Where does your jagua come from? It matters because it is going on your skin!
We introduced jagua tattoos back in 2009, after the success of henna tattoos generated a desire in many for a temporary tattoo that looked like the real deal. As you probably know by now, this demand yielded the dreaded so-called black henna. If you haven’t heard this before, there is no such thing as black henna. “Black henna” is a chemical mix of henna and lots of other unsavory players, especially para-Phenylenediamine (PPD), which is basically hair dye. Reminder: hair dye is OK on the scalp, but not on the skin. It may blister and scar, possibly for life. Stay away from the stuff!
So we were thrilled to discover the existence of the fabulous jagua fruit, which grows in the Amazon. The juice of the fruit stains the skin a beautiful blue/black color that looks just like a permanent tattoo that lasts 10-days to two weeks. We established a relationship with the Indigenous Matsés People in the Peruvian Amazon. They harvest the fruit and ship us the juice, which we use to create our organic jagua gel. Like all the best natural cosmetics, the Earth Jagua gel may contain ingredients you may be unfamiliar with. But I promise you they are natural, and are there to naturally extend the life of the product; to provide antioxidant and stabilizing benefits; and a host of factors necessary to creating a product that may need to sit on a store shelf.
In the meantime, we’ve noticed other companies introducing jagua gel products that contain synthetic dyes like ultramarine blue. And they offer a long shelf life but don’t really state on their label how that is achieved. Buyer beware! For safe, natural, organic, dermatologically-tested jagua tattoos, just head on over to www.earthhenna.com. And, we give back: your purchase helps keep malaria away from the Matsés People!
