A Very Nerdy Deep Dive into Real, Organic Henna & Jagu 

–By: Madalina Kelner

Lead artist and owner of Mada Mehndi 

What Makes Henna real vs Fake?

Real henna paste is made from the dried, crushed leaves of the Lawsonia inermis plant, while jagua gel is derived from the juice of the Genipa Americana fruit. Both are exceptional natural body art mediums, known for producing rich, long-lasting stains without the harmful chemical compounds that can burn the skin, trigger severe reactions, or accelerate aging.

Unfortunately, many mass-produced cones labeled as “brown henna,” “red henna,” “natural henna,” or “black henna” are incredibly misleading and potentially dangerous.

What You Bought on Amazon or Off the Store Shelf Is Not Real Henna or Jagua and Here’s Why

Cones sold online often lack clear ingredient lists and are frequently filled with parabens, PPDs, acids, preservatives, and—my personal favorite—“natural mystery ingredients.”

Although research is still ongoing, parabens have already been banned in the UK along with artificial food dyes. Through my independent research, I’ve identified specific parabens found in these body art cones that have been conclusively linked to skin damage under certain conditions. When these parabens come into contact with UVB rays, damage can occur after just one use.

Other parabens used in these cones are still being studied to determine their long-term effects, but the potential for harm is real. So how can we look out for these so-called “natural cones” and find truly natural ones that are safe?

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If You Don’t Need to Store It in the Freezer, It’s Bad News. Stay Away.

All true, natural henna has a very short shelf life.

Fresh henna and jagua are made from a short list of gentle, safe ingredients and are not shelf-stable. Both must be kept frozen when not in use. Even if lemon juice is added to the henna blend, a cone will only last 12–24 hours at room temperature before it begins to lose potency and effectiveness.

If your “henna” or “black henna” doesn’t require freezer storage, it likely contains preservatives and/or one or more of the ingredients mentioned above.

Lavender Oil

Sugar

In extremely rare cases, one can learn they have unique allergies to the oils and the commonly used lemon juice found in the most trusted and gentle of henna pastes. The signs come and go quite fast. You will almost immediately feel itching and a bit of growing, warm, spicy discomfort if ignored. It does not feel the same as it does when it simply dries and feels tight also feeling itchy a bit due to dry henna tugging on the small hairs on your body; this is very normal. Warm, hot itching is not but it can be quickly stopped by lathering off with soap and water for 3 minutes. If the sensation is not resolved, call a doctor. After your henna is removed, start with deductive reasoning, followed by statistics. Every henna artist uses different ingredients. If your henna was by Mada Mehndi, you can rule out the most common reason for a reaction, Lavander Oil. If another henna was used, consider if it had Lemon juice first. if it did, it is way more common to be sensitive to it . It is a very popular and gentle additive that other artists may choose. Keep this in mind if you visit another artist. So to review, two possible solutions when trying organic henna again: first, try citrus-free and lastly, ask to trade out lavender oil. Many henna artists make allergy-friendly batches with fewer or different oils or no lemon juice. Mada Mehndi almost always has two separate batches available for events, lavender only and cajeput only. Feel free to ask! 

henna leaves ground and sifted into a fine powder

Distilled water 

Many Things Are "Natural" —Like Poison Ivy!

Does that mean we should be putting them on our skin?

“Natural” has become such an overused and misleading term that it hardly means anything anymore. Here’s why: Naturally derived ingredients—no matter how far removed they are from their original compound—do not require full disclosure under FDA guidelines.

This means many of the so-called “natural” or “naturally derived” ingredients in these cones are unknown mixtures of oils, acids, and other compounds that can irritate or even damage the skin.

For example, clove oil and peppermint oil can cause irritation or burns if not properly diluted with a carrier oil. To be even more dramatic, poison ivy oil is all-natural, but that doesn’t mean we want it on our skin!

Natural or greenwashed beauty items are not always safe,

and as a consumer, it can leave you more confused than ever. That’s why it’s so important to stay informed about what’s going on your body

Many Henna Artists Do Use Fresh, Natural Ingredients—Here’s What to Look For

There are plenty of talented, caring artists out there who make or source their natural henna paste and jagua gel using carefully chosen, gentle ingredients.

Your artist should always be able to provide a full ingredient list upon request. If they can’t, there are usually one of a few reasons: they may be uninformed, using a mass-produced cone without realizing the risk, or choosing convenience over safety to keep up with demand.

A large majority of amateur or crossover artists (those who work in other mediums or services) simply haven’t been educated on the risks of commercial pastes. While it’s important to be understanding, it’s also important to protect yourself. Don’t be afraid to ask questions, and don’t be afraid to wait and get safe henna another day if something doesn’t feel right.

Do Your Research! I Always Say: Find Three Sources!

It’s crucial to do your own research and consult multiple trusted sources to form an informed opinion—but to help get you started, I’ve highlighted a couple of commonly sold “henna” products on Amazon, along with the problematic ingredients they contain. Sources are linked for further reading.