It’s 2008. I’m ten years old. I have a henna cone in my hand and I’m not afraid to use it. I squeeze unrecognisable flowers onto the women, and I paint wonky footballs and messy rockets onto the boys.

With a history spanning millennia across the Middle East, North Africa, and South Asia, henna is steeped in tradition and cultural rituals. The natural dye is typically used to create temporary, ...

During weekly bridal appointments, Neha Assar sits cross-legged for five to nine hours as she examines the fine lines and shape of a bride’s hands, gently squeezing the tip of a henna cone and drawing ...