Many high schoolers have art as a hobby, but it’s not so common for it to evolve into something more. Enter junior Alina Shahzad, who launched her henna business in 2023 and since then has provided her service to hundreds of clients! Find my interview with her below:
Q: What is henna?
A: Henna is a temporary tattoo that’s traditional in many South Asian and Middle Eastern cultures, and it’s been used for centuries to ornament and adorn the skin. We use it to celebrate and commemorate holidays and weddings. People apply henna as a symbol of joy and celebration.
Q: How did henna become your passion project?
A: I’ve always loved doing art, and there were always so many different types of painting I wanted to do and styles I wanted to try. I think that when I began experimenting with henna, I found a form of art that I really wanted to pursue. And then I realized I was kind of getting good at it. Next thing I know, you wouldn’t see me without henna on my hands, and I was doing it for everyone. And it occurred to me that I should just do this for money. So I started to appreciate henna for not just how beautiful it is and how symbolic it is in my culture, but also as a freelance form of making money.
Q: What does henna mean to you?
A: Henna is definitely a way for me to connect with my culture, but it’s also a form of therapy for me. It’s the act of sitting and putting on a show, or putting on some music, or even a podcast or audio book, and doing my henna. It’s the act of taking a deep breath and slowly applying it into a beautiful design, so that it can stay in my hand for the rest of the week and I can have a pretty design on my skin. It’s therapeutic.
Also, the scent of henna is very fragrant to me. It’s almost like aroma therapy, and a time of relaxation for me to sit down and do my henna. When I’m doing it for other people, I’ll just talk away with them and ask them about their life, learn about a new person, and then be doing their henna at the same time. It’s healing.
Q: What is the ultimate goal of your henna business?
A: I like that it’s therapeutic for me, and I like that it’s a form of art. It’s a symbol in my culture, and at the same time, it’s a way for me to profit from it. But I do have a goal of doing bridal henna, because, like I’ve said, it’s traditional to do it at weddings. To celebrate their wedding day, brides will get henna up to their elbows. It takes hours, and it’s very hard, intricate work, but I hope that someday I’ll be able to carry on that century-long tradition. It’s very honorable to have that responsibility of doing someone’s bridal henna; it’s a special thing.
Q: What is your advice for other teenagers who are looking to start a business?
A: For the emotional aspect: you’re always worried about what people will think. But in my case, going through with my business was one of the best decisions I made. I was scared to make the Instagram account. I was wondering, what would people think? Will people think I’m weird? Is this weird? Is this too out of the box? Is this too expressive? You can let your mind go into all these little holes, but I would just say, go for it. Just do it. And if you’re passionate about something, making a business out of it is your way to share it with the world and appreciate it and show everyone how much value it holds, and people will admire it more than you think they would.
Alina does henna for individuals, parties, religious events, and bazaars. To get in touch with her, follow her Instagram @hennabyalinaaa, check out her website, or book an appointment with her here.
