Your specialist for organic henna body art services.

Your safety is our priority. We'll reopen when mandates are lessened or rescinded.

Island Girl | 68 1/2 Main Street | Delhi NY 13753 | US

Your specialist for organic henna body art services.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is henna?

HOW LONG DOES HENNA STAY ON?

Henna is a plant. It's Latin name is Lawsonia inermis. Henna leaves have to be dried first then mixed with a liquid to cause a stain. Henna stains skin, depending on placement, for up to 3 weeks. More callous, less oily skin stains the darkest and lasts the longest.

All About Henna

HOW LONG DOES HENNA STAY ON?

The longer the paste is on, the darker the stain + the longer it lasts. 3-4 hours is okay, 6+ hours is better. A stain on the palms of the hands or soles of the feet can last for 3 weeks if proper aftercare is followed. Other areas with thinner skin don't last as long.

Henna Aftercare

IS A HENNA TATTOO PERMANENT?

HOW LONG DOES HENNA STAY ON?

HOW OLD DO YOU HAVE TO BE TO GET HENNA?

Let's break this question down...

The word TATTOO, by definition, is to mark the skin by puncturing it and is permanent.

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

Since henna is not permanent like a tattoo, it's more accurately called body art.

HOW OLD DO YOU HAVE TO BE TO GET HENNA?

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.

Where Does Henna Originate From?

HOW OLD DO YOU HAVE TO BE TO GET HENNA?

Where Does Henna Originate From?

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.

History of Henna

Do you offer "Black Henna"?

HOW OLD DO YOU HAVE TO BE TO GET HENNA?

Where Does Henna Originate From?

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 use on the skin must be avoided.

Danagers of "Black Henna"

HOW CAN I GET HENNA from You?

How long have you been doing Henna?

Henna is available by appointment + at festivals we attend throughout the year. I also travel to do henna on location (hourly rates apply).

Get Henna

How long have you been doing Henna?

I started doing henna officially in 2009. My professional and technical training has been with some of the industry's most talented artist teachers and henna historians including Nic Tharpa Cartier, Bhavna Naik, Nimisha Parekh, Neeta Sharma + Noam Sienna, among others.

What's in Your Henna Paste?

How long have you been doing Henna?

What's in Your Henna Paste?

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.

Have Henna Will Travel?

What is Vardo Carrettino?

What's in Your Henna Paste?

Yes. We do henna at parties, retreats, weddings, employee appreciation days, student activities for universities and more. We also do henna at festivals in the Catskill Mountains of NY and beyond.

Henna Here + There

What is Vardo Carrettino?

Ahh, excellent question!

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

See Vardo Carrettino

Have another Question?

What is Vardo Carrettino?

How cool that you want to know more! We're very knowledgeable when it comes to the details of henna and working events so feel free to drop us a line. We're happy to answer any questions you may have.