Henna, a coloring made from a plant, is approved only for use as a hair dye. It is not approved for direct application to the skin, as in the body-decorating process known as mehndi. This unapproved use of a color additive makes these products adulterated.

Jewish, Sikh, Jain, Christian and many other religious groups in these regions also use henna. So if you're a Christian and want henna, you're in good company. Many Christians in Armenia, India, Palestine and other places in the world wear henna. It's simply a part of celebrating life!

A henna tattoo typically lasts for four to seven days on the skin. If you combine your henna paste with other natural ingredients, such as essential oil of eucalyptus or tea leaves, it can last anywhere from 6 to 12 days. It can only stay on your skin for about one to two weeks before it fades.

You may have heard mehndi being called henna. Henna is the name of a medicinal plant that has many uses, while mehndi are the leaves of the henna plant ground into powder/paste and then used as dyes (many people use it as a hair dye because it darkens the hair, conditions it and strengthens it) or temporary tattoos.