The Hena plant (Lawsonia inermis) is a small shrub, whose leaves are collected, dried and reduced to a powder all in the name of beauty. When mixed with a special liquid, like lemon juice, tea or coffee, the Hena forms a paste with temporary dying powers. It stains the skin a beautiful red, ranging anywhere from deep burgundy, to bright orange, to burnt sienna. Hena has a distinct herbal scent; its stain lasts several weeks—many believe the longer, the better. Recipes, patterns, and application techniques vary from woman to woman, from culture to culture; there are thousands of ways to tattoo with Hena, making it a sincerely unique and individual means of communication.

Earliest records of the cosmetic use of Hena come from Egypt, the land of the ancient god-kings.* Archaeologists have found 5000 year old mummies with traces of Hena on their fingertips (Loretta Roome, Mehndi, the Timeless Art of Hena Painting, New York: St. Martin’s Press, 1998, page 4). It is believed that the use of Hena as a form of body ornamentation was passed from ancient Egypt to India in the 12th and 13th centuries, where princesses painted their hands and feet with the special paste. From India, Hena traveled to the old Hebrew and Islamic cultures, who used Hena both as a cosmetic and a hair and beard dye, as well as a skin conditioner. Today, the traditions kept alive in Indian and Islamic cultures symbolize a girl’s entrance into womanhood; a Hena tattoo is a special rite of passage that has a significant place in her marriage. Hena is also used for its medicinal powers, but it is most prized for its power to transform a woman into a beautiful, sensual and spiritual being.