Allnatural Jagua & Henna, the similarities and differences
Item |
Jagua |
Henna |
Photo Comparison |
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Material |
All-Natural Plant: Fruit (berry) grows on a tree. Juice is used |
All-Natural Plant: Shrubbery, leaves are used |
Geography |
Jagua berry trees are native and common throughout South America and Panama |
Henna for use on the skin grows best in dry, desert climates and is indigenous to India, Africa and Middle East. |
The Mix |
The jagua berry juice is mixed into a gel. Extra all-natural ingredients include citric acid, rosemary or lavender essential oil and xanthum gum. |
The leaves from the henna plant are dried, ground into a powder and mixed into a paste. Common all-natural ingredients include black tea, lemon juice, sugar and essential oils. |
Application |
The most common way to apply is by squeezing the gel through rolled mylar paper or cellophane. Similar to a pastry bag. Or can applied with Jaquered bottles with metal tips. Since this substance is more watery than henna, it can easily be applied with a paint brush. |
The most common way to apply is by squeezing the paste through rolled mylar paper or cellophane. Similar to a pastry bag. Or can applied with Jaquered bottles with metal tips. Some cultures use needles or sticks to "drape" the henna paste onto the skin. Henna can also be applied with a paintbrush. |
Dry Time |
30 minutes to 1 hour |
10-20 minutes |
Setting Time |
Keep jagua gel on your skin 3-6 hours. Jagua is very potent, and generally does not need a longer set time. |
The longer henna is kept on the skin the better. 2 hours is ok, 6 hours is better, 12 hours is ideal. |
Aftercare Fixatives |
No aftercare fixatives are needed for Jagua. In fact, you should NOT put anything on it at all. Just let it do its thing. |
Apply a lemon/sugar aftercare solution for best results. This creates a sticky layer and keeps the henna from cracking off too soon. The heat from the leom juice reacts with the henna and can help to stain darker faster. |
Aftercare Removal |
Jagua is very potent, and you should not sleep with it on overnight. The gel should be washed off with soap and warm water 3-6 hours after it has set. More about How Jagua Works & Aftercare Requirements |
Henna should be protected from water, especially within the first 24 hours. You can apply all-natural oil over the fresh stain to protect it from water. The longer you can go without exposing it to water, the better the stain results will be. More about How Henna Works & Aftercare Tips |
Color |
Jagua will stain a blue to dark blue to almost black color |
Henna will stain a orange to red to brown color |
Development |
Jagua will be a very faint blue within the first 3 hours. After 24 hours the blue will darken and can result in a dark navy blue almost black color within 48 hours. |
Henna has similar development stages. It will start off as a bright orange color within the first 2 hours, then develops into a rich red/brown color over the next 24-48 hours. |
Best color results depends on placement |
Jagua stains darkest on the hands, palms, feet and drier skin areas. I have found that it consistenly achieves a very dark color on the back and chest areas. These oily skin areas are generally much more difficult to achieve a dark stain with henna. |
Henna stains darkest on the hands, palms, feet and drier skin areas. The henna color will fade as it travels up the arm and legs. Jagua works very similarly. Drier skin areas stain better than oily skin areas. |
Life of the Stain |
1 to 2 weeks |
1 to 4 weeks |
Allergic Reactions |
Allergic reactions in my experience are very uncommon. I have been told by other artists if you have allergies to other berries like blueberries or strawberries, it is likely that you will also have an allergy to jagua, so it would be best to not do it. If you find the jagua is irritating your skin, take it off immediately. If you have a natural allergy to jagua, it can result in itchy, red bumpy skin. Apply anti-ich cream and allow the reaction to run its course. If your reaction is severe, see a doctor. |
Allergic reactions to all-natural henna are very rare. If you find the henna to be irritating your skin, it could be from the lemon juice or essential oils in the paste and not the actual henna. If you find the henna paste is irritating your skin, take it off immediately. If you have a natural allergy to henna, it can result in itchy, red bumpy skin. Apply anti-ich cream and allow the reaction to run its course. If your reaction is severe, see a doctor. |
All of the info on this chart is shared in good faith, and to the best of my knowledge based on my own professional experience, extensive research and information shared with other all-natural professional body artists. I attend international henna and body art conferences across the United States to hone my skills as an artist and to communicate ideas and principals and practices of safe and all-natural body art. If you have questions or concerns please contact me ~ Robyn Jean
What is PPD or Black Henna? And why should I avoid it?
PPD is a chemical found in black hair dye, that less scrupulous artists will use in their henna or jagua mix, or just on its own, and advertise it as henna or jagua. Unsafe chemicals like PPD should be avoided, and the artists using them should not be supported. It can cause severe allergic reactions, possibly resulting in permanent scarring. It is hard to tell if an artist is using PPD or black henna, since the color is dark and looks like fresh all-natural jagua or henna. Here are some tips on ways to know if an artist is doing body art with unsafe chemicals:
• Always ask the artist what kind of henna or jagua they are using, and if they make the paste themselves. If an artist cannot tell you what is in their mix or where it came from, it is safest to walk away. Any professional artist who cares about your safety will be able to tell you that they are using all-natural materials, where they bought it from and what is in it.
• Steer clear of store bought "pens" and cones. Fresh all-natural henna and jagua can sit at room temperature for 3-5 days or up 2 weeks tops, before the material completey releases the dye. After this time the dye expires and you will not be able to achieve a very dark stain. If you actually achieve a dark color or stain after using a store bought henna or jagua cone, its likely that it is not allnatural. And if it does not, you have wasted your money.