, however young women also received designs on their hands. In Akkışla, Nirzeh, elderly women applied henna to young girls and boys. Furthermore, in the Armenian communities of Kozan, Adana, Sis, both the groom and the bride had henna nights, where the groom would get his hair cut and his friends bid for the honor of drawing the cross with henna on the hands of the groom and godfather. The tradition of ''hinadreq'', painting the palms of a bride-to-be, is still practiced in parts of Armenia today as a sign of fertility and happiness in married life.


Bangladesh

In Bangladesh, women use mehndi on hands on occasions like Bengali Muslim wedding, weddings and engagements as well as during Eid al-Fitr, Eid al-Adha and other events. In wedding ceremonies, the Mehndi ceremony has traditionally been separated into two events: one organized by the bride's family and one by the groom's family. These two events are solely dedicated for adorning the bride and groom in Mehndi and is known as a 'Mehndi Shondha' meaning the ''Evening of Mehndi''. Some brides tend to go for Alta (dye), Alta. Sometimes, Hindu women also apply Mehendi instead (or along with) Alta (dye), Alta on their feet during the Bodhu Boron ceremony.


Bulgaria

In an attempt to ritually clean a bride before her wedding day, Bulgarian Romani people, Romani decorate the bride with a blot of henna. This blot symbolizes the drop of blood on the couples' sheets after consummating the marriage and breaking the female's hymen. The tradition also holds that the longer the henna lasts, the longer the husband will love his new bride.


Egypt

In Egypt, the bride gathers with her friends the night before her wedding day to celebrate the henna night.


India

In India, Hindu women have motifs and tattoos on their hands and feet on occasions like weddings and engagements. In Kerala, women and girls, especially brides, have their hands decorated with Mailanchi. In North Indian wedding ceremonies, there is one evening solely dedicated for adorning the bride and groom in Mehndi, also known as 'Mehndi ki raat.


Iran

In Iran, the most common use of henna is among the long wedding rituals practiced in Iran. The henna ritual, which is called ḥanā-bandān, is held for both the bride and the bridegroom during the wedding weekhttp://www.iranicaonline.org "Encyclopædia Iranica." RSS. Accessed 24 March 2021. http://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/henna . The ceremony is held before the wedding and is a traditional farewell ritual for newlyweds before they officially start their life together in a new house. The ceremonies take place in the presence of family members, friends, relatives, neighbors, and guests. In Iran, Māzār () is indicating a job title for a person whose work is associated with the milling (grinding), milling or Mill (grinding), grinding henna leaves and sell it in a powder form. This type of business is an old job still alive in some parts of Iran, especially in the world-recognized archeologically ancient "Yazd" province. The most famous one is a family-owned business by "Mazar Atabaki" families resided in the land hundreds of years ago. Māzāri () is a place for milling henna mixed with other herbs.


Israel & Palestine

In Palestine (region), Israel and territories of the Palestinian National Authority, some Middle Eastern and North African Jewish communities and families, also Druze, Christian and Muslim ones, host henna parties the night or week before a wedding, according to familial customs. The use of henna in this region can be traced as far back to the Song of Songs in which the author wrote, "My beloved is to me a cluster of henna blossoms in the vineyards of Engedi." Sephardic Jews and Mizrahi Jews, such as Moroccan Jews and Yemenite Jews who have immigrated to Israel, continue these familial customs.


Malaysia

In Malaysia, henna () is used to adorn the bride and groom's hands before the wedding at a ''berinai'' ceremony.


Morocco

In
Morocco Morocco, officially the Kingdom of Morocco, is a country in the Maghreb region of North Africa. It has coastlines on the Mediterranean Sea to the north and the Atlantic Ocean to the west, and has land borders with Algeria to Algeria–Morocc ...
, henna is applied symbolically when individuals go through life cycle events. Moroccans refer to the paste as henna and the designs as naqsh, which means painting or inscription. In Morocco, there are two types of henna artists: non-specialists, who traditionally partake in wedding rituals, and specialists, who partake in tourism and decorative henna. Nqaasha, the low-end Henna specialists, are known for attracting tourists, which they refer to as gazelles or international tourists, in artisan slang. For Moroccans, a wedding festival can last up to 5 days, with 2 days involving henna art. One of these days is referred to as azmomeg (meaning unknown), and is the Thursday before the wedding where guests are invited to apply henna to the bride. The other henna ceremony occurs after the wedding ceremony, called the Day of Henna. On this day, typically an older woman applies henna to the bride after she dips in the mikveh to ward off evil spirits who may be jealous of the newlyweds. The groom is also painted with henna after the wedding. During the groom's henna painting, he commonly wears black clothing; this tradition emerged from the Pact of Umar as the Jews were not permitted to dress similar to colorful Muslim dress in Morocco.


