Henna Application

For those of you phyto-philes out there,  I have a question for you... What is the source of the dye used in the temporary "tattoos" known as henna and also commonly used to dye hair and fabric?

The beautiful henna designs, prior to removing the paste.

Drum roll please... It is Lawsonia inermis. "Henna" also happens to be the common name for the plant, and, in case you wondered, it is the leaves that are used to make the dye.  This plant is a member of the family Lythraceae along with some other well known plants such as crepe myrtle (Lagerstroemia) and purple loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria).

Lawsonia inermis in flower.

Upon our return from the day's exciting adventures, we entered the bride's family home to see a henna artist applying the highly valued dye paste to Junni's forearm. The henna skin decorations are traditionally applied to the hands and feet of a bride and other women in the bridal party prior to the wedding (a ceremony known as "Mehndi" or मेहँदी in Hindi). In this case, it was Junni, her sister, mother, and aunt...

The talented artist applying the intricately patterned designs.

The paste is brownish-green in color when it is applied. After it dries, it is allowed to set for a few hours (3-6 at least, but more than that is not uncommon); the longer it sets, the deeper and more intense the color of the stained skin becomes. When Junni's henna artist gave the cue, the dried concoction was scraped away with a dull knife. Junni was careful not to bathe or wash her hands for about a twenty-four hour period, so that the stain could penetrate further. When the paste was first removed, the stain was light orange in color but it continued to darken over the next day or two until it was a deep reddish-brown.

After the paste was removed... notice the darker palms.

According to Wikipedia, the colorant of henna, lawsone (or hennotannic acid) reacts chemically with the protein in skin and hair (keratin) to produce a permanent reddish-orange stain that lasts until the cells are shed. The color is most intense and longest lasting on the palms of the hands and the soles of the feet because the skin is thickest in these areas and it is therefore able to bind more pigment (lawsone)... Since Mehndi ceremonies are family events, this post wouldn't be complete without a picture of the bride's favorite nephew!

The bride's nephew, Masku!