Why is henna usually applied to the hands and feet?
Henna may be applied anywhere on the body. In most cultures and traditional designs, it is applied mainly to the hands and feet. The main staining agent in henna, lawsone, stains deepest on these parts of the body. This is because the skin on the hands and feet contain higher levels of keratine, which binds with the lawsone, staining deepest. Although this is the traditional location for henna application, henna will stain the skin anywhere on the body. I use high levels of essential oils in my henna paste to ensure a dark stain on all areas and skin types/colors.
