Mehendi...
Mehendi originated in Egypt and in Middle Eastern countries during ancient times, and it was spread to India by the Muslims.

Since the twelfth century, Mehendi has been used all over India. Mehendi came into use because of its cooling therapeutic effect in a hot climate and, in India, it was also a way for a bride and groom to get to know one another before an arranged marriage.

Recently, Mehendi has become popularized in the West by musicians and Hollywood personalities and is now a quickly rising trend among women and men alike in world culture. The art varies from country to country, spanning different cultures and religious traditions, and making it possible to recognize distinctions in cultural style. Other tribes or people that use Mehendi are: Arabs, Africans (North Africa), Asian and Middle Eastern.

Before the wedding the bride and many other women would gather together for a bonding ritual. In this ritual the women would cover the bride' hands and arms up to her elbows and feet and legs up to her knees in Mehendi designs.

After the wedding, while the Mehendi is still present on her body, the bride does not have to do any housework. Because women do such hard work as house wives in these countries, it is very important that the Mehendi stays for a long period of time. The decoration period can take up to five hours making the design very intricate and beautiful. The amount of time spent on the Mehendi is also used to teach the new bride patience. Arranged marriages were and are still often used in India and the Middle East. Because of this, the bride and groom aren't usually familiar with each other.

The women hide the name of the groom in the bride's Mehendi. Before the marriage the bride and groom meet to get to know each other better. To do this, the groom has to find his name in the bride's Mehendi. This is also for good luck. If the groom finds his name in the bride's Mehendi it is a sign that they will have a long and happy marriage. Mehendi contains magic. According to a nomadic Moroccan tribe called the Berbers, henna has been known in the East from ancient times to the present day for its power to protect, to bring luck and to provide material as well as spiritual wealth, most especially when used in ceremonies having to do with rites of passage.

In general, henna is thought of as a lucky charm or blessing. It wards off the evil eye, guards against black magic, harmful genies, and all other dangerous supernatural forces or entities.

Mehendi Ceremonies: Mehendi is used during these times to celebrate a very important event. This ceremony can be strictly for the individual, for a family, or for a large number of people. Cultural events and gatherings where Mehendi is used are: childbirth, a girl's first menstrual period & weddings. These are extremely important events according to Middle Eastern and Indian cultures.
Mehendi is very cooling: Mehendi art started because of a need to cool down under the hot sun. The practice of Mehendi started out as a means of air-conditioning in the desert. Among its mystical and medicinal properties, the henna plant's (Lawsonia Inermis is its botanical name) chief ability is to cool down the human body.

Eventually, they found one large dot in the palm of hand had the same effect. Other small dots were placed around it which gradually gave way to artistic designs. From this they decided to get extremely creative with extravagant lacy lines, flowers, and birds particularly peacocks.

Henna/Mehendi Enhances Beauty: Women will stain their nails, skin, and hair with henna. Henna cosmetics are made from the Egyptian evergreen plant, Lawsonia inermis (henna). There are four main types of Mehendi styles according to different cultures. Although Mehendi exists all over the East through different tribes and people, they each fall under one of these categories: Arabic, Indian, African (North Africa), and Asian and Middle Eastern. Arabic Mehendi features large, floral patterns on hands and feet, while Indian Mehendi uses fine line, lacy, floral and paisley patterns covering entire hands, forearms, feet and shins.

Frequently Asked Questions.
Does Henna based Black Rose hair dye have any Side-effects ?
NO !! It is a herbal product and does not have any effect detrimental to you or your hair. However it is always advisable to take a sensitivity test before using it as some people may have an allergy towards it.

How does Black Rose Hair Dye protect hair ?
When used for coloring the hair, Henna plates and protects the hair shaft. Black Rose Hair Dye has, in addition to Henna, constituents like Amla & Shikakai which have been in use as hair conditioners for hundreds of years in India.

How long does the color last ?
About 30-35 days

How is powdered hair dye different from liquid or cream based dyes ?
Powder hair dyes contain natural herbs like Henna, Amla, Shikakai which are well known hair conditioners as opposed to the chemical content of conventional cream & liquid dyes.

How does Black Rose Henna compare vis-a-vis other brands ?
The Black Rose Powder Hair Dye is the most well known brand in India. It has been the market leader in India for almost 10 years. The brand is also very popular abroad.

Is use of Henna based dyes safe for all ages ?
Yes !! Henna based Black Rose Hair Dye is safe for all ages.

Can Henna be used for Eyebrows / Eyelashes ?
NO !! It is not recommended for such use.

PURE HENNA POWDER/ MEHENDI
The henna powder or natural henna, prepared from the best quality henna leaves is available in bulk quantities for both Indian & Export markets. Pure henna powder, if applied for a longer duration, can give a reddish color to the hair.

NEUTRAL HENNA
As the name tells, it does not give any color to the hair. It is a conditioner and is in great demand in Japan.

Why Use Henna ?

Henna or "Lawsonia Inermis" as it is botanically known, is a shrub popular for it's leaves used to adorn the hands & feet of the Indian bride. The leaves have a very pleasant fragrance and have medicinal properties. Henna is packed with natural ingredients necessary for hair care and is very widely used to provide nourishment to the hair and to prevent pre-mature graying of hair. Henna has been in use in India and Middle East, for hundreds of years, as a hair care product. See the Henna Page for more details on Henna & Henna Based Black Rose Hair Dye.
Black Rose Hair Dye

KALI MEHENDI / BLACK HAIR DYE
Black Rose Hair Dye is a Henna based powder dye. The recipe for the dye was formulated after carefully studying the hair care properties of henna. Our researchers combined henna with other herbs to produce this ultimate powder hair dye. Black Rose Hair Dye consists mainly of Henna leaves powdered and treated to ensure a lasting & uniform hair dyeing effects.

This ITID Quality Excellence award winning product, was the first hair dye in India to obtain a BIS/ISI certification, and is still is one of the very few products to have it.

The hair dye is available in Black & Dark Brown colors. Other colors such as light brown, burgundy, mahogany etc can be supplied in case of a requirement. The hair dye apart from being available all over India, is being exported to Far East (including Japan), Middle East, Africa, South Africa, Russia and neighboring countries.

If you still have any doubts about the power of Henna, please contact me at sano@sanober.com