The terms ‘mehndi’ and ‘henna’ are used to refer to the same magical substance – the flowering plant, Lawsonia inermis. It is widely grown in North Africa, South East Asia and the Arabian Peninsula. The leaves of the plant produce a natural dye that temporarily stains the skin. Thus, henna is popularly used in many cultures all over the world as a form of temporary body art.

The dried leaves of the henna plant are crushed into a powder, and then mixed with either water, lemon juice or strong tea (or a combination of these) and safe essential oils, to produce a paste. This paste is than applied onto the skin (using a cone similar to an icing cone) to eventually leave a beautiful, temporary brown/mahogany/red stain.

We have no concrete evidence of the initial use of Henna, however, it is said to have originated in either Egypt or Syria. It has since been used by numerous cultures, including African, Arabic, Indian, and most recently the Western world. Henna is a way to decorate the body and belongs to no particular culture, but can be enjoyed by everyone!