Instruct: Given a question, retrieve relevant documents that answer the question.
Query: Are there different colors to henna?
Henna only stains the skin one color, a variation of reddish brown, at full maturity 3 days after application.
Henna paste is usually applied to the skin using a plastic cone, a paintbrush or a stick. After about 15–20 minutes, the mud will dry and begin to crack, and during this time, a mixture of lemon juice and white sugar can be applied over the henna design to remoisten the henna mud so that the henna will stain darker. The painted area is then wrapped with tissue, plastic, or medical tape to lock in body heat, creating a more intense colour on the skin. The wrap (not a traditional method), is worn for two to six hours, or sometimes overnight, and then removed. When first removed, the henna design is pale to dark orange in colour and gradually darkens through oxidation, over the course of 24 to 72 hours. The final color is reddish brown and can last anywhere from one to three weeks depending on the quality and type of henna paste applied, as well as where it was applied on the body (thicker skin stains darker and longer than thin skin). Moisturizing with natural oils, such as olive, sesame seed, or coconut, will also help extend the lifetime of the stain. Skin exfoliation causes the henna tattoo to fade.
Across the henna-growing region, Purim,[12] Eid,[14] Diwali,[15] Karva Chauth, Passover, Nowruz, Mawlid, and most saints' days were celebrated with some henna. Favorite horses, donkeys, and salukis had their hooves, paws, and tails hennaed. Battle victories, births, circumcision, birthdays, Zār, as well as weddings, usually included some henna as part of the celebration. Bridal henna nights remain an important custom in many of these areas, particularly among traditional families.
Hashim (Adnan Siddiqui) and Henna (Ayesha Khan) are a married couple living in U.S.A with their children Soni and Naeel. Henna is a perfect wife and a caring mother but misses her family living in Pakistan. One day Hashim hands over airplane tickets to Henna and asks her to visit her family in Pakistan with Soni and Naeel. Henna gets happy and visits her family. Her family includes her parents, two brothers, a sister-in-law and a niece. After few days, Hashim calls his kids back as he doesn't want them to miss their school. Within few days, Henna receives divorce papers and is devastated. As she doesn't have a green card she can't go back to US. Meanwhile, Hashim is having an extramarital affair with his best friend Nabeel's (Imran Abbas Naqvi) wife Kamla (Tooba Siddiqui). Hashim marries Kamla but his children don't accept Kamla as their new mother. Henna is desperate to meet her kids and meets Nabeel who proposes to Henna to take revenge from Hashim. Henna rejects his proposal. Kids find it difficult to stay with Kamla. Kamla too feels that it would be better if the children go to her mother i.e. Henna. She sets up a plan to send Soni and Naeel to Henna but is caught by Hashim. Hashim divorces Kamla. Henna's younger brother Adeel (Ahsan Khan) has a friend Marina (Juggan Kazim) who sets up her maternal uncle (Mamu) Salman's (Faisal Rehman) marriage with Henna. Henna doesn't want a second marriage but marries him as he promises her that he would take her to US where she can actually meet her kids and get them. Adeel on the other hand, likes a girl Roma and takes Marina's help. Marina secretly loves Adeel but is in an inferiority complex of being an overweight. Adeel soon realises his love for Marina and proposes her. Salman is suffering from impotency and Henna feels cheated for not being known about this she even calls him gay. Salman tells her that she is treating him the way Hashim treated her. Henna apologizes and visits a doctor with Salman. Marina loses weight and surprises Adeel and his family on the day of their marriage. Salman offers a job to Adeel in U.S.A. Henna soon conceives, Salman is extremely happy but denies his promise as he doesn't want Henna to neglect herself being pregnant. Salman, Henna, Adeel and Marina arrives U.S.A. Henna keeps on insisting but is denied to meet her kids. Salman again promises her that as soon as the baby would be born, she would be taken by