Traditional henna art and culture
What henna means in Moroccan life, the design styles you will be offered, where to have it done and how to agree a price, how to tell natural henna from dangerous black henna, and what to buy to take home.
Photograph: Brahim FARAJI, CC BY-SA 4.0
Henna in Morocco marks the moments that matter: a bride’s hands on her henna night, Eid, a birth. For a visitor, a design from a Moroccan artist is a souvenir you wear home, as long as it is natural henna.
Henna is a plant dye made from the leaves of Lawsonia inermis. This guide covers its meaning, the design styles, where to find artists, how to agree a price, how to avoid dangerous chemical henna, and how to care for your design so it lasts.
Four styles you will meet among henna artists across Morocco.
The most traditional Moroccan style: straight lines, diamonds and angular forms drawn from Amazigh motifs and Islamic art. Symmetrical and bold, it often covers the whole palm and the back of the hand in repeating elements.
Look for: Diamond grids, triangles, bold lines, symmetry.
Free-form florals with large open spaces that let the skin show through: vines, leaves and abstract flowers that run across the hand and up the fingers.
Look for: Vines, open spacing, floral motifs, curves.
Not traditionally Moroccan, but popular with visitors and younger Moroccan artists. Very fine detail, paisleys and peacocks, and dense coverage that fills the hand and fingers.
Look for: Paisley, fine detail, dense coverage.
Contemporary artists mix Moroccan geometry with Arabic florals and minimal touches, sometimes adding personal symbols or names in Arabic calligraphy.
Look for: Mixed styles, calligraphy, minimal accents.
Made from the crushed leaves of Lawsonia inermis, natural henna is greenish-brown and smells earthy. It stains the skin reddish-orange at first, deepening to a warm brown over 24–48 hours. It is safe for most people, though rare allergic reactions occur.
“Black henna” is not henna. It contains para-phenylenediamine (PPD), a chemical dye that leaves an instant jet-black stain. PPD can cause severe allergic reactions, including blistering, chemical burns and permanent scarring, and a sensitisation that may stop you ever using hair dyes that contain PPD again. Never use black henna.
Preparation
Skin
Design and price
Application
Drying
Removal and aftercare
Before a Moroccan wedding, the bride hosts laylat al-henna, the henna night: a women’s celebration where she sits in her finest kaftan while a henna artist decorates her hands and feet.
Female relatives and friends gather round, singing, drumming on the darbuka and sharing pastries; guests often receive a small design of their own. The groom also has henna on his hands, usually in simpler geometric patterns.
Beyond weddings, women and girls apply henna to their hands and feet for Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha. Henna also marks the naming ceremony seven days after a birth, the return of a pilgrim from the Hajj, and boys’ circumcision celebrations.
Agree the price first
Refuse uninvited henna
Get it early in the trip
Bring a reference photo
Plan the drying time
Ask what is in the paste
Questions
It depends on where you go, the size of the design and the detail. Street artists in Jemaa el-Fnaa are usually the cheapest for a small design; medina henna shops, salons and private sessions at a riad cost more, and bridal henna for hands and feet costs the most. Always agree on the price and the design before the artist begins.
Natural henna (made from the Lawsonia inermis plant) is generally safe and has been used in Morocco for centuries. It produces a reddish-brown to dark brown stain. However, "black henna" containing para-phenylenediamine (PPD) can cause severe allergic reactions, chemical burns, and permanent scarring. Always ask for natural henna, check that the paste is greenish-brown (not black), and do a small patch test if you have sensitive skin.
Natural Moroccan henna typically lasts from 1-3 weeks, depending on skin type, where the design is placed, and aftercare. Henna on palms and soles (where skin is thicker) tends to last longest and stain darkest. The initial color is bright orange, darkening to a rich brown over 24-48 hours. Frequent hand washing, swimming, and exfoliation will cause the design to fade faster.
Henna is believed to bring baraka (blessings), to protect against the evil eye, and to stand for joy and good fortune. It is central to Moroccan weddings, where the bride has a henna ceremony (laylat al-henna, the henna night) before the wedding. It is also applied for religious holidays such as Eid, for naming ceremonies and for other family milestones.
The best-known spot is Jemaa el-Fnaa square in Marrakech, where henna artists sit in the open, but quality and prices vary and pushy selling is common. For a calmer session, look for a recommended artist in the medina of Marrakech or Fes, visit a henna salon, or ask your riad to arrange a private session. Meknes, Essaouira and Chefchaouen also have henna artists, with less tourist pressure.
Yes. Elaborate designs are mostly associated with women, but grooms traditionally have henna applied to their hands for the wedding. Male visitors are welcome at henna artists; simpler geometric patterns are more usual for men.
A tip is appreciated but not expected if you have already agreed a fair price. If you are pleased with the work, a small extra is a kind gesture, and a tip is usual for private sessions at a riad or for wedding henna. Pay in cash and carry small notes.
Yes. Look for pure henna powder (without additives) in the spice souks and herbalists of Marrakech, Fes and Meknes. Pre-made henna cones are convenient for use at home, and you will also find henna oil for hair and henna-based cosmetics. Choose products that are sealed and labelled.