Henna, Ingredients & Safety

What is Henna Paste?

Henna paste is the smooth, toothpaste-like mixture of henna powder, an acidic liquid such as lemon juice, sugar and essential oils that artists fill into cones and apply to skin to create a mehendi design.

Henna Paste explained

Sugar makes the paste stretchy and helps it stick, the acid helps release the dye, and essential oils with terpenes deepen the stain. The paste rests for several hours until dye release before it is used.

Consistency is everything: too thick and lines break, too thin and they spread. Artists adjust the mix for fine bridal work versus bold Arabic outlines.

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Related mehendi terms

Dye ReleaseDye release is the point at which mixed henna paste has rested long enough for lawsone to be freed from the leaf powder and become available to stain skin. It typically takes several hours to a day depending on temperature.Essential Oils in HennaEssential oils in henna, often called "terps" or mehendi oil, are plant oils rich in monoterpene alcohols - such as eucalyptus, cajeput, tea tree or lavender - that are added to paste to help release dye and deepen the stain.Henna ConeA henna cone is a small cone made from cellophane, mylar or plastic film, filled with henna paste and sealed. The artist squeezes it like a piping bag to draw mehendi designs; the size of the tip controls line thickness.Henna PowderHenna powder is made by drying and finely grinding the leaves of the henna plant. Artists mix it with lemon juice or water, sugar and essential oils to make the paste that is filled into cones for mehendi.

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