him to meet Soni and Naeel. Marina applies for her master's in a university. Adeel opposes her decision but is later convinced by Henna. A baby girl is born and is named Zarlina (Zee). Meanwhile, Hashim arrives Pakistan with his kids to meet Henna and is informed about Henna's second marriage. He calls Salman in order so that the kids could meet Henna but is denied. Henna is eager to meet her kids but is denied by Salman as he thinks Henna would forget about Zee as soon as she meets Soni and Naeel. Henna neglects Zarlina and insist Salman but soon realises her duty of being Zee's mother. After few years, when Zee grows Henna shows Zee her children's picture, Zee too demands for her older siblings. Marina gets a job which saddens Adeel as he wants a baby now. One day, Henna meets Hashim and demands to see her kids she goes with him to Hashim's House and is devastated to see Soni being so spoilt drug addict and Naeel being always alone. She finds that her kids hate her for not showing up as Hashim had lied them that it was all Henna's fault. Henna stays there in order to get the things done but still hates Hashim. Salman is furious and goes with Zee to Hashim's place. Henna blames him that because of him, her kids are so spoilt and hates her. Salman in guilt, leaves Zee with her. Soni hates Zee and warns Henna to leave her house or else she would cause a trouble. Naeel likes Zee and even plays with her. Soni kidnaps Zee and ask Henna to leave the house. Henna readily accepts which hurts Soni as she thinks Henna only loves Zee. She doesn't agree. Salman comes to meet Zee but is surprised by Soni's set up. Zee, who lives at Soni's friend's house still loves her elder sister. Soni exploits Zee but also takes care of her at her friend's house. Soni's friend calls up Henna one day and apologizes. Henna takes Zee with her and is leaving Hashim's house. Before leaving, she tells Soni that she isn't aware of the truth. Hashim confronts Soni about all he had done. Henna decides to leave alone as Salman didn't kept his promise. Soni talks to Henna and tells her not to leave Zee alone. Marina decides to leave Adeel thinking him as a male chauvinist but Salman tells her that it is she who is a problem in living with and must not leave Adeel as he truly loves her. Marina apologizes to Adeel for her headstrong behavior and lives a happy life with him and even plans for a child. Soni and Naeel refuse to stay with Hashim and stay with Henna and often meet Zee. Soni tells Henna to get back with Salman as he is a nice person. Henna forgives Salman and gets back to him with her children.
Indigo is natural dye from a plant (Indigofera tinctoria, suffructicosa, or arrecta) that can be added to henna or layered on top of it to create brown to black colors in the hair. Henna is orange, and indigo is blue, so as complementaries on a standard color wheel, the two colors' combined effect is to create brown tones. Like henna, indigo may fade after one application, but it becomes permanent on the hair with repeated use.
A ceremony of “henna smearing” is held on the evening of the first day of the wedding at the bride's house. The bride's nearest female friends and relatives are invited to this event. A group of young boys and girls with musicians come from the groom's house. The nearest relatives of the groom smear henna on the bride's fingers and give gifts. The bride's family gives a formal dinner party to participants in the ceremony. The “henna smearing” has different names in different districts of Azerbaijan: in Shaki the ceremony is called “the bride’s feast”; in Tovuz the ceremony is the “demonstration of the girl”; in Masalli and Lenkeran the events are known as “gathering at the girl’s”; in Guba the reference is “henna smearing” and in Absheron this is the “hennanane”. According to tradition, on the night of “henna smearing”, the groom came to the bride's house for “toy payi” (wedding portion) and took sheep and a hen, giving gifts and money in return. According to the tradition, it is appropriate to steal “toy payi”, but in the 1980s the wedding portion was prepared in advance and given to the groom. Sometimes the musicians stay in the bride's house and merry-making and dancing continue until the morning.
