Henna, the crushed leaf of the Lawsonia inermis plant, has been used since the Bronze Age for dying and conditioning the hair, nails and skin. Hand cultivated in the terraced gardens along the Drâa river valley, the henna grown at the sacred Rissani oasis in Morocco is famed for its high dye content and reduced dying times for hair. Grey hair becomes fiery-red and dark hair shines with red highlights. In dyeing the hair, henna imparts a deep metallic sheen and creates a range of tones from a fiery red-orange on gray hair to red highlights on black hair. This henna fades very little, retaining its rich colour longer than Indian henna. However many women henna their hair on a monthly basis, or more frequently to cover grey hairs. On the skin and nails, henna leaves an orange-brown colour which endures for about three weeks, so wear rubber gloves when applying it to the hair. Quantities needed for dying the hair, depending on hair thickness and usage. 100g short hair, 200g collar length hair, 300g shoulder length hair, 500g waist length hair.