An Open Letter To The New Henna Artist

I remember what it was like to be a brand new henna artist on the scene. I'd worked with clients for nearly three years before I became aware of the world of henna online. When I introduced myself to this virtual community of artists, I was amazed at how much skill there was around me!

I was also very grateful that I hadn't encountered these artists before.

You see, when you're new at any task, hobby, or skill, it's easy to be hard on yourself. I'm thankful that my henna journey didn't begin after the rise of Instagram or the Pinterest era. I think that I would've been absolutely overwhelmed.

When I first began working with henna, I was the only artist in my town. More than that, I was the only henna artist in an almost four-hour radius from my town. The service that I was providing was so new and unheard of that the locals ate it up! (If you don't know my story about how I came to work with henna, you can check it out here.) There was no competition, no comparison, no feelings of inadequacy. Instead, what I received was praise and encouragement from people who'd never seen henna before. These people were kind and appreciative and wanted nothing more than to entertain themselves with the novelty of the art I was providing - happily opening their pocketbooks to my then shaky hand.

This set the tone for my journey with henna. I came to henna with support, with excitement, and with optimism. My skill set developed over that time, and by the time I entered the henna bubble of social media, I was comfortable with my work and thrilled to be in the company of other artists.

The reason I'm sharing these details is simple. I'm writing it for that one aspiring henna artist who will take the time to read this.

To you, I say: I see you. I know you're out there. Know that you have my support.

It isn't easy to put yourself out there. It isn't easy to press "post" and open yourself up to the criticisms of the strangers on the internet. It isn't easy to ask for help when you need it.

But I see you. I see you and your early morning and late night doodles. I see you wondering how you can make this thing happen. I see you, in the kitchen, frustrated with yet another batch of henna that just didn't come out right. I know your struggle.

I see how henna sparks a flame in you that you never knew existed, and how you want so badly to share that brightness with the world. I see the joy that it brings you, and I see your hesitation when you think of moving forward.

I want you to know that you deserve it all. I want you to know that you deserve the joys and the fulfillment that henna brings, and that you deserve to be welcomed with open arms into this industry - this community of artists and lovers.

Be relentless in chasing your dreams.
You never know where they might take you.

xo, Chelsea

PS. I've created a free email course just for new and aspiring henna artists in hopes of providing some guidance and education about what it means to have a henna business. The email course is titled "The Top 5 Mistakes New Henna Artists Make," and it outlines just that. When you sign up, you'll receive a new lesson every day for the next five days delivered right to your inbox.