For Moroccan Jews, a wedding festival can last up to 5 days, with 2 days involving henna art.[27] One of these days is referred to as azmomeg (meaning unknown), and is the Thursday before the wedding where guests are invited to apply henna to the bride.[27] The other henna ceremony occurs after the wedding ceremony, called the Day of Henna.[27] On this day, typically an older woman applies henna to the bride after she dips in the mikveh to ward off evil spirits who may be jealous of the newlyweds.[28] The groom is also painted with henna after the wedding.[28] During the groom's henna painting, he commonly wears black clothing, this tradition emerged from the Pact of Umar as the Jews were not permitted to dress similar to colorful Muslim dress in Morocco.[28]
Meanwhile, a girl from bride side brings a "2 color" tea to the groom and his friends. They also drink tea and put a namar (according to Azerbaijani traditions, namar is candle, money or little gift which is collected in wedding, or engagement ceremony) on an empty tray. One of the girls brings the henna and the boys are sliding their little finger into the henna.
The name arose from imports of plant-based hair dyes into the West in the late 19th century. Partly fermented, dried indigo was called black henna because it could be used in combination with henna to dye hair black. This gave rise to the belief that there was such a thing as black henna which could dye skin black. Indigo will not dye skin black. Pictures of indigenous people with black body art (either alkalized henna or from some other source) also fed the belief that there was such a thing as black henna.
In Morocco, henna is applied symbolically when individuals go through life cycle events.[24] Moroccans refer to the paste as henna and the designs as naqsh, which means painting or inscription.[24] In Morocco, there are two types of henna artists: non-specialists, who traditionally partake in wedding rituals, and specialists, who partake in tourism and decorative henna.[25] Nqaasha, the low-end Henna specialists, are known for attracting tourists, which they refer to as gazelles or international tourists, in artisan slang.[26]
Henna can also refer to the temporary body art resulting from the staining of the skin from the dyes (see also mehndi). Henna has been used since antiquity to dye skin, hair and fingernails, as well as fabrics including silk, wool and leather. Historically, henna was used in the Arabian Peninsula, Indian Subcontinent, near and Middle East, Carthage, other parts of North Africa and the Horn of Africa. 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.[2][3]
Henna is known to be dangerous to people with glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency (G6PD deficiency), which is more common in males than females. Infants and children of particular ethnic groups, mainly from the Middle East and North Africa, are especially vulnerable.[42][43] Though user accounts cite few other negative effects of natural henna paste, save for occasional mild allergic reactions (often associated with lemon juice or essential oils in a paste and not the henna itself), pre-mixed commercial henna body art pastes may have undisclosed ingredients added to darken stain, or to alter stain color. The health risks involved in pre-mixed paste can be significant. The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does consider these risks to be adulterants and therefore illegal for use on skin.[44] Some commercial pastes have been noted to include: p-Phenylenediamine, sodium picramate, amaranth (dye) (red dye #2 banned in the US in 1976), silver nitrate, carmine, pyrogallol, disperse orange dye, and chromium.[45] These have been found to cause allergic reactions, chronic inflammatory reactions, or late-onset allergic reactions to hairdressing products and textile dyes.[46][47]
Traditional Henna parties usually take place within the week before a special occasion, such as a wedding, Bar and Bat Mitzvah, or baby showers. During pre-wedding Henna parties, the Matriarch of the family (often the grandmother) smudges henna in the palm of the bride and groom to symbolically bestow the new couple with good health, fertility, wisdom, and security. The henna is believed in Moroccan tradition to protect the couple from demons. The grandmother covers the henna, a dough-like paste produced by mixing crushed henna plant leaves with water, in order to lock in body heat and generate a richer color. Normally, the henna will dye skin orange for up to 2 weeks. In Moroccan folklore, the bride is exempt of her household duties until the henna completely fades. After the bride and groom are blessed with the henna, the guests also spread henna on their palms to bring good luck.
Whole, unbroken henna leaves will not stain the skin. Henna will not stain skin until the lawsone molecules are made available (released) from the henna leaf. However, dried henna leaves will stain the skin if they are mashed into a paste. The lawsone will gradually migrate from the henna paste into the outer layer of the skin and bind to the proteins in it, creating a stain.
The different words for henna in ancient languages imply that it had more than one point of discovery and origin, as well as different pathways of daily and ceremonial use.
