Sale of substandard henna on the rise

Rise in demand in the days leading to Eid see a parallel increase in prices

ISLAMABAD: Eidul Fitr is a festive period, where women in particular try to look their best; the application of henna plays a central role in South Asian culture as a means to complete Eid preparations.

There is a sharp hike in the sale of cone mehndi with girls and women thronging around street vendors to buy henna especially on chand raat and Eid.

Street vendors have taken advantage of this rise in demand by selling substandard quality of henna at a comparatively lower price than what is offered by shopkeepers.

There has been a rise in complaints by customers that this henna leaves an allergic reaction on the skin, due to the second-rate chemicals used in its manufacture.

A teenage girl, Sarah Shahid, while talking to the APP recalled unpleasant memories of mistakenly buying substandard henna last Eid. She said that her sister purchased henna from a vendor on chand raat, after application her skin developed redness. Shahid said her sister immediately washed her hands and applied ointment but the redness went away only after three days.

A beautician, Shazia Amin, said that girls should be extremely conscious of checking the quality of the henna they buy.

She further added that cone mehndi was manufactured in small factories by unskilled workers who were not aware of the precise proportion of the chemicals to be used in its making.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 1^st, 2016.