Pakistan

In Pakistan, henna is often used in weddings, Eid al-Fitr, Eid ul fitr, Eid al-Adha, Eidul Adha, milad and other events. The henna ceremony is known as the Rasm-e-Heena, which is often one of the most important pre-wedding ceremonies celebrated by both the bride and groom's families. The night of
mehndi Mehndi () is a form of temporary skin decoration using a paste created with henna. In the West, mehndi is commonly known as henna tattoo, although it is not a permanent tattoo. Mehndi is a popular form of body art in South Asia and resembl ...
, the gathering at which the application of the henna is performed, usually falls on the second day of the festivities and one day before the wedding itself. The process commonly involves only the bride and groom but can also include close friends or other family members. The hands of the wedding couple are elegantly painted on this night to act as a sign of their union. In Sindh, henna is known as "Mehndi" and serves both as a decorative art on the hands, arms, feet, and legs, and as a natural dye for gray hair, used by both women and men in every ceremonial occasions, events and festivals. Mehndi is applied with traditional designs featuring motifs like mor (peacock), badak (duck), tikra (dotted), other floral and geometric designs are also used. Typically, female relatives apply henna to the groom’s hands and feet as part of the wedding ritual. Henna is both offered and received as part of religious rituals during the urs and mela (fairs) honoring Sufi saints. On the 7th day of Muharram, the tradition of carrying Mehndi to pay respect to Al-Qasim ibn Hasan ibn Ali, Hazrat Imam Qasim a.s is observed each year.


Saudi Arabia

In Saudi Arabia, henna has long been associated with wedding traditions in certain regions. Women adorn their hands and feet with intricate henna designs during these occasions. The night before the wedding is referred to as the "Henna Night" or “''Al-Ghumra.”'' On this evening” female relatives of the bride and groom gather at the bride's family home to decorate the bride's hands and feet with henna patterns. During Eid Al-Fitr and Eid Al-Adha, women also come together to prepare special henna mixtures for designs that vary by age group. On December 3, 2024, the tradition of "Henna, rituals, aesthetic and social practices" was inscribed on UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage List. This recognition was a collaborative effort between 16 Arab countries, including Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Egypt, the UAE, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Palestine, Tunisia, Algeria, Bahrain, Morocco, Mauritania, Oman, Yemen, and Qatar. The nomination was led by the United Arab Emirates, with Saudi Arabia represented by the Heritage Commission, in cooperation with the Saudi National Commission for Education, Culture, and Science, and Saudi Arabia's permanent delegation to UNESCO.


Somalia

In
Somalia Somalia, officially the Federal Republic of Somalia, is the easternmost country in continental Africa. The country is located in the Horn of Africa and is bordered by Ethiopia to the west, Djibouti to the northwest, Kenya to the southwest, th ...
, henna has been used for centuries. It is cultivated from the leaves of the Ellan tree, which grows wild in the mountainous regions of Somalia. It is used for practical purposes such as dyeing hair and also more extravagantly by coloring the fingers and toes of married women and creating intricate designs. It is also applied to the hands and feet of young Somalis, Somali women in preparation for their weddings and all the Islamic celebrations. Sometimes also done by young school girls for several occasions


Spain

Henna was cultivated in the Nasrid kingdom of Granada and applied to the face and hair by both sexes. After the Castilian conquest of Granada (1492), it was forbidden for Moriscos as it was a sign distinguishing them from Old Christians. After the expulsion of the Moriscos (1609–1614), cultivation ceased.


Sudan

In
Sudan Sudan, officially the Republic of the Sudan, is a country in Northeast Africa. It borders the Central African Republic to the southwest, Chad to the west, Libya to the northwest, Egypt to the north, the Red Sea to the east, Eritrea and Ethiopi ...
, Henna dyes are regarded with a special sanctity in Sudan and for that reason they are always present during happy occasions: weddings and children circumcisions, in particular. Henna has been part of Sudan's social and cultural heritage ever since the days of Sudan's ancient civilizations, where both would-be couples would get their hands and feet pigmented with this natural dye. Children also have their hands and feet dyed with henna during their circumcision festivity.


