Henna powder is a natural plant dye, not a chemical colourant. It is bought by cosmetic formulators, hair-care brands and body-art suppliers who care about three things: fineness, dye strength and freedom from additives. This guide explains the terms you will see on a henna purchase order and how to specify a clean lot.
What is body-art quality (BAQ) henna?
Body-art quality is a market term for henna that is finely sieved and free of additives, so it produces a smooth paste and a clean dye release without grit. It is not a legal grade, so two suppliers can mean slightly different things by it. The way to remove ambiguity is to specify the sieve mesh and require an additive-free declaration on the COA.
What decides how strongly it dyes
Dye strength is what separates one henna from another. It comes from the colour the leaf carries naturally, and there is more of it when the crop was grown in heat and dry soil, harvested at the right time, and milled and stored with care. Because all of that varies, so does the strength, lot by lot. Treat the lab report as the source of truth for the batch you are buying.
PPD-free and natural henna
Pure henna is naturally free of PPD (paraphenylenediamine). PPD is a synthetic additive associated with some “black henna” blends, and it is not present in natural henna. If your market requires a PPD-free or additive-free declaration, we supply natural henna and state that status on the documentation. Natural henna dyes in the red-to-brown family; a true black requires a second step with natural indigo powder.
Forms, packaging and MOQ
| Attribute | What to specify |
|---|---|
| Sieve mesh | State the mesh number your process needs |
| Additive status | Additive-free / PPD-free declaration on COA |
| Packaging | Food or cosmetic-grade liners, lot-coded cartons |
| Shelf handling | Cool, dry and sealed, to protect the colour |
See current specifications for henna powder. Tell our export desk your target mesh, volume and destination for a quote.
Where is henna demand strongest?
The UAE and the wider Gulf, Morocco, the United States and EU cosmetics buyers are the main destinations for Indian henna. A.R.T International ships worldwide with a COA on every lot.
Frequently asked questions
What does body-art quality (BAQ) henna mean?
Body-art quality describes henna powder that is finely sieved and free of additives, so it releases a clean dye without grit. It is a market term rather than a legal grade, so confirm the sieve mesh and the additive-free status on the specification and COA.
Is your henna powder PPD-free?
Pure henna is naturally PPD-free. PPD is an additive found in some black henna blends, not in natural henna. We supply natural henna and state the additive-free status on the documentation.
What makes one henna stronger than another?
Dye strength, which is simply how much colour the leaf carries. A fresh crop grown in hot, dry conditions carries more of it. Levels vary by crop and processing, so confirm the figure on the lab report for your lot.
What sieve mesh and MOQ do you offer for henna?
We sieve to the buyer’s specified mesh and confirm MOQ by form and destination. Send your target mesh, volume and country and our export desk will quote.
Specs change with the crop, the season and the grade. Ask our export desk for a current lab report, the minimum order and a price to your port, and we will come back within 24 hours.