FAQs
What is Jagua?
Jagua is the trade name for the skin dying gel made from the rain-forest fruit Genipa Americana. For thousands of years, the South American natives have used the blue black dye obtained from the squeezing of the unripe Genipa fruit to adorn their skin and ward off stinging insects. This blue/black non-permanent dye creates a temporary tattoo when applied to the body and wears off only as the epidermal layer of skin to which it is applied wears off.
What is Henna?
Henna, the Persian name for Lawsonia inermis, a flowering desert shrub that produces red dye. Twice a year the henna leaves are harvested, dried, and ground into a very fine powder. Once this henna powder is ready, it's made into a paste, which can be used to naturally color the hair or on skin as a temporary form of body art tattoo. It typically dyes the skin and hair an orange to cherry red-brown tone (tone varies on the person's skin, and hair color etc).
Henna contains hennotannic acid, a dye that bonds with the collagen in skin cells and keratin of fingernails and hair, leaving behind a reddish-brown stain.
Henna is the oldest documented cosmetic and is soothing and cooling on the skin. It alleviates heat exhaustion and is even a natural sun block. Henna is native to Asia and the Mediterranean coast of Africa and now thrives in warmer climates all over the world.
What is Black Henna?
'Black henna' is made using a toxic chemical dye that can cause permanent scars and internal to damage kidneys, liver, & blister the skin.
Natural henna will never dye your skin purple, pink, blue, or black. Any henna that dyes your skin a color other than reddish-brown has chemicals added that are not clearly healthy or safe. Please use only safe and natural brown henna.
There is no such thing as black henna. In order for henna to produce a black color chemicals that are unsafe for your skin have been added. Black henna should be avoided.
A chemical dye known as PPD, which is not authorized for use on the skin by the FDA is often added to the natural henna to produce a black color. Black henna has become very popular in certain tourist areas, particularly Venice Beach and Mexico. For more information please check out the henna page.We do not offer black henna. Detailed information on black henna can be found here. The New York Times also featured anarticle on black henna.
How long will my Henna or Jagua last?
Your henna stain can last up to 2 weeks depending on your aftercare, where the design is on the body and the stain intensity. Taking a dip in the pool or ocean, doing dishes, frequent hand washing, exfoliating, scrubbing or waxing your skin will cause the stain to fade more quickly.