Henna Stains Darken

When Henna paste first comes off the resulting stain is quite faint, a light orange color, then as the first few days pass, the color deepens and becomes a darker, richer brown.

Here is an example of how the color darkens in a few days time.

Photos: Paul Djupe

Henna on Dark Skin

So many people email me asking about how well henna will show up on dark skin. I've seen some very dark skinned people with the most beautiful mahogany/black cherry colored henna stains.

On some pale people there is a higher contrast of color between the stain and the skin color, so it is more obvious from a distance. But, on the other hand, some people with pale skin don't stain very well, and their stains blend in with their freckles from a distance!

Henna has been used by North Africans for thousands of years, and not just light skinned Arabs from Morocco and Algeria, but also dark skinned people from Somalia with beautiful results.

Here are some pictures of a stunning girl from the Ohio State Fair's Cox Fine Arts Building who's shoulder I hennaed. She has very dark skin, and got wonderful results from her henna.

Baby Gust Henna

I had a wonderful appointment for maternity henna with a beautiful artsy couple here in Columbus. I knew from the time I knocked on the door that I would like these people, since they had a "support the arts--Columbus Museum of Art" sticker on their storm door. The dad had his photographs all over the house and the mom is a gourmet chef, so we had a great time talking food and art while I was there. I loved hearing about their "geurilla" style wedding at the Chicago Institute of Art.

The dad-to-be took pictures while I was working, and was kind enough to send them to me that very night.

Aren't they wonderful!?

Photo credits: Paul Djupe