Along with our cultural dances we offer cultural beautification. Temporary, organic, and lovely henna a safe and fun international practice. What started as a practical way to cool the skin in hot temperatures was eventually used to celebrate rites of passage (marriages, pregnancy, childbirth, puberty, etc). It is also a way of self expression and beauty! Prices range from $15 to $125 (scroll down for henna pricing)

BUY HENNA

We sell Henna! and will offer Henna classes, workshops, and parties (see our party page for more information)

 ABOUT HENNA

The henna plant ("lawsonia inermis") is a hardy little tree that grows in hot arid climates such as northern Africa, the Middle East and southern Asia. The leaves of this plant are harvested, dried and ground into a fine powder. This powder is made into a paste and used to dye skin, hair and even your fingernails. The powder ranges from bright green to grayish-green to a dull brown in color. Henna paste has been traditionally used for over 5,000 years as a cosmetic, natural dye and medicine.  Henna paste is applied on top of your skin and over several hours the natural pigments are absorbed into the upper layers of your epidermis.

Besides being a natural dye, Henna has been used for centuries in antiseptics, astringents, antibacterials, antifungals, antispasmodics (relaxing), antipyretics (cooling), topical sunscreens, antiperspirants, as a treatment for sunburn & eczema, in the prevention & masking of foot odour, as a skin moisturizer & conditioner, and as a treatment for alopecia (hair loss)!

For more information on Henna visit the Henna Page

OUR PRICES

$15- small single design

$25- Standard  design in one area

 $45 -75 (depending on intricacy) large design on hand/arm, foot/ankle, belly, etc.

$75 For large or intricate design on both hands/arms, or feet/ankles.   $125 for large intricate designs on both hands/arms and feet/ankles

WHAT TO DO AFTER YOU GET HENNA

Keep the paste on your skin for 4 hours minimum. This can be difficult since the paste will dry and start to flake off. You can spray or dab a mixture of lemon juice & sugar to moisten the paste and let the dye continue to seep out of the paste into your skin. Another way to keep paste on is to use a "liquid bandage" (such as "New-skin") or by wrapping the area with a thin breathable bandage (eg. gauze). Flexible micropore tape is ideal, but you can get by with toilet paper!

After removing the henna paste by scraping it off, do not get the area wet or wash within the first 24 hours. The henna 'dye' is just beginning to oxidize (darken) and by contacting the top layers of skin with water, soap, etc you will remove some of it.

Do not apply suntan lotions or moisturizers to the area.Do not go swimming in chlorinated pools. To protect the stain, apply oil (eg. olive, vegetable or carrier oils like sweet almond oil) or cocoa/shea butter to the area to protect it.Also avoid contact with bleaches, exfoliants and alpha-hydroxy/anti-bacterial (acne) soaps. These will exfoliate your "dyed" skin cells quicker than normal.

HOW TO REMOVE HENNA

The quickest way to remove your henna stains is to wash with an exfoliating (scrub) soap a couple of times a day... You can also use Arm & Hammer Extra Whitening Toothpaste to wash the henna stain and help remove it faster. However, it will still take 3-7 days to remove the stains completely. Be careful not to scrub too hard that you hurt yourself. (It takes 21-25 days for your body to naturally exfoliate your skin completely.)