Neha 623-251-5562 www.vidhtsa-henna.webs.com My name is Neha. I am a self taught professional henna artist. I have been practicing the art of mehndi since couple of years. Drawing has always been my passion since childhood, and so slowly I converted my hobby of drawing into professional henna art.

About Henna

Henna is a plant which grows in Middle East, North Africa, and the Indo-Pak subcontinent. This herb is extremely penetrative and therefore a very effective and very popular dye. Traditionally it was used for its medicinal qualities for over 9,000 years. Henna is made from an herb which is known by the same name. The henna plant is like the tea plant. The leaves are dried and ground into a fine powder. This powder is mixed with water, eucalyptus oil, tea, coffee, and lime and then applied on the body.

About Belly Blessing

Henna is believed to protect and bless the mother and child from any evil or malicious spirits that may be near during delivery.

The reddish brown coloring of the dye and protective images used in the patterns guard against the evil eye and are thought to protect the pair during the child's difficult passage into this world. Special attention is given to the hands and especially the feet as they are considered to be vulnerable connections to the world.

Natural henna is incredibly safe and poses no danger to a healthy pregnancy. There are people who use chemical additives such as hair dyes in the mix to speed up the process or obtain a black stain. This is not safe or legal. Chemical dyes often contain a chemical known as PPD which is toxic and can cause long term damage, including scaring. Chemical dyes will stain the skin within 30 minutes and be dark immediately, these should always be avoided.

As today henna has become part of modern culture, new traditions are being created. One new way women are using henna is to decorate the belly during pregnancy. This is a wonderful way to celebrate the body's physical changes during pregnancy and embrace this special time.

Henna designs generally last for anything from one to three weeks depending on which body part you have got it done. Henna lasts longest on the hands and feet, less on other body where skin is thinner. It is very important to know that natural henna stains a reddish brown color and needs to soak on the skin 4-8 hours. The color will be a orangish at first and darken over 2 days.