Question 1

WHAT IS HENNA?

Accepted Answer

Henna is a plant which grows in hot climates of certain countries like India, Pakistan, Africa, Morocco etc. It is one of the safest ingredients you can apply to the skin.

Question 2

WHICH HENNA DO WE USE?

Accepted Answer

We use 100% pure organic Rajasthani henna powder from India. Henna powders from India are freshly cropped, dried, powdered and finely shifted for our use.

Question 3

HOW DO I KNOW IF I AM GETTING HIGH QUALITY HENNA PASTE?

Accepted Answer

It is highly recommended you do not buy at grocery stores or your local Asian market which sells for £1. They contain chemicals and PPD which can seriously be harmful to your skin.
 
Natural henna paste needs to be kept in the freezer at all times unless using it within 3 days of purchase or making. When it is left out it goes bad the oil separate from the paste leaving you with bad paste.

Question 4

DO YOU USE BLACK HENNA?

Accepted Answer

Absolutely not. Black henna is not henna at all, it is hair dye mixed with other chemical to give you the illusion of black stain. It has been known to cause burns and scarring. You may not feel a sensation straight away; it could take up to a week before it starts to react to your skin.
 
These types of cones contain para-phenylenediamine (PPD) in an effort to find something that would quickly make jet black temporary body art. PPD can cause serve allergic reactions, with blistering, intense itching, and permanent scarring. You need to be careful when getting your henna done abroad in Middle Eastern countries including Morocco as they may well use henna which contains PPD.
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It is not difficult to recognise and avoid para-phenylenediamine black henna:
* If a paste stains the skin in less than ½ hour, it has PPD in it
* If you feel itchy, a slight burning sensation or see blisters appearing on the skin, it has PPD in it
* Henna bought from shops or stalls at an Asian market
* Colourful packaging 
* Bad or unnatural smell
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True henna artist around the world will most definitely use 100% natural and safe henna. They will explain to you the process, i.e. stain will develop over 2-3 days and with proper care it will stain a nice brown/ red even almost black stain.

Question 5

WHAT IS JAGUA HENNA?

Accepted Answer

Jagua henna is an alternative to “black henna”. Just like henna, it is 100% natural, safe and chemical free. Jagua is an ink extracted from the Genipa Americano tree. It grows in South America and has been used centuries by the native culture in the Amazon Forest. The unripe fruit is harvested, peeled and juiced, which is then pasteurised and mixed into a gel or fresh ink. You can combine the ink with henna paste to give it an intense black like stain or use the gel on its own to give a rich blue stain on the skin.

Question 6

DO YOU USE PIN IN THE TIP OF YOUR CONE?

Accepted Answer

Yes, I do. This allows free flow of the henna paste in the cone to avoid air blockage. It's easy to use without having to cut the tip of the cone yourself so that you have fine line application ready to use.

Question 7

HOW LONG WILL HENNA STAY GOOD IN THE FREEZER?

Accepted Answer

I recommend using them as fresh as possible, but you can store henna in the fridge for up to 4-5 days if you intend using them straight away. Otherwise, freeze your henna cones as soon as you receive them from the post. You can freeze henna up to 6 months of receiving them. If you leave your henna out the oil will separate from your henna paste resulting in bad henna.

Question 8

HOW LONG DOES HENNA LAST ON THE SKIN?

Accepted Answer

The design will last from 1-3 weeks depending on how rich the stain is and how good you take care of your henna stain. It will also depend on how exposed to rubbing, use of soap and water the design gets.

Question 9

WHAT IF A PREGNANT OR CHILDREN WANT TO HAVE HENNA APPLIED?

Accepted Answer

It is best to consult with your doctor first before having henna applied and give him a list of ingredients put in the henna paste. Only use water based recipe with lavender oil in it as it’s safer to use.

Question 10

DO YOU USE SUGAR AND ESSENTIAL OIL IN HENNA PASTE?

Accepted Answer

Sugar is added to make the paste stringier and creamier. It also prevents your henna paste from cracking too quickly when the paste is completely dried. Essential oil is added to help the paste bring a richer tone to the paste and make it smell good.

Question 11

WHEN SHOULD HENNA BE APPLIED FOR AN EVENT?

Accepted Answer

Natural henna cannot produce instant, dark results. It takes approximately 36-48 hours. It first stains bright orange, and then gradually gets darker till it reaches a dark maroon, brown, cherry colour. Hence, henna should always be applied 2-3 days before the event.

Question 12

WHAT AFTERCARE INSTRUCTIONS DO I NEED TO FOLLOW?

Accepted Answer

1.   Make sure your skin is clean from hand lotion/ oil
2.   Leave your henna paste on the skin for a long as possible. I recommend 6-8 hours or overnight if applying late afternoon. You can seal your paste with lemon and sugar syrup or mefix tape.
3.   Remove the paste by picking it off after 6-8 hours. DO NOT wash it off with water. For any stubborn stain, use coconut oil and gently massage into your skin. Pick off any remaining paste and wipe hands with tissue.
4.   After paste removal avoid getting your hands wet for at least 12-24 hours. The stain matures in 36-48 hours and should go from orange to dark brown/ maroon. 
5.   Must keep your hands warm and apply olive oil/ tea tree oil or coconut oil to maintain the stain for as long as possible.

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