FAQs

Henna is a plant. It's Latin name is Lawsonia inermis. Henna made into a paste stains the skin, depending on placement, for up to 3 weeks. More callous, less oily skin stains the darkest and lasts the longest.

The longer the paste is on, the darker the stain, the longer it lasts. 6 hours is okay - 24 hours is best. A stain the hands and soles can last for 2 weeks or longer if proper aftercare is followed. Other areas with thinner skin don't last as long. Exposure to water (exfoliation) is the fastest way to fade a henna stain.

Let's break this question down...

Henna is not permanent. Henna paste is applied ON the skin staining the dead skin layers which fades as the skin exfoliates.

The word tattoo, by definition, is to mark the skin by puncturing it and is permanent. This doesn't happen when using henna. Since henna isn't permanent like a tattoo, it's more accurately called body art.

Great question! We recommend at least 8 years old for two reasons:

1) Anyone with glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD), a hereditary blood deficiency, needs to avoid henna, fava beans, aspirin and other things. G6PD is usually discovered by the age of 6 or 7.

2) Younger children have difficulty sitting still or not smudging henna while it's drying.

The first documented use of henna comes from ancient Egypt, 3,400 BCE. The use of henna as body art is at least 1,300 years old and spread with Islam, Judaism, Christianity + Hinduism. The use of henna first spread throughout the Mediterranean Basin then on to other regions.

No way! "Black henna" is a toxic chemical soup that doesn't even contain henna AND it's illegal to use on the skin in the United States. These chemical pastes/ gels can cause burning, allergic reactions, scars, hypersensitivity to other things like hair dye. Pastes or gels that are shelf-stable, smell bad or come in different colors are not safe and must be avoided.

I started doing henna in 2009. Originally self taught, I then honed my skills through professional and technical training with some of the industry's most talented tutors and historians including Bhavna Naik, Jenpa Konchok Cartier, Neeta Sharma, Nimisha Parekh and Noam Sienna, among others. 

My henna paste is blended in-house using the finest organic ingredients. They are: Henna¹ (Lawsonia inermis), Distilled Water, Pure Fructose², Therapeutic Grade Essential Oils of Lavender¹, Frankincense¹ and Cardamom¹.

¹Certified organic, ²Non-GMO.

A minimalist blend of just henna and distilled water is available at appointments with advance notice.

Henna is available at the Island Girl Studio & Gallery, at festivals and on location.

At the studio: Walk-ins are welcome but appointments are encouraged. If you walk in without an appointment there will be a wait. The Contact page lists up-to-date open hours or click here to make an appointment.

At festivals: Henna is on a first-come, first-served basis. Stop by early! Getting henna later in the day usually means waiting on line. Some festivals have an entrance fee. To view our festival lineup, click the year link (for example: 2022) located in the menu on any page of the Island Girl website.

On location: I do henna at events like parties, weddings, retreats, etc. Hourly rates apply, contract and retainer required. Visit the Parties page for all the details.

• my original art, jewelry, hair accessories and other unusual works; 
• crystals and gemstones; 
• natural incense and incense burners; 
• Tarot decks and Rune sets; 
• candles and candle holders; 
• IG merchandise;
• the henna station: You're welcome to bring a design idea with you or browse through the large design book at the henna station.
• the workbench: feel free to ask questions about the current project.

Plan ahead... the studio doesn't have a public restroom. Visit the Contact page for current hours, directions and see what else Delhi NY offers.

Ahh, excellent question!

Vardo Carrettino is our traveling wagon. It's what we stay in at festivals when we travel to distant locations in warm weather.