Henna is the name for a family of dyes, typically made from the leaves of Lawsonia epidermis (henna plant), used on skin and hair to create temporary tattoos. Henna has been used in body art since antiquity. Historically, Henna was used as a natural dye for cloth or leather; as an ingredient in medicines to stop bleeding, promote healing, fruit fermentation, give colour to wine; and traditionally as a facial makeup. Nowadays, it is most often associated with temporary henna tattoos, though historically, it was popular among Indian royalty who would wear elaborate gold leaf patterns shaved into their hair and bodies. Today, the tradition survives mainly through brides’ henna tattooing ceremonies near weddings or other celebrations such as Eid-ul-Fitr. Henna artist near me tattoos have become increasingly popular over the last few decades, decorating the skin and achieving temporary body art. The simplest way is as a paste, which you can apply yourself at home. However, there are also many salons worldwide where you can get them professionally done; check out our list of henna artists near me, hopefully. Henna tattoos are applied using a cone-shaped drawing tube or, for large designs, artist’s paintbrushes. Traditionally the henna mix is made from scratch by grinding (or pounding) dried henna leaves to a fine powder with part of its stem and twig removed.

Facts to Know About Henna Artist:

Wedding planning is tedious, but Indian wedding planning is especially maddening! You’re planning for several days of events and not just the ceremony and reception. You have elements like finding a henna artist, pre-event supplies, etc. We know! We don’t plan them, but we live and breathe them every weekend. So, we thought, why not be of some help? We’re going to start a new series called “Questions to Ask your Indian Wedding Vendors.” We’ll focus on Indian weddings as there aren’t many resources available for Indian wedding planning, plus we know a thing or two about them, and we know several vendors in the industry. That said, these questions can be tailored and asked for any wedding. We will bring in experts from the field to help us compile the questions, and we’ll be visiting the big and famous sites like The Knot for inspiration when applicable.

What Questions to Ask Your Henna Artist:

Just like with anything else, there are so many henna artists out there to choose from. In this segment of “questions to ask,” we hope to equip you with some questions that will help you compare and select the henna artist that fits your needs the best. In this segment, we feature Neeta Sharma from Mehndi Designer. Neeta has been in the henna business for nearly 30 years. She started as a social worker and eventually went full time working on what she’s passionate about, mehndi! This exquisite form of body art is part of Neeta’s cultural heritage. She is proud to decorate each bride-to-be with a pattern unique to her personality, including motifs that express the bride’s inner dreams and desires. Though these questions are geared towards bridal and wedding Henna, some of these questions are important to ask whenever you get Henna from anyone you don’t know. Whether it’s at a festival or a temporary henna kiosk, it’s essential to check the quality of the henna paste being used.

The Questions:

The most obvious question you will ask any vendor is, “Are you available on my dates?” Then remember to include the dates. Please try not to go price fishing without dates. Yes, we understand the need to collect the information to budget, but every henna artist has different price ranges. Budgeting based on the pricing of a henna artist who isn’t available for your dates is almost pointless, especially since the one you may end up going with could be out of that range. It will save the artist time and save you time if you know your dates. You should ask some of these questions, others you can leave out if you know already or are irrelevant to you. And by all means, ask other questions that we didn’t include here. For example, once you know the artist is available for your dates, do ask, “how much do you charge?

1. Do you use natural Henna? 

You want to find out if the henna artist is using a safe product on you. Be careful if they’re reluctant to tell you where they get their Henna.

2. Are the henna designs displayed on your site/brochure, etc., your own?

Beyond the ethical issues with displaying someone else’s work, you don’t want to hire someone who can’t deliver what they portray online. The design they end up doing might be rubbish, and the speed at which they do it could be poor as well if it does not work, they’ve done before.

3. How long have you been a henna artist? How often do you practice?

Check out their website and read their about page. Just like anything else, experience and practice make a difference. If they say they have been doing this for a year and their portfolio looks like they’ve been doing it for 30, chances are something isn’t right about their portfolio. Or they are just that amazing! Then move onto the following question to see what the truth of the matter is.

4. Will you do a trial?

Now don’t expect a full-on bridal design for your trial, respect and value the artist’s time and let them do what they need to do. You want to get a feel for their personality as much as you do their skills. Can you deal with this person being in your personal space for several hours when you get your bridal Henna done? Does the style during the trial match what they had on their portfolio?

5.How long will it take to apply the bridal mehndi?

