Henna culture is not bound only to tradition but has a wide array of different types according to either the design, the placement, and even the color of the stain
Types of Henna according to Stain
01.Traditional Henna/ Mehndi
The stain from the traditional henna usually develops from light orange to a deep red on the skin. This henna is made from the powdered leaves of the plant Lawsonia inermis. This powder is then mixed with different liquids to make the henna paste and applied on either skin or hair. Henna can be applied on hair as a natural alternative to hair dye and it tends to leave a brown, red, auburn, mahogany and even jet black color depending on hair type.
Mehndi and henna are two synonymous terms only each word originated from a different language. “Mehndi” is the Indian word for “henna,” and “henna” is the Arabic word for “mehndi.
02. Jagua Henna
Jagua henna is the natural alternative to chemical black henna. This henna type leaves a jet black stain when applied to the skin. The making of Jagua henna is very similar to making traditional henna but with the addition of Jagua Juice.
Jagua Juice is the extract obtained from the unripe Jagua fruit. The liquid oxidizes when in contact with air and turns black in color. This juice is used in making Jagua gel, Jagua powder, and in this case Jagua henna. The stain which lasts on the skin for 1-3 weeks resembles a real tattoo.
02. White Henna
Despite what the name suggests, white henna does NOT contain any actual henna in it. Rather, it’s an adhesive body paint *used* like henna, which lasts 1-4 days depending on where you get it. Making sure the white henna you purchase is FDA approved or is Lab tested and certified by authority while being PPD free, Latex-free, and nontoxic is crucial.
That being said White henna is gorgeous on all types of skin and is a unique way of wearing henna.
If you want a more glamorous take on white henna for a special occasion, getting glitter henna is the move. It is actually skin-safe glitter powder sprinkled over white henna to bring this 3D glitter effect to the skin.
Types of Henna according to Placement
Henna was traditionally applied only on hands and feet in wedding celebrations on the bride and the bridal party. But with the art of henna getting popularity and spreading worldwide people have taken their own interpretation of what henna body art could be and where it could be worn.
Scalp henna is the beautiful henna design applied on a shaved head just like a crown and is called Henna crowns. This particular type of henna is dedicated to cancer patients to help them feel empowered in their own natural beauty
Hand, Arm, Foot, Leg, Thigh, Scalp, Belly, Chest, Neck, Ear are some of the places where you can draw henna art.
Belly henna is commonly worn on the baby bump of pregnant women to show off the beauty of motherhood and embrace change.
Types of henna designs
Henna designs may be categorized according to where it was originated from or the style adapted to draw the design. The main 8 types of henna designs are Indian, Pakistani, Arabic, Indo-Arabic, African, Moroccan, Western and Indo-Western.
To read more in-depth on each design type you can click here.