Tunisia

In Tunisia, the traditional wedding process begins 8 days before the wedding ceremony when a basket is delivered to the bride, which contains henna. The mother of the groom supervises the process in order to ensure all is being done correctly. Today, the groom accompanies the bride in the ritual at the henna party, but the majority of henna painting is done on the bride's body.


Turkey

During the Victorian era, Turkey was a major exporter of henna for use in dyeing hair. Henna parties were commonly practiced in Turkey similarly to Arab countries.


Yemen

For Yemenite Jews, most of them living in Israel, the purpose of a henna party is to ward off evil from the couple before their wedding. In some areas, the party has evolved from tradition to an opportunity for the family to show off their wealth in the dressing of the bride. For other communities, it is practiced as a ritual that has been passed on for generations. The dressing of the bride is typically done by a post-menopausal woman in the bride's family. Often, the dresser of the bride sings to the bride as she is dressed in exquisite designs. These songs discuss marriage, what married life is like, and address the feelings a bride may have before her wedding. The costumes worn by Yemenite brides to their henna parties is considered some of the most exquisite attire in the Yemenite community. These outfits include robes, headwear, and often several pounds of silver jewelry. This jewelry often holds fresh green herbs to ward off the Jinn in keeping with the ritual element of the party. The zavfa is the procession of the bride from her mother's house to the Henna Party. During the zavfa, the guests of the party sing traditional songs to the bride and bang on tin plates and drums to ward off evil. Today, it is common for the groom to join in on this aspect of the ritual, although traditionally it was only for the bride. During the party, guests eat, sing, and dance. Initially, the singing and dancing were to ward off the Jinn with loud noises, but today these elements are associated with the mitzvah of entertaining the bride and groom on their wedding day. In the middle of the party, the bride returns to her home to be painted in henna mixed by her mother. The mixture consists of rose water, eggs, cognac, salt, and shadab, believed to be a magical herb that repels evil. The bride changes into a less elaborate outfit and incense is burned while she is painted with henna. Then, another zavfa (procession) occurs as the bride returns to her party. Back at the henna party, the bride sits on stage while family members and friends come up to her to have their palms marked with blots of henna. These marks represent the long-lasting marriage as henna remains for many days. It also represents the blood from breaking the hymen upon consummating the marriage on the wedding night. Others add that the red stain on the hands of the guests is to mislead the evil spirits of the Jinn who are looking for the bride. After the painting, the party ends after lasting about 4 or 5 hours.


Health effects

Henna is known to be dangerous to people with glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency (G6PD deficiency), which is more common in males than females. Infants and children of particular ethnic groups, mainly from the Middle East and North Africa, are especially vulnerable. Though user accounts cite few other negative effects of natural henna paste, save for occasional mild allergic reactions (often associated with lemon juice or essential oils in a paste and not the henna itself), pre-mixed commercial henna body art pastes may have undisclosed ingredients added to darken stain or to alter the stain color. The health risks involved in pre-mixed paste can be significant. The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does consider these risks to be adulterants and therefore illegal for use on skin. Some commercial pastes have been noted to include: p-Phenylenediamine, sodium picramate, amaranth (dye), amaranth (red dye #2 banned in the US in 1976), silver nitrate, carmine, pyrogallol, disperse orange dye, and chromium. These have been found to cause allergic reactions, chronic inflammatory reactions, or late-onset allergic reactions to hairdressing products and textile dyes. The U.S. FDA has not approved henna for direct application to the skin. It is, however, Grandfather clause, grandfathered in as a hair dye and can only be imported for that purpose. Henna imported into the U.S. that appears to be for use as body art is subject to seizure, but prosecution is rare. Commercial henna products that are adulterated often claim to be 100% natural on product packaging in order to pass import regulations in other countries.


