While the artwork type of henna could also be hundreds of years outdated, similar to any trendy pattern it has taken many a trendy twist and switch down the years.
The momentary staining of ladies’s fingers and ft, in elaborate, symmetrical and geometric patterns, has deep roots within the Arabian Peninsula, Indian subcontinent and North Africa.
Its look is commonplace at celebratory events like weddings, Diwali and Eid.
Historically, henna plant leaves have been powdered and combined with water, lemon juice and sugar to make a clean paste, simply utilized to the pores and skin.
Nonetheless, to extend the artwork’s look past per week, some industrial suppliers took to including doubtlessly dangerous substances akin to paraphenylenediamine, present in hair dye.
Pure magnificence
Pure henna advocate and newly established entrepreneur, Azra Khamissa from the UAE, lately launched her personal non-toxic dwelling henna kits.
Filling a industrial hole out there, she incorporates important oils, eucalyptus and lavender into her henna powder, to nourish and beautify the pores and skin safely.
“Something you discover, that is been on the shelf for some time, is just not contemporary. There’ll at all times be chemical substances in there,” she informed Rebecca McLaughlin-Eastham. “So, I wished to supply individuals with one thing they’ll use at dwelling and blend by themselves.”
Design directive
A chiropractor by day, Khamissa’s henna ardour mission shortly gained a sizeable following on social media, as she showcased her up to date, typically boundary-pushing motifs on platforms like Instagram.
“The most well-liked design is the one which I name ‘a glove’,” says Khamissa.“And the design was impressed by the anatomy of the physique. It goes all over the fingers and all the way in which across the hand.”
“Past that, all people loves moons, particularly for Ramadan and Eid,” she provides. “And women love floral work.”
Blurred traces
Khamissa’s goal is to blur ethnic and cultural traces related to henna, making it accessible for all.
Her present muse is a British rapper and activist, for whom she has penned a very wild design.
“It must be for M.I.A,” she says of the recording artist. “I actually need to do a full physique leopard print [for her] in some unspecified time in the future. Though that may be a bit risqué, in my world. However I feel it might simply be superb to attempt to draw it on somebody.”
Model enlargement
Khamissa has ambitions to take her model past the Center East area within the years forward. Not least to capitalize on the rising world pattern for momentary tattoos, an trade value greater than $827 million final yr, based on Market Watch.
“I’d love for it to be doable for anybody, at any time, to have the ability to discover a high quality henna product,” the younger entrepreneur says. “Worldwide, I imply, possibly not a lot [only] inside the Center East.”
As Khamissa continues to construct her momentary henna tattoo empire one inking at a time, solely time will inform whether or not she’s in a position to depart a everlasting mark on the impermanent magnificence market.
SEEN ON SOCIAL MEDIA: TATTOO
Elodie from France presents her Moroccan henna tattoo.
With contributions from Nancy Sarkis and Arthur de Oliveira.
