What is Henna Leaf Powder?

Henna Leaf Powder is the finely ground dried leaf of Lawsonia inermis, a flowering shrub in the loosestrife family (Lythraceae) native to South Asia, North Africa, and the Middle East. It is the traditional natural plant dye used for mehndi body art and for coloring hair.

About the plant

Henna has been used for more than 5,000 years across South Asia, the Middle East, and North Africa for body decoration and hair coloring, particularly around weddings, religious holidays, and seasonal celebrations. The dye comes from lawsone, a naphthoquinone compound in the leaf that binds to the keratin in skin, hair, and nails. Pure henna itself produces only orange to reddish-brown tones; the darker shades used in henna hair coloring are traditionally achieved by combining henna with other plant dyes such as indigo.

A note on "black henna"

Authentic natural henna colors only in the orange-to-red range. Some products sold as "black henna" or "instant henna" contain PPD (paraphenylenediamine), a synthetic dye that can cause severe skin reactions and lasting sensitization. Our henna is the natural plant powder; be cautious of any product claiming an instant jet-black stain from henna alone.

Henna Leaf Powder: form & shades

We carry Henna Leaf Powder as finely ground natural leaf, offered in three shade options: Red, Chestnut, and Black. We make no health or therapeutic claims.

Storage

Store henna powder in an airtight container, away from heat, light, and humidity, to preserve its dye strength.

Henna Leaf Powder at a glance

Botanical name

Lawsonia inermis

Family

Lythraceae

Native region

South Asia, North Africa, and the Middle East

Dye compound

Lawsone

Natural color range

Orange to reddish-brown

Shade options

Red, Chestnut, Black