Jagua henna (also known as hengua) is a natural, plant-based dye used for body art just like henna. Jagua henna is made by mixing a handful of natural ingredients: Henna powder, sugar, essential oil, jagua fruit juice and/or lemon juice. The ingredients are mixed together to make a paste which is set aside at room temperature for 12 to 24 hours for dye release. Dye release is a process by which the dye molecule called lawsone is released from the henna powder. Without dye release, the henna paste will not stain.
Once the paste is ready, it is mixed really well to achieve a stringy and creamy consistency. It is then filled in small, hand-rolled cellophane cones (similar to piping bags) with a fine tip and sealed with tape. Jagua henna cones need to be stored in the freezer if not used right away because henna paste is perishable.
After the jagua henna paste is applied to skin, it must dry completely and sealed in place by a sugar sealant mixture or medical tape. To achieve the best stain, jagua henna paste must stay in contact with the skin for 8 to 12 hours. It is important to mention that the stain takes 24 to 48 hours to fully develop. When the paste is removed after 8 hours, the stain is greenish brown. With the right aftercare, over the next two days the stain becomes dark brown to black. (see picture below). Proper aftercare is absolutely crucial to getting a deep stain! Click here to learn more about henna stain and aftercare.
What is the difference between Henna and Jagua Henna (Hengua)?
As far as the ingredients are concerned, the only difference between making henna and jagua henna is the addition of jagua juice (also called jagua ink). Jagua juice replaces the water/lemon juice in the recipe. Jagua juice comes from the Jagua fruit (Genipa americana), a tropical fruit that grows in South America. Native South Americans have been using the jagua ink for thousands of years for various purposes such as creating temporary tattoos on skin and warding off insects. The fruit itself is of benefit as well as because of its nutritional and medicinal value, although it is mostly harvested for its dye.
As shown in the picture below, henna yields a reddish brown stain (left) whereas jagua henna yields a dark brown to black stain (right). Jagua juice by itself yields a bluish black stain, but when it is mixed with henna, it neutralizes the red tones of henna and results in a brown/black stain.
Jagua juice can be added to the henna recipe in varying concentrations to achieve different results. Adding a higher concentration of jagua juice will result in a darker stain. For example, replacing 50% of the liquid portion in the henna recipe with jagua juice will yield a dark brown stain and replacing 100% of the liquid portion with jagua juice will yield a dark brown to black stain. Luxe Organic Henna jagua henna cones contain 100% jagua juice concentration to yield the deepest stain!
Is Jagua Henna the same as Jagua Gel?
No, jagua henna is not the same as jagua gel although both are used for body art. Jagua henna is a mix of henna and jagua juice whereas jagua gel does not contain any henna. Jagua gel is usually prepared by mixing jagua juice (or a mix of jagua powder and water/vinegar), xanthan gum, and essential oil.
The consistency of jagua henna paste and jagua gel is different as well. Jagua henna is opaque and has a creamy and stringy consistency like henna whereas jagua gel is translucent and has a more gel-like consistency like gel toothpaste or hair gel.
Jagua gel yields a bluish-black stain (left photo) whereas jagua henna yields a dark brown/black stain (right photo). Jagua henna is perfect for people who do not like the bluish tint of jagua gel but still want a dark stain.
In terms of price, jagua henna cones are less expensive than jagua gel cones.
Why are Jagua Cones expensive?
Jagua cones are more expensive than henna cones because high quality jagua juice/gel used to make jagua cones is quite pricey. A manufacturer purchases Jagua fruit in wholesale from farmers at fair market prices. The manufacture then prepares jagua juice, jagua powder, jagua gel etc. and packages the products. Henna artists purchase these products from manufacturers (usually in bulk) to sell as is or make their own cones. Since jagua products are mostly sold from the US, Canadian artists/brands like us have to pay additional shipping and custom charges, which adds to the price.
Did you know henna and jagua used for body art classify as cosmetics according to Health Canada? Just as high quality cosmetic products are expensive, high quality jagua products also have a higher price. The stain however, in our opinion, is worth it!
Is Jagua Henna safe to use?
Yes! Organic jagua henna is safe to use on skin. If you have never used jagua henna before or you have allergies to tropical fruits, you can do a patch test just to make sure you're not allergic to it. Click here on information about patch test. Unfortunately the term "henna" is misused on labels of products that claim to be 100% natural but actually contain chemicals like PPD that are extremely harmful. So how can you tell if a henna product is natural or chemical based? Click here to find out.
Luxe Organic Henna is committed to bringing you the best organic henna products for hair and body art. Our products are made with organic ingredients and contain no chemicals. We get our supplies only from reputable suppliers who strictly adhere to regulatory standards and have gone through testing and organic certification for their products.