Local woman shares love of henna with community for more than a decade

By Heather Graves
Editor

DE PERE – Little did Pleasure St. Pierre know when she made the choice to go away her workplace job to begin doing henna, she’d nonetheless be plugging away at it 13 years later.
“I hated working in a dice beneath fluorescent lights, however now I’ve a ten×10 dice exterior with a breeze,” St. Pierre stated.  “I labored in insurance coverage and spent 10 years within the tax assessors’ workplace earlier than I got here to henna. I keep in mind pondering, ‘I simply must get out of right here and go do henna.’ Little did I notice that this assertion I spoke 13 years in the past, began the ball rolling to my superior life that I’ve now.”
St. Pierre stated she was doing henna for just a few years earlier than formally launching Joyful Henna Designs in 2012.
“I used to go to the Broadway Farmers’ Market and get henna from Henna by McKenna,” she stated. “McKenna and her sisters did the market downtown earlier than me. She was at all times superior and fortunately gave me recommendation as she was hennaing me. I went to the market to get henna in 2012 and he or she instructed me, ‘I’m transferring, you need to apply.’ That is how I obtained the Wednesday evening market.”
St. Pierre stated issues took off from there.
“In the summertime, I do the Wednesday evening market on Broadway and the De Pere market on Thursday nights,” she stated. “I do occasions on weekends like Strawberryfest in Waupaca and Sunday evening native meals truck rallies. I do the Ignite Markets and native occasions like Rock the Dock on Metropolis Deck. This yr, I may even be in Inexperienced Bay for the Fourth of July. I additionally journey to Door County rather a lot to do occasions.”
St. Pierre stated she can be doing henna on the Rock and Physique Store in De Pere repeatedly, and in addition does personal appointments at Astha Grocery and Presents in De Pere.
“I additionally do personal appointments, birthday events, company occasions, fundraisers, grad evening, women evening, bridal and child showers, holidays and reunions,” she stated.

What’s henna?
Henna (Lawsonia inermis) is a plant-based dye created from the henna tree.
“Henna is the nickname for the plant that solely grows within the Center East,” St. Pierre stated. “It must be scorching and dry just like the desert for the plant to develop. Within the Center East, it is sort of a bush that grows in your entrance yard. They break off some branches, dry them on the counter, then crush the leaves right into a powder and blend it with one thing acidic. I exploit lemon juice in my henna.”
She stated in India, it’s referred to as Mehndi.
“It’s such a good looking artwork,” St. Pierre stated. “They use it for celebrations and weddings. It’s a signal of standing for a bride. The depth of shade and size the henna lasts determines how profitable the wedding can be – Maybe simply an outdated wives story. Additionally they use it to maintain cool within the desert warmth, as henna cools your pores and skin because it dries. Now we have completely Americanized this lovely custom by including glitter and drawing turtles and dragons.”
She stated she makes use of the plant in powder type.
“I combine one cup of lemon juice with it in a glass bowl, put saran wrap on it, and put it on prime of my fridge,” St. Pierre stated. “The acidity of the lemon juice makes the dye launch from the plant.”
She stated the method then takes between 24-48 hours, relying upon the season.
“I combine a pair teaspoons of sugar, so it sticks on pores and skin higher, and somewhat important oil of eucalyptus which makes henna darker,” St. Pierre stated. “I roll cones from balloon paper then fill the cones with henna and tape them. I protect them by placing them within the freezer.”
She stated she solely makes use of pure brown henna, however there are individuals who use various, less-quality variations.
“You need to be very cautious shopping for henna, as a result of rather a lot is full of chemical compounds to protect it and even black hair dye to make it appear like an actual tattoo,” St. Pierre stated. “Ask folks what’s of their paste. If they’ll’t inform you, don’t get henna from them.”
She stated the common henna takes round 5 minutes to create.
“All of it relies upon upon how a lot henna we use, and bigger designs take longer,” St. Pierre stated.

Life pivot
To assist assist her henna dream, St. Pierre enrolled at Northeast Wisconsin Technical College (NWTC) in pursuit of a level in graphic design.
“My unique aim was simply to make all the pieces I wanted for henna – like all my posters, banners, enterprise playing cards and design sheets, which I can do. I graduated from NWTC in 2019 with an affiliate’s diploma in graphic design and print know-how.”
The following step in her journey – a bachelor’s diploma.
“I used to be by no means capable of get my bachelor’s after I was youthful, so I made a decision since I used to be midway there, to proceed my schooling on the College of Wisconsin-Inexperienced Bay. I’m now a senior with solely 4 lessons left.”

Curiosity sparked
St. Pierre stated she has at all times needed to get a tattoo, however couldn’t consider one thing she needed endlessly, so she by no means obtained one.
“Getting henna provides you an concept what it feels prefer to have a tattoo,” she stated. “Some folks attempt what they will tattoo with henna first, to allow them to see the way it goes. I had a lady who needed a household crest, so I hennaed it in varied locations on her physique till she determined she needed it on her ankle after which obtained it tattooed.”
St. Pierre stated what she likes most about henna has modified over time.
“I’m so blessed to have a solution to join with folks and to assist them, particularly now, really feel higher,” she stated. “Henna feels cool in your pores and skin so it helps on this manner. It’s also like having a good looking piece of art work on you, however higher than a tattoo as a result of there isn’t any ache, danger or dedication.”
St. Pierre stated her inspiration for henna designs has additionally modified over time.
“I used to need to spend time on-line searching for design concepts, however now folks simply deliver me photographs and say, ‘Are you able to do that?’ That is how I get most new designs right now… I additionally attend henna conferences with different artists and we share concepts.”
St. Pierre stated probably the greatest canvases to observe designs on is herself.
“I at all times have some form of henna on me,” she stated. “I observe new designs on myself first. I noticed way back that I’m my very own greatest promoting. However it’s a lot simpler to henna others than your self. I’m so blessed and fortunate for this lovely artwork that I can share with others and make them completely satisfied.”
St. Pierre stated one of the best ways to get began doing henna – is to do henna.
“You actually have to simply get some henna and observe squeezing it out of the tube,” she stated. “That is one thing it’s a must to work out by yourself.”
Extra info on Joyful Henna Designs might be discovered on Fb.