Black henna

Natural henna produces a rich red-brown stain, which can darken in the days after it is first applied and last for several weeks. It is sometimes referred to as "red henna" to differentiate it from products sold as "black henna" or "neutral henna," which may not actually contain henna, but are instead made from other plants or dyes. Black henna powder may be derived from
indigo InterGlobe Aviation Limited (d/b/a IndiGo), is an India, Indian airline headquartered in Gurgaon, Haryana, India. It is the largest List of airlines of India, airline in India by passengers carried and fleet size, with a 64.1% domestic market ...
(from the plant ''Indigofera tinctoria''). It may also contain unlisted dyes and chemicals such as p-Phenylenediamine, ''para''-phenylenediamine (PPD), which can stain skin black quickly, but can cause severe allergic reactions and permanent scarring if left on for more than 2–3 days. The FDA specifically forbids PPD to be used for this purpose and may prosecute those who produce black henna. Artists who injure clients with black henna in the U.S. may be sued for damages. The name arose from imports of plant-based hair dyes into the West in the late 19th century. Partly fermented, dried Indigofera tinctoria, indigo was called black henna because it could be used in combination with henna to dye hair black. This gave rise to the belief that there was such a thing as black henna which could dye skin black. Indigo will not dye skin black. Pictures of indigenous people with black body art (either alkalized henna or from some other source) also fed the belief that there was such a thing as black henna. A neutral henna does not change the colour of hair. This is not henna powder; it is usually the powder of the plant ''Senna italica'' (often referred to by the synonym ''Cassia obovata'') or closely related ''Cassia'' and ''Senna'' species.


''para''-phenylenediamine

In the 1990s, henna artists in Africa, India, Bali, the Arabian Peninsula and the West began to experiment with P-Phenylenediamine, PPD-based black hair dye, applying it as a thick paste as they would apply henna, in an effort to find something that would quickly make jet-black temporary body art. PPD can cause severe allergic reactions, with blistering, intense itching, permanent scarring, and permanent chemical sensitivities. Estimates of allergic reactions range between 3% and 15%. Henna does not cause these injuries. Black henna made with PPD can cause lifelong sensitization to coal tar derivatives while black henna made with gasoline, kerosene, lighter fluid, paint thinner, and benzene has been linked to adult acute leukemia. The most frequent serious health consequence of having a black henna temporary tattoo is sensitization to hair dye and related chemicals. If a person has had a black henna tattoo and later dyes their hair with chemical hair dye, the allergic reaction may be life-threatening and require hospitalization. Because of the epidemic of PPD allergic reactions, chemical hair dye products now post warnings on the labels: "Temporary black henna tattoos may increase your risk of allergy. Do not colour your hair if: ... – you have experienced a reaction to a temporary black henna tattoo in the past." PPD is illegal for use on skin in Western countries, though enforcement is difficult. Physicians have urged governments to legislate against black henna because of the frequency and severity of injuries, especially to children. To assist the prosecution of vendors, government agencies encourage citizens to report injuries and illegal use of PPD black henna. When used in hair dye, the PPD amount must be below 6%, and application instructions warn that the dye must not touch the scalp and must be quickly rinsed away. Black henna pastes have PPD percentages from 10% to 80%, and are left on the skin for half an hour. PPD black henna use is widespread, particularly in tourist areas. Because the blistering reaction appears 3 to 12 days after the application, most tourists have left and do not return to show how much damage the artist has done. This permits the artists to continue injuring others, unaware they are causing severe injuries. The high-profit margins of black henna and the demand for body art that emulates "tribal tattoos" further encourage artists to deny the dangers. It is not difficult to recognize and avoid PPD black henna: * if a paste stains skin on the torso black in less than ½ hour, it has PPD in it. * if the paste is mixed with peroxide, or if peroxide is wiped over the design to bring out the color, it has PPD in it. PPD sensitivity is lifelong. A person who has become sensitized through black henna tattoos may have future allergic reactions to perfumes, printer ink, chemical hair dyes, textile dye, photographic developer, sunscreen and some medications. A person who has had a black henna tattoo should consult their physician about the health consequences of PPD sensitization.


See also

* Bixa orellana, Achiote (urucum, annatto), another plant that stains skin orange red * Genipa americana, ''Genipa americana'', a plant that stains the skin blue black, the active ingredient in Jagua tattoo, Jagua tattoos


References


Further reading

* {{Bengali wedding Body art Hair coloring Non-timber forest products Plant dyes Ancient Egypt Red hair Articles containing video clips Anat