Levi's Crap: Henna

Henna is a type of impermanent dye, typically used for the skin or nails. However, it can also be used for the hair. Henna is considered safer than regular tattooing because of it’s virtually painless application.

No needles are used and no ink is used either. It’s a completely harmless, natural dye found from the Egyptian evergreen plant, Lawsonia inermis, whose shoots and leaves yield an extract which is mixed with catechu, an astringent substance obtained from various trees and shrubs. Arabians crush dried berries from this plant to obtain a red powder (Henna).

Called “Mehndi” in India, Henna is thought to originate from Egypt as the first signs of Henna use were on that of Egyptian mummies during mummification. Henna was thought to enhance beauty in the afterlife (nice way of calling your pharaoh ugly) by the Egyptians.

However, there is such thing as black Henna, which is typically street sold and is not traditional Henna. The natural color of Henna is dark brown, but never black, hence “black Henna”. Black Henna has been ruled dangerous by the F.D.A. due to the chemical para-phenylenediamine which is found in black Henna. It is estimated that 20% of the population is allergic to this chemical, and it can cause burns on the skin, as evident on the picture here.

Henna application has become popular in the late 20th and 21st century, but was westernized even before then. If you want to find out more about Henna, click the title link, or go to this great site or this link.

Know why I don't state facts? Because facts are boring, unless you make them up.