In Somalia, henna is used for practical purposes such as dying hair and coloring one's nails.[33] It is also applied to the hands and feet of young Somali women in preparation for their weddings.[33]
Henna is an orange dye commonly used as a deposit-only hair color whose active component, lawsone, binds to keratin. It is therefore considered semi-permanent to permanent, depending on a person's hair type. Most people will achieve a permanent color from henna, especially after the second dye. With repeated use the orange color builds up into red and then auburn. While "natural" henna is generally a red color, variations exist. These variations usually contain ingredients from other plants and even synthetic dyes.
In Egypt, the lower classes wore pale colors, whereas high society painted their nails a reddish brown color, with henna. Mummified pharaohs also had their nails painted with henna.
Neutral henna does not change the color of hair. This is not henna powder; it is usually the powder of the plant Senna italica (often referred to by the synonym Cassia obovata) or closely related Cassia and Senna species.
In modern times, particularly those not living in Palestine, the henna night remains traditional in customs, but is very similar to a bachelorette party; the bride's female friends and relatives join her in celebrating, which includes food, drinks, and a lot of dancing. A women's group plays Arabic music, sometimes Islamic music, while everyone dances. A woman draws henna or mehndi, a temporary form of skin decoration using henna, on the bride and guests' skin — usually the palms and feet, where the henna color will be darkest because the skin contains higher levels of keratin there, which binds temporarily to lawsone, the colorant of henna.
Henna has been used to adorn young women's bodies as part of social and holiday celebrations since the late Bronze Age in the eastern Mediterranean. The earliest text mentioning henna in the context of marriage and fertility celebrations comes from the Ugaritic legend of Baal and Anath,[10] which has references to women marking themselves with henna in preparation to meet their husbands, and Anath adorning herself with henna to celebrate a victory over the enemies of Baal. Wall paintings excavated at Akrotiri (dating prior to the eruption of Thera in 1680BCE) show women with markings consistent with henna on their nails, palms and soles, in a tableau consistent with the henna bridal description from Ugarit.[11] Many statuettes of young women dating between 1500 and 500BCE along the Mediterranean coastline have raised hands with markings consistent with henna. This early connection between young, fertile women and henna seems to be the origin of the Night of the Henna, which is now celebrated worldwide.
Henna is mud-like material that is prepared on the day before the wedding. On night for the wedding, in the old days all the ladies would gather at the house of the bride (but nowadays it's mixed, also male relatives and family friends are invited.) A bowl is filled with henna. Henna is celebrated differently throughout the Assyrian community.
In some areas, whoever holds the bowl with the henna will dance with it around the others. 
The groom and bride put in the bowl their little finger and their little finger will be wrapped and connected to each other by a ribbon.
In other areas, everyone is given a turn to wrap his finger with henna, and after everyone, the person that is getting henna in his hand starts the chant of praise for the future couple, as everyone else follows him.
Natural henna produces a rich red-brown stain which can darken in the days after it is first applied. It is sometimes referred to as "red henna" to differentiate it from products sold as "black henna" or "neutral henna," which may not actually contain henna, but are instead made from other plants or dyes.
Another tattoo alternative is henna-based tattoos, which generally contain no additives. Henna is a plant-derived substance which is painted on the skin, staining it a reddish-orange-to-brown color. Because of the semi-permanent nature of henna, they lack the realistic colors typical of decal temporary tattoos. Due to the time-consuming application process, it is a relatively poor option for children. Dermatological publications report that allergic reactions to natural henna are very rare and the product is generally considered safe for skin application. Serious problems can occur, however, from the use of henna with certain additives. The FDA and medical journals report that painted black henna temporary tattoos are especially dangerous.
Using a plant-based color such as henna can cause problems later when trying to do a perm or permanent hair color. Some store-bought henna contains metallic salts which reacts to hydrogen peroxide that is used in hair lightening. This may lead to unpredictable results, such as green or blue tones in the hair. Henna is a healthy way to color hair, as long as no metallic salts are used.