Starlight Mehndi Studios

About me:

HENNA BODY ART
serving TAMPA, ST. PETERSBURG, POLK, PASCO, and SARASOTA, too!

For an appointment please call (813) 404-0056 or email the_nunnery@hotmail.com



Henna, where for art thou?
The art of henna painting, Mehndi, has existed for thousands of years as an empowering feminine artform celebrating creativity and prosperity. Henna is a natural dye traditionally applied to the hands and feet in elaborate patterns intended not only as body adornment, but also good fortune to the wearer. Henna's use in body art began over 9,000 years ago in ancient Goddess worship across the Mediterranean.

Henna comes from the crushed leaves of the henna plant, which is cultivated in the dry, warm climates from North Africa to India. Starlight Mehndi imports from henna plantations and purveyors in India, Morocco, Pakistan, and Iran.

The traditional, homemade henna paste used by Starlight Mehndi Studios is made from fresh henna powder, lemon juice, and good quality essential oils such as tea tree or cajeput. These natural ingredients are blended together by the artist herself and are freshly prepared for each customer or event. Be confident that your henna is lovingly made by a professional artist who is respectful of traditional henna design, culture, and the thousands of years of women's artistry henna represents. Henna's ancient floral and geometric motifs are best enjoyed by a freehand artist who can make every henna design unique.

Thank you for choosing Starlight Mehndi Studios! I am available to be your henna artist for personal appointments, bridal henna, charity events and parties.



What is the Nice Price?
The price of henna body art greatly depends upon the size and complexity of the design. Most artwork for coffeeshops or outdoor festivals costs between $5 and $25. More extensive or elaborate work, for example traditional bridal henna, can cost upwards of $150.

Private appointments start at $60. This is a set price that includes a fresh batch of homemade henna just for you, and either both hands or both feet done in the traditional style. If you'd like to get a group of folks together, you could defray the cost of hiring me to come out by dividing it among several others. My call-out fee is $25.

For corporate gatherings or private parties, please inquire for more specific pricing information.



Easy Come, Easy Go
How long will it last? Is it safe? Henna is traditionally applied on the hands and feet, and these are the areas of the body where the designs will be the darkest and last the longest, between 1-2 weeks. Starlight Mehndi Studios only uses natural, fresh henna, which contains no chemicals or artificial ingredients, and specifically does NOT contain the chemical PPD used in Black Henna. Natural henna is not black; natural henna is a harmless vegetable dye that appears reddish-brown. Henna's color varies upon the unique skin tone of each person it adorns.

It is very rare that someone be allergic to henna. It would be more likely that a person be allergic to the essential oils used in the paste. If you find you are allergic to tea tree or eucalyptus, please tell me! We can make a henna paste that does not contain these ingredients or we can substitute them for a softer essential oil such as lavendar.



As time goes by...
How long will it take to apply henna, and how long will it take to dry?

Henna is applied either with a jaquard fabric painting bottle or a plastic cake-like decorating cone. The idea is for the henna to glide over top of the skin, and in no way does henna penetrate the skin in a hurtful way to achieve its stain.

The actual process of applying henna, for an average design, usually does not take more than 15 minutes.

However, plenty of time should be allowed afterward for the henna to rest on the skin. The paste will be dry within a half hour, but it needs the remainder of the day to absorb into the skin for the darkest stain. In other words, you need to chill out after having your henna done. Don't plan to go to the gym immediately afterwards!



What design should I choose?
Each work of henna body art is different and all henna artists have their own distinct styles. Traditional mehndi is layer upon layer of complex floral and geometric design. Many of these motifs are similar, and it's often difficult to choose a pattern.

It's okay if you pick one design or twenty; it's the artist's job to incorporate not only the art, but also it's meaning for each individual person.