Henna, or Heena, or Mehndi, or Mehandi ... the list of names goes on and on ... is a more than 5,000-year-old form of body art which uses henna paste (made from the powdered leaves of the henna plant, a liquid such as water or lemon juice, tea or coffee, and often essential oils) to temporarily stain skin. The same paste can also be used to permanently dye hair, fur, leather, and fabric.
The henna plant grows best in very hot, dry parts of the world, such as around the Sahara Desert, throughout the Middle East, parts of India, Jordan, Yemen, even along the southeastern cost of Spain. The cultures that have grown up in those same areas have, or have had, henna traditions. This includes societies in every major religion. Henna use also spread through trade, making its way into the traditions and every-day lives of people in Europe and Asia.