Which Is Better, Henna or Jagua?
Hello and thank you for visiting our blog. In this article I’m going to go over some of the main differences between henna and jagua such as color, texture, shelf life and staining power, and hopefully provide you with enough information for you to decide which one is better for your intended purpose.
Henna Vs Jagua
Unless you have been living under a rock for the past 20 years or so you’ve probably seen, heard of or even had a henna tattoo. Henna tattoos are popular at beaches, boardwalks, street fairs, festivals and of course, for those who use henna culturally, at wedding ceremonies and other cultural and religious events. But what about Jagua? What is Jagua?
Jagua is not necessarily the new kid on the block. I first came across jagua gel and got my first jagua tattoo back in 2005, when the henna trend was at its peak, and I have been using jagua consistently ever since. Unfortunately, jagua is still pretty unknown to most people, including many professional henna tattoo artists.
So, is henna or jagua better?
Trying to answer this questions is like trying to answer the question which are better apples or oranges? That all depends on your desired outcome. Do you want to make orange juice or apple pie?
If you’re looking to create a black temporary tattoo that looks like the real thing you should definitely consider the color of the product. Jagua gel stains the skin black with hints of blue just like the color of a permanent tattoo and it is great for creating realistic looking tattoos that will fool even the most seasoned tattoo enthusiasts. Brown henna tattoos, are nice but they generally don’t pass for real tattoos. However, if you are looking to create a traditional Mehndi tattoo, natural brown henna is the way to go. Natural henna tattoos are predominantly brown with hints of red and in my opinion, the brown reddish color accentuates the intricate feminine mehndi patterns, although there may be some people who prefer them in black. It’s a matter of color preference.
The texture of the product is something not many people take into consideration but it makes a huge difference on the design you’re trying to create. Some designs are best achieved with one of the two product. Henna paste has the consistency of toothpaste. It’s soft and grainy and it’s great for creating traditional mehndi designs. It’s this consistency that gives traditional henna patterns that raised, bold, 3D look (while the paste is still on) that looks really awesome in pictures. Jagua gel dries flat and it does not create that effect.
Jagua gel has the consistency of hair gel. it’s smooth and thin but not necessarily runny. Because of this smooth consistency, it can be used with very fine applicator tips, which allows for the creation of very intricate designs with fine detail. It’s also great for shading, something you can’t do with henna paste. Some professional artists prefer one product over the other mainly because of the consistency of the product they’re using.
Another aspect to consider is the staining power of the product. This is not a deal breaker for most but it’s useful information to have. Both henna and jagua last about 1-2 weeks on the skin depending on where on the body it’s applied, but jagua designs tend to last on average 2-4 days longer than henna designs. If you want a design that will stay on you for the longest period of time, you should definitely consider jagua gel.
NOTE: Not all henna pastes and jagua gels are created equal. There are some very poor quality products out there and the quality of the product you use will make a big difference on the how dark your design looks and how long it lasts. Make sure you purchase your products from a reputable company to avoid any major disappointments.
Last but not least, you should consider the shelf life of the product. Once mixed, henna paste has a shelf life of about three days. If not used or frozen within the following three days after mixing, the henna paste will lose its staining power and it will become runny and pretty much useless. Henna City’s henna solution creates a longer shelf-life paste that stays fresh for about a week, which is better than most hennas but still a very short shelf life especially when compared to that of jagua gel. If you plan to do a design and then keep retouching it every few days, this may not be the best product for you unless you plan on mixing a new batch every time.
When it comes to shelf life, jagua gel is the best product. At room temperature jagua gel will last for 2-3 weeks and the consistency won’t change. If refrigerated, Henna City jagua gel will stay fresh for five months. This is a great product to have if you want to keep something handy for when the opportunity or inspiration arises. Some nail salons now offer henna or jagua tattoos as part of their services and many of those use only jagua because of its longer shelf life.
I hope this information helps. If you have a particular questions about henna or jagua please post it below and we will answer it for you. We welcome all your comments and questions 🙂