Glossary
Henna
A plant dye that stains skin reddish-brown; safe natural henna is never black.
Henna is a natural dye made from the crushed leaves of the Lawsonia inermis plant, used to stain skin a reddish-brown to deep maroon color in temporary body-art designs. The leaves contain a pigment molecule, lawsone, that binds to keratin in the skin's surface, producing a stain that typically develops over a day and lasts one to three weeks before fading as skin cells shed. Henna paste is applied in intricate patterns, left to dry, and removed once the dye has set; the final shade depends on skin chemistry, body location, and how long the paste stays in contact. Traditional henna body art has deep cultural roots in South Asia, the Middle East, and North Africa, especially for weddings and festivals. Importantly, genuine henna is never jet black. Products sold as black henna usually contain added paraphenylenediamine, a chemical dye that can cause severe skin reactions, chemical burns, blistering, scarring, and lasting sensitization. For this reason, only natural reddish-brown henna is considered skin-safe, and dark designs are better achieved with jagua, a fruit-based stain. As a surface stain rather than injected ink, henna is non-permanent and a low-commitment way to preview design placement.