Henna is applied to the skin as a greenish, cool-feeling paste. The paste is then allowed to dry; it will turn black and start to look crackled. The first picture to the right shows the design with the paste still on the skin. Once the paste starts to fall off, a bright, orange-colored stain will be left on the skin. The second picture shows a henna design just after the paste has been scraped off. The third picture to the right shows the design 24 hours after the paste has come off. The peak stain usually occurs after 48 hours, and on the palm, can reach nearly a black cherry color. On other parts of the body, a reddish-brown color can be expected. Henna stains on the hands and feet will always be darker than on the arms, face, torso, or legs, as thicker skin results in a darker color. Crimson Art Henna only uses natural ingredients in our paste. A typical batch contains henna powder, lemon juice, brown sugar, and essential oils such as cajeput, tea tree, lemongrass, and sweet orange. Our ingredients are not known to cause adverse allergic reactions, but if you believe you may have a sensitivity to our henna, we can do a patch test before applying a design. From HennaTribe.com, on the Henna 101 page: Henna is not a tattoo, nor is it paint or ink -it is a natural dye that stains the upper layers of the skin and does not penetrate beyond the dead skin cells. Henna has been used by a wide variety of cultures, tribes, and ethnic groups for thousands of years. Buddhists, Christians, earth-based religions, Hindus, Jews, Muslims, and others use henna for celebrations including weddings, holidays, and coming-of-age rituals. Regions where henna is or has been practiced include North Africa, the Middle East, the Indian Subcontinent, Sub-Saharan Africa, Eastern Europe, Central Asia, and Southeast Asia. Real, natural henna always stains reddish-brown and the stain takes a day or two to fully develop. If it stains black or brown quickly, it's not henna, and may be a toxic chemical. Never use black henna, under any circumstances. It can cause terrible reactions and burns that can permanently scar your skin, and even possibly cause liver damage. Please stick to the real stuff, and know that you’re safe.

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