Frequently Asked Questions
How Much Do You Charge?
$100 per hour with a 2 hour minimum. Brides receive a FREE 1 hour consultation via phone call. If you are planning on hiring me for an event, keep in mind that it's as many people as I can fit in per hour! The more people in a short time frame, the smaller and/or less elaborate the design in order for me to try and fit as many people in as I can. For example, 30 people in 2 hours would have smaller/less elaborate designs than 30 people in 3 hours.
What IS Henna?
Henna is known by various names: mehendi, mehndi, marudhaani, heena, and hinna, to just name a few. It is a plant grown most often in India, the Middle East, and various parts of South-East Asia. Henna may also be grown in parts of northern Africa and, less commonly, Mediterranean Europe.
The henna plant thrives in semi-arid zones. Henna produces a red-orange dye molecule, lawsone, which bonds well with protein like keratin. Henna powder is made by the drying and pulverizing of the leaves of the plant, and when this powder is mixed with various ingredients (commonly something acidic like lemon juice and tea or coffee), the dye molecule is activated and diffuses throughout the prepared paste. Henna has been used on skin, hair, fingernails, leather, silk, and wool for thousands of years-Egyptian mummies have even been found with henna in their hair!
Why Natural Henna and a Natural Henna Artist?
Natural henna is just that...natural! It does not have any added dyes or harmful chemicals. A natural henna artist knows how to make their own fresh paste from the best ingredients available; this assures both quality and that there are no added mystery chemicals and/or dyes that would be applied to your body.
Natural henna is a safe, temporary form of body art. It wears off as the skin naturally exfoliates. Henna is a fun and exciting experience that the whole family can enjoy and partake in! Using natural henna encourages positive experiences and memories, without the risk to health and safety attributed to 'black henna' and 'emergency henna'.
When you experience natural henna, you are joining in one of the world's oldest, and continuously used, forms of beautification. You yourself become a part of the ancient, beautiful tradition of this art that has survived millennia!
How Can I Tell If An Artist Is Using Natural Henna?
While there is not always a surefire way to tell if an unknown artist is using natural henna, here are a few guidelines to consider.
-
Safe henna paste does not contain any added dyes, and the only additives are natural. Sometimes certain oils are added to the paste to make the dye release better-thereby leaving a darker, longer lasting stain. ALWAYS ask what the ingredients are in a henna artist's paste and if the henna artist uses oils. A natural henna artist will be able to tell you ingredient-by-ingredient what is in their paste, as well as if/what oils they use
-
Ask your artist what color the henna design will be after paste removal and how long the design will last-if they say more than 2 weeks and/or if they say the color will be black, these are red flags and it's best to walk away
-
If the artist has 'colors' available, this is a red flag as henna only comes in one natural color, a brownish-red
-
If the henna looks more like a gel or is visibly red or otherwise colored, it is not natural henna
Is Henna Like A Tattoo? How Does It Work?
Henna, unlike ink tattoos, stains the skin layers with the dye molecule lawsone. A needle is not used, nor is the skin punctured, pierced, or broken. The dye from the paste sinks straight down, and the more skin layers there are, the darker the stain. This is why areas with thicker concentrations of skin, like the palms of your hands and the soles of your feet, are dyed darker and have the longest lasting stains-there is thicker skin and fat layers, therefore there is more to stain. This is also why you want to leave the henna paste on as long as possible-to allow the dye time to sink into as many skin layers as possible. The henna design will gradually lighten as these skin layers are exfoliated through every day life, like washing hands, wearing gloves, using cleaners and solvents, handling papers, swimming, etc
Do You Use 'Black' (PPD) and/or 'Emergency Henna'?
NO!! I do NOT use either black or so called 'emergency' henna/mehendi. These contain harmful chemicals that can create various adverse and, oftentimes, life altering effects.
Black henna actually contains little, if any, henna and is made up of a chemical called para-phenylendiamine (PPD), which is found in synthetic black hair dye. PPD is unsafe, and it is illegal to apply directly to the skin as it is a toxin and possible carcinogen. Many people experience itching, a burning sensation, blistering, hair loss, and even scarring due to PPD application. An internet search for black henna reactions is eye opening (viewer discretion is advised, be prepared in advance to see damaged skin, in case you are sensitive to such images).
Black henna is commonly seen outside the United States, usually in tourist areas. However, it IS gaining appeal in the United States and can often be found on the boardwalks and beaches of tourist destinations. Black henna is often marketed to tourists as a fast, lasting temporary tattoo that generally only needs to stay on the skin ranging from roughly fifteen minutes or less up to twenty minutes, and that it will leave a black stain and last for over two weeks. 'Emergency' henna/mehendi does not usually have PPD in it; but it does contain various types of dyes, such as industrial or furniture dyes, and other possibly harmful chemicals.
**For more information, please visit this link:
Black Henna Info
What Goes Into Your Paste?
Henna By Eve uses all natural, and when possible, organic materials in making our paste. No artificial dyes, colorants, or chemicals go into our henna.
-Henna powder (free of artificial dyes and colorants)
-Lemon juice
-Cane sugar
-Tea
-Cajeput oil blend (Cajeput is a relative of the tea tree)
**Paste for clients with sensitivities, or who are pregnant, can be adjusted with advanced notice**
Do You Make the Paste Fresh?
Yes!! I make the paste around 24 hours before an appointment/event to ensure the freshest henna and that the dye is at its peak capability. Paste may be put in the fridge right before peak dye release to ensure that you will receive the best color by the time of application.
I Am Getting Married/I Have A Big Event Coming Up. When Should I Have My Henna Done?
Henna stains on the skin take roughly 48 hours to reach peak color. This is due to the fact that even after the paste is removed, the dye is still coloring your skin layers and being oxidized. This takes time, and the peak color tends to be reached around that 48 hour time or so.
