Henna

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Lawsonia inermis

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Henna is a dye made from the dried leaf and petiole of Lawsonia alba Lam. (Lawsonia inermis L.). Henna in its common form is a greenish-brown powder, which is mixed with water to form a mud-like paste prior to application. Lemon juice and essential oils are often added to extract the dye from the leaves.

Related Topics:
Dye - Leaf - Petiole - Lemon - Essential oil

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Henna is traditionally used as a hair dye and temporary skin dye in India, Pakistan, Iran, and North Africa, and in expatriate Indian and Pakistani communities. As well as adding a deep red tint to the hair, henna improves the condition and shine of the hair. As a skin dye, it produces a dark brown stain which lasts for about a week. Henna is predominantly used by women in these cultures to create traditional hand and foot decorations known as mehndi.

Related Topics:
Hair dye - India - Pakistan - North Africa - Hair - Mehndi

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In the United States, Henna is only approved for sale as a hair dye, and is not approved for any other use. Some unapproved henna products (sometimes sold under the name "black henna") have been adulterated with unsafe chemical dyes such as paraphenylenediamine ("PPD"), and should not be used for any purpose.

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Henna decorations became fashionable in the West in the late 1990s, as a form of body decoration that did not involve permanent marks, unlike tattoo; nevertheless, they are sometimes marketed as "henna tattoos".

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