The Henna Diva

“Hey Crystal, wanna try something cool?” My East Indian friend, Debbie asked me. I of course, said a very enthusiastic “Yeah! . She went into her house and brought out a little bowl of some very unappetizing brown stuff that didn’t smell very good and a Q-tip. She said, “Give me your foot” . So I did. She proceeded to apply this mud to my foot in some swirly designs. We were young,( I think she was in 4th grade, I was in 2nd), so her artwork wasn’t exceedingly intricate , but it looked awesome to me at the time. When she was done, she told me to let it dry and fall off. I did just that. This stuff left a stain on my skin that, much to my mother’s dismay, did not wash off for a couple of weeks.

Fast forward a decade or so, the 90s come in full force. Flannel, Doc Martins, Baby doll dresses are all the rage, And on the California coast, so is this awesome temporary tattoo art form, Henna. There was rarely a time that I would go to the beach and wouldn’t see a tent set up with “Henna Tattoos” advertised on a poster board outside of it. Customers would lay out on pillows and the artists would apply this mud like substance on the skin. It would then dry out and fall off, leaving a very familiar orange stain on the skin, resembling that same stain I got as a child. This interested me, but not enough to spend my hard earned money on it, as they were very expensive
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Let’s Fast forward to 2011. I am a current member of the Noblesse Oblige Society aka NOS. We are a historical reenactment group, focusing on reliving the middle ages. I focus mostly on the Arts & Science aspect of this hobby. I have made clothing, soap, historical food and as of recent, I have embraced the art of Mendhi…the application of Henna.

What is Henna, you ask? Henna is the result of using powdered leaves of a tropical shrub and then using it as a dye to decorate the body. Once applied to the skin, it is then left to dry, and it dries very much like mud. It’ll lighten up then flake off. It will then leave an orange stain on the skin that will eventually darken to a dark brown or mahogany color. It will last about 2-4 weeks depending on where the henna is applied on the skin and how well the skin takes to it. Henna typically does better on warmer parts of the body, like hands and feet.

Henna is safe for everyone. Real, Henna, that is. Beware of “Black henna” as there is no such thing. People that claim that they have black henna, which is sought out because of the dark, tattoo like stain it leaves, are actually using black hair dye instead of the plant and it can leave awful scars on the skin. Natural Henna can be used on anyone, including children and pregnant women. Some modern ways of applying it is on the bellys of pregnant women and the heads of female cancer patients that have lost their hair due to chemotheraply. These are called “Henna Crowns”.

The art of henna (called mehndi in Hindi & Urdu) has been practiced for over 5000 years in Pakistan, India, Africa and the Middle East. There is some documentation that it is over 9000 years old. Because henna has natural cooling properties, people of the desert, for centuries, have been using henna to cool down their bodies. They make a paste of henna and soak their palms and soles of the feet in it to get an air conditioning affect. They feel its cooling sensation throughout the body for as long as the henna stain remains on their skin. Initially, as the stain faded away, it left patterns on the skin surface which led to ideas to make designs for decorative purposes. In the ancient Egyptian times mummies wore henna designs and it is documented that Cleopatra herself used henna for decorative purposes.

The most popular of the traditions is the Mehndi Night where the bride, her family, relatives and friends get together to celebrate the wedding to come. The bride gets extensive henna patterns done on her hands and feet that go to her elbows and sometimes, knees. The bridal patterns can take hours and are often done by multiple henna artists. Tradition holds that for as long as the henna stain appears on the bride, she doesn't have to do any housework! Also, the darker the stain the better the marriage and the better the mother-in-law will be! So you can imagine why the bride would want the stain to come our dark and last as long as possible!
I found that I have a knack for applying henna because I have actually been a cake decorator since I was 13. The way henna is applied is almost identical as to how you decorate a cake. My friends and coworkers have been most helpful in letting me use their skin as my canvas. I love the art form . there is something so feminine and beautiful about it. I have just recently decided to take my art to the public and now offer my services out of my home. It has so far been pretty successful.

In conclusion, if I would’ve known what I know now about it, I would’ve had my friend henna both of my hands and feet!! (Though, im fairly certain my mother would’ve disowned me. )