Henna body art: A timeless beauty tradition

A distinct feature of Eid ul-Fitr, the Islamic holiday observed by Moslems to mark the end of Ramadan, the holy month of fasting and prayer is fashion, especially among women.

In recent years, the Eid celebrations have been dubbed “Eid Met Gala”, as social media platforms are flooded with women dressed in the trendiest of outfits fit for the occasion.

For most women, what runs through their appearances, in addition to their colourful clothes and bold jewellery, is Henna body art beautifully designed on their hands or feet.

From bold and catchy designs to minimal or basic designs, Henna body art has become a long-standing beauty tradition passed on over the years.

Although popular among Moslem women for special occasions such as weddings or festivals, this type of temporary body art also known as Mehndi or Mehendi has gained popularity among non-Moslems.

Last Wednesday, when The Mirror spoke to the owner of Phai’s Henna N Spa, Faiza Abubakar, she said while the majority of her clients were Moslems, a good number of non-Moslems also patronised her services.

She said with the Eid celebrations almost here, she had appointments booked by individuals and would also be at events where she would design different designs for clients at a fee.

More than just art
While most of her clients gave her the chance to create her designs, others came with specific designs, with some carrying different messages.

She said while some came with religious or motivational quotes, others came with symbols that conveyed different meanings.

She said it is also believed that the Henna plant wards off evil spirits and so brides used them on their special days as protection from evil eyes.

Some people also used the body art to cover scars and other skin blemishes.

The Henna artist, however, explained that lately, artificial body dyes have been popular because they were cheaper and easier to work with, compared to the one from the Henna plant.

She explained that while the one from the plant had to be processed strictly, the artificial body dyes were ready to use and required just adding water.

“The one from the Henna plant usually will give a burgundy colour. But the body dyes are black. If any of these look very red, then it’s likely the artist has added some components that could be dangerous to the skin,” she explained.

What to look out for
Henna body art is beautiful. However, Miss  Abubakar warned that using the wrong products could result in allergic skin reactions and, in some cases, hospitalisation.

She said most of the body dyes contained paraphenylenediamine (PPD), a chemical substance that could cause allergic reactions.

For people who had not used the dyes before, she advised that they first do a skin test on a small part of the skin before doing elaborate designs.

Most skin allergies, she explained, showed up between the first few hours after application and the third day. 

“There are many compromised cheaper body dyes. If you are not careful, you can develop skin allergies. I always advise that you try the dye and if it works for you, buy and keep it for future appointments.

I stick to one supplier for my dyes. Once, my supplier wasn’t available and I got the dye from another vendor. I used it on one of my clients and she had serious allergic reactions. I had worked with her for years and she had not reacted before so she understood when I explained it to her. Just imagine what could have happened if it was someone who didn’t know my work or didn’t trust me; It would have been bad for my business,” she said.

“One of the things I do on my Instagram page (@phaishennanspa) is educating my followers on the differences between the original and the inferior dyes,” she added.

Miss Abubakar advised people who wanted to get Henna art to always ask artists about the components of the dyes, saying, “Some artists mix the dyes with substances like hydrogen solution, which can be harmful to the skin.”

Caring for Henna art 
She warned that the first sign of an allergic reaction was an itch on the site and scratching made it worse.

The best remedy was to clean the spot with warm water and get medication for skin allergies.

For designs made from natural dyes, she said a little essential oil could be applied to the area.

“Sometimes, you can rub the site with lime juice and sugar. With the artificial dyes, once it’s dried and you peel off the surface, you just wash the area and that’s it. Your art can last for up to three weeks, depending on how you bathe or expose it to water,” she added.