This varies, depending on how much Henna you want and how detailed you like the design. So be ready to answer questions so the henna tattoos artist can give you an estimate. Also, remember, on the day of, there could be several factors that affect the time. For example, you keep getting interrupted with hugs and questions, or you’re just fidgeting and moving a lot, so the artist has to stop or slow down for you.

6. Do you have any other events to cover that day?

Be aware of the artist’s schedule and try to be on time. The artist should tell you if they will need to head to another appointment after yours.

Booking:

1. How much deposit is required?

Nationally, the average hourly cost to hire a professional henna tattoos artist is between $100 and $180 per hour. Rates will vary by location and experience of individual artists; it’s possible to find less expensive rates at under $50 an hour.

2. Is there a cancellation policy? 

Due to the nature of our services and because they are customized, if you do not show up for your appointment at the agreed time or later than 15 minutes after your scheduled start time, we cannot refund any money.

3. What is the cancellation fee?

All booking fees are non-refundable, and you will not be refunded for the flights even if your trip is cancelled or postponed.

Henna Artist:

The art of Henna has become increasingly popular in Western culture during the last few decades, being used primarily as a natural hair dye or a trendy ornamental form of hand and foot art. It is one of the most well-known botanicals on earth, yet it is also possibly the least underutilized for its many healing properties. Henna, or Mehndi, is an evergreen plant. A member of the Loosestrife family, Henna originally comes from Egypt, a country that is still one of the leading suppliers of the plant. The henna plant typically grows in the drier climates of India, Northern Africa, and the Middle East. The red-ish brown dye is made by crushing the dried leaves and mixing the fine powder with other natural and acidic ingredients such as eucalyptus oil, lemon juice, or black tea.

Helpful hint:

Black Henna can be dangerous and should not be used. The dark colour implies that the henna plant was mixed with chemical compounds to give it that colour. Also, hair dyes that claim to be henna-based occasionally contain other chemicals that can be harmful or cause allergic reactions for those who have sensitive skin, so read your labels carefully! Most people associate Henna with India. It remains an integral part of the Indian wedding tradition for the bride to have her hands, arms and feet covered in elaborate designs. Though its history and usage span all around the Middle East. Its oldest reported use dates back to 1200 BC, where it was utilized in Egypt to dye the hair and nails of pharaohs and during the mummification process. It was even said that Cleopatra herself used henna to adorn her body. Perhaps Henna’s most well-observed quality is its natural cooling effect, which offers a delightful tingling sensation to the skin (similar to chewing spearmint gum and drinking cold water). Once this property was discovered, people of the desert used Henna to cool down their bodies. By making a henna tattoo paste and smearing it on themselves, they achieved an air conditioning effect. The sensation is felt throughout the body for as long as the henna stain remains on their skin. It didn’t take long before the desert people turned the henna smears into works of art. Thus, the mehndi tradition was birthed. For centuries, mehndi, the art of henna painting on the body, has been believed to bring love, good fortune, prosperity and protect the wearer against evil.

10 Healing Benefits of Henna:

1. Relief from headaches:

Henna flowers cure headaches caused by the heat of the sun. A plaster made of Henna flowers soaked in vinegar and applied over the forehead relieves the headaches.

2. Ease’s arthritis pain:

When Henna is used on the hands, it helps to relax the body via the cooling effect on the nerves, thus reducing inflammation caused by arthritis symptoms.

3. Treats a variety of skin conditions:

Traditional medicinal uses for Henna include being used as a coagulant for open wounds and a poultice to soothe burns and eczema. Fresh leaves may be used as a topical antiseptic for fungal or bacterial skin infections, including ringworm.

4. Promotes healthy hair:

Henna helps to improve hair health. It helps seal the hair cuticle, preventing breaking and increasing the shine and appearance of the hair. It is also a natural treatment for dandruff.

5. Draws out a fever:

Henna leaves rolled into a ball with water, placed in the hand will help bring the temperature down.

6. Promotes healthy gums:

Chewing on professional henna leaves is said to reduce the risk of gum disease and treat mouth ulcers.

7. Reduces Pitta in mind:

The essential oil derived from Henna, also known as Hina, is used in India for religious ceremonies and prayer (Devotion). It is great for opening our psychic abilities, clairvoyance, and reducing anger and irritability.

Conclusion:

Remember that just because something looks good doesn’t necessarily mean it’s healthy or safe!  When deciding on a location for your tattoo, keep in mind cleanliness and sanitation as well as artistic talent so you can get something both meaningful and breathtaking at the same time.