Island Girl Henna | 68 1/2 Main Street | Delhi NY 13753 | US
The Art of Henna
What is it? How does it work?
Henna is a plant whose dried leaves have the ability to stain. When mixed properly, henna paste can dye the skin safely lasting 1-3 weeks depending on placement + aftercare.
Henna body art is fun and pain-free. No needles are used. Henna is applied on top of the skin similar to decorating a cake. Sometimes it tickles.
Island Girl's henna paste is blended in-house using the finest organic ingredients. Henna is applied completely freehand - without stencils - so custom ideas are most welcome.
The paste is removed after several hours creating an orange stain that takes 2 days to reach the darkest, rich auburn color. The stain gradually fades as the skin exfoliates.
Henna stains keratin (top layers of skin). Tougher skin is best for a dark, long-lasting stain. The palms of the hands and soles of the feet stain the darkest. Yes, you read that right! Thinner skin creates a lighter stain that fades fast. Stain duration is determined by body temperature + chemistry, skin type, lifestyle, where the henna is applied and how well the client takes care of it. Water (especially chlorinated) is the fastest way to fade a henna stain.
G6PD is a genetic blood deficiency. Anyone with Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase knows to avoid fava beans, tonic water, moth balls, aspirin and other drugs. They also need to avoid henna.
And The Achievement Award Goes To...
The more of these steps taken, the better results for the darkest stain possible. These instructions are specific to Island Girl's organic henna.
DAYS leading UP TO HENNA APPLICATION
Waxing/ Shaving: Hair must be removed from any area receiving henna at least 2 days before henna application. (Don’t worry, this won’t make your hair grow back thicker or darker.)
Manicures/ Pedicures: Should be done at least 2 days before you receive henna. Soaking and polish remover will fade your henna stain.
Spray Tans: Henna cannot penetrate a spray tan - resulting in NO henna stain.
DAY OF HENNA APPLICATION
Bathe before getting henna. Newly hennaed skin needs to avoid water for 24 hours, if possible, so it's best to shower before your appointment. Do not apply hand sanitizer, cream, lotion, moisturizer, sunscreen, or makeup on the area getting henna. Do not wear perfume or scented products to your appointment.
Dress comfortably. Wear clothing that won’t touch or brush the area where henna is going. For example, wear short sleeves or a tank top when getting henna on the hands or arms.
Plan to leave the henna paste on your skin. 6 hours, or longer, is ideal. There are no stain guarantees if removed sooner.
Optional sealant & wrap: Sealant and wrapping are free services for appointments. Keep warm and leave on overnight to intensify the stain. To seal and wrap your henna at home: Wait for the paste to dry. Before cracks form, seal with a water/ sugar solution (1/4 teaspoon sugar dissolved in 1 teaspoon of water). Use sparingly and avoid drips! Gently dab sealant on dry henna with a cotton bud. Let sealant dry, wrap design with unrolled cotton balls, bath tissue, gauze and tape. DO NOT USE PLASTIC WRAP. It creates too much moisture and can destroy your designs.
AVOID WATER from time of henna application until 12-24 hours after the paste is removed.
Henna for Your Special Day
What to Consider
When: Make a henna appointment 2-3 days prior to the big day for the darkest stain with the most definition. For example, for a Saturday event, the best time to get henna is Wednesday - Thursday.
Both palms? Arrange for a chauffeur + someone to assist with ordinary tasks like change clothes, pick an item up, eat, drink... and be merry!
The best stain ever! Achieve the best henna stain by leaving the paste on overnight. Henna needs to be wrapped with unrolled cotton balls, bath tissue, gauze and tape. No plastic wrap. This is a free service for appointments.
Bridal Henna: It's popular now to do the bride's henna the day before the henna party. This lets the bride fully enjoy the party (moving, dancing, mingling, hugging, etc.) without worrying about her henna getting damaged. Plan for the bride to remain seated and undisturbed while getting henna. In a party setting, one or two of the bride's friends will be recruited to assist the bride with her needs and to assure no one causes the bride to move or bump into the artist. Freehand art on a moving target won't be perfect and takes longer, increasing cost.
Dense henna coverage on all sides of the arms from the elbows down plus front and back of hands can take 4-8 hours. Dense coverage from below the knees to the toes takes 3-5 hours. It's a long day for the bride and the artist. It's recommended to do this in a relaxed setting with a couple of close friends to enjoy the day and help the bride to eat, drink and other tasks.
Henna Aftercare
Caring for your henna stain
Henna paste takes 10-20 minutes to dry. Don't smudge it. Keep the paste on!
The longer the paste is on, the darker the stain. Unlike chemical dyes, organic henna needs time to stain the skin. 2 hours is okay, 6 - 24 hours is best.
Do not use water to remove henna paste!
If no sealant was applied: Dried henna flakes off on its own. Flake off remaining paste before bed.
If sealant was applied: Use only vegetable oil (olive, coconut, etc.) to remove stubborn paste and sealant stickiness.
THE ORANGE STAIN TAKES TWO DAYS TO DARKEN!
Avoid water as long as possible, as much as possible. After paste removal, do not wet area for 16+ hours, if possible. Avoiding water allows the stain to darken.
Moisturize 2 -3 times per day. Use natural veggie oil (olive, coconut, shea butter) as a moisturizer and especially before the design gets wet.
These cause fading: Hand sanitizer, water, soap, commercial moisturizers, sweating, soaking, exfoliating, shaving, swimming, gloves, manual labor, rubbing.