Henna (Lawsonia inermis , also known as hina , the henna tree , the mignonette tree , and the Egyptian privet ) is a flowering plant and the sole species of the Lawsonia genus. The English name "henna" comes from the Arabic.
The name henna also refers to the dye prepared from the plant and the art of temporary body art (staining) based on those dyes. Henna has been used since antiquity to dye skin, hair and fingernails, as well as fabrics including silk, wool and leather . The name is used in other skin and hair dyes, such as black henna and neutral henna , neither of which is derived from the henna plant.
Historically, henna was found to be used in the Arabian Peninsula , South Asia , parts of South East Asia , Carthage and other parts of North Africa , and the Horn of Africa .
Since it is difficult to form intricate patterns from coarse crushed leaves, henna is commonly traded as a powder made by drying, milling and sifting the leaves. The dry powder is mixed with one of a number of liquids, including water, lemon juice, or strong tea, and other ingredients, depending on the tradition.
The paste can be applied with many traditional and innovative tools, starting with a basic stick or twig. In Morocco, a syringe is common. In India, a plastic cone similar to those used to pipe icing onto cakes. In the Western world, a cone is common, as is a Jacquard bottle, which is otherwise used to paint silk fabric. A light stain may be achieved within minutes, but the longer the paste is left on the skin, the darker and longer lasting the tstain will be, so it needs to be left on as long as possible. To prevent it from drying or falling off the skin, the paste is often sealed down by dabbing a sugar/lemon mix over the dried paste, or simply adding some form of sugar to the paste. After time the dry paste is simply brushed or scraped away.