As a professional henna artist, I get asked a lot of questions about my art. Many of the questions have to do with how to make the stain last the longest or what the designs "really mean" or how long it took me to learn to wield a cone. But there is one question that I don't hear hardly enough, and it's time we talked about it.
Read MoreI remember what it was like to be a brand new henna artist on the scene. I'd worked with clients for nearly three years before I became aware of the world of henna online. When I introduced myself to this virtual community of artists, I was amazed at how much skill there was around me! I was also very grateful that I hadn't encountered these artists before.
Read MoreThere's a myth circulating around the henna community, and I feel like it's time that we put it to bed. You can call me Chelsea, the Myth Buster. I've heard this myth cross the lips of henna artists, clients, and aunties alike. For whatever reason, it seems like it just won't die. It's the good ol'... "If you put lemon juice on your henna it will stain darker. #yeahright
Read MoreIt's been near seven years of business, and I've waited for this inevitable phone call to come. I've wondered how I'd cope with it. I've thought endlessly on what damage control might look like for my business when it became reality. I've wondered under what circumstances it might present itself. And guess what? Tonight, it came.
Read MoreThings have been stirred up within the henna community, and cool, black stains are to blame. By now you've learned that #hennaisneverblack, and you've likely come to love the deep, rich color of natural henna stains. Just as you've cozied up to the idea that natural henna yields warm cherry or mahogany stains on the skin, jagua hits the scene.
Read MoreI've never thought of henna as an act of resistance or sticking it to the patriarchy or anything else. For me, it was purely practical. This doesn't change that it is resistance, indeed. Through my work, I teach my children that they have the right (and the capacity!) to be or do anything. I raise them in my home where they can be fully influenced by me and by those who I feel are deserving of an opportunity in their lives. I teach them patience as they wait for me to finish with my clients in the studio, and presence when we play or paint or cuddle together. I show my children - especially my daughters - that they can be confident and successful.
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