About Henna

Spring 2024 Update!

As of 6/25/24 We have relocated our business in  beautiful  Marblehead, Massachusetts ! We are excited to be sharing our art in this wonderful, historic city. We are setting up our vending schedule for the summer and we are looking forward to seeing everyone at our favorite festivals and events! We do not have a brick and mortar store but if you are in the Marblehead MA area we can always arrange a  private appointment at a local cafe. If you are interested in getting henna for yourself or for any upcoming celebration please contact us directly at hennachick@verizon.net or call us at 978 518 7799 to discuss availability. Thank you!

Henna body art is the practice of laying on the skin a paste made from the henna leaves in intricate patterns on the skin ( Photo # 1) . The paste is left to dry and remains on the skin  and then scraped off, leaving an orange stain  ((Photo #2) that darkens to a final black cherry or coffee colored stain in about 24 hours. ( Photo #3 )The best stains are achieved on the hands and feet, other areas such as the belly, back and chest will stain a lighter color. With frequent moisturizing with a natural oil like olive oil, the henna stain can last up to 2 weeks. Henna is different from tattooing in that there is no invasion of the skin with pigment with a needle, it is similar to frosting a cake, and is painless and quite relaxing.

Maria uses fresh, natural paste that she personally makes for each client, rather than premade, chemical filled henna cones. She insists on only the best henna for her clients to achieve optimal results. In addition, Maria has years of extensive experience with henna and carries full liablity insurance, for your peace of mind, and we are  members of the Massachusetts LGBT Chamber of Commerce as an Ally Member.

 Ancient Fire Henna is a women owned microbusiness and wishes to thank all of its past and present clients, colleagues and friends for their unwavering support.

About Maria

Maria Mercuri has a diverse educational and artistic background. She has a B.S. in Wildlife Biology and has extensive knowledge of herbs in regards to their medicinal, cosmetic, and aromatheraputic uses. With a keen interest in body modification and adornment she began learning about henna and its traditional significance to the various cultures in which it appears. Through trial and error she began doing henna on friends then doing small local events, holistic fairs and parties. Over 22 years later Maria and her body art business is still going strong, providing beautiful henna art all over New England and beyond.  , She  was also cast as a vendor for the  Adam Sandler movie, “Hubie Halloween”., and was featured on the Fox 25 news Zip Trip to Melrose MA in 2019. She is also a member of the LGBTQIA+ Chamber of Commerce as an Ally Member.  Maria is also  a published author , and her article about henna and its applications in bellydance was featured  in issue 11 of Fuse Magazine.

click here to see the Fox 25 Zip Trip featuring Ancient Fire Henna !

Testimonials/Notable Clients

 Maria was a valuable addition to our Bollywood Night Event, offering top-notch henna services that left a lasting impression on our attendees. Her punctuality and readiness ensured a smooth experience for all. Maria’s professionalism and approachability made her easy to work with, and her pricing was reasonable, making her services accessible to a wide audience. I recommend Maria for any event or occasion. 

Mayor Sumbul Siddiqui, Mayor of Cambridge, MA 11/10/23

Monalisha S 11/11/22

We booked Maria for corporate Diwali Party and she was amazing. Her henna designs were highlights of the party. She was there on time and was very accommodating with everyone’s requests.

Janet P 8/28/22

I hired Maria from Ancient Fire Henna for my sons 11th bday party. He was so surprised and excited to have Maria do Henna designs for him and his friends!
Booking Maria was so easy, professional and straightforward. Maria called a few days before the event to confirm last minute details. She arrived early for the event to allow time to set up. She was so efficient and her set up was so nice (board with designs, table, supplies etc). The kids and parents loved getting henna tattoos. When it was time to leave, Maria made sure to give a ‘last call’ to ensure everyone had an opportunity to get a tattoo and for any tattoos that got smudged, she was so kind and patient to fix (even a few times).
I would definitely consider hiring Maria again. Especially knowing that she does corporate events. My company and staff would love to do this! So I look forward to working with Maria again.

Tony B  8/18/22

Thank you again for helping to make our event a success by providing your incredible henna tattoo service. Everyone raved about their tattoos and have already requested that we book you again for our next big event.

Allen E 6/11/22

I would like to thank Maria for being so accommodating. I called Maria with very short notice and by chance she was finishing a town day close by that she was able to do my daughter’s Graduation/18th Birthday. She was so pleasant and accommodating to all the guests. Maria showed her talents to the amazement of our guests. Maria also took care of all special requests with the exception of my friend asking to henna his bald head 🙂 I would strongly recommend Maria and her talent at any gathering you may have. Her pricing is fair and she gives her all to make her part of the event a success.

Elizabeth W, 6/10/22

Maria came to our house for my daughter‘s Sweet Sixteen party and created gorgeous henna designs for the teens. All of the kids loved her work, and many went back for another! Maria is a talented artist, and was so kind and pleasant to work with— she was the highlight of the party and I’m so glad we had her!

Pete D 4/29/22

We hired Maria (Ancient Fire Henna) to provide Henna services for our middle school students during their nights out. Maria was very flexible to work with and the kids really enjoyed their henna.

Mike A 12/18/21

Maria is awesome. She is professional, positive, personable, and we loved having her in our home for an 18th birthday party. Her artwork is amazing and everyone was very happy with their henna tattoos.

Janet B, 12/17/21

Maria was so accommodating, professional, and kind….not to mention talented. Everyone left excited about their henna designs. She was open to thoughts and ideas from the party guests and what they wanted done, was honest about what would work and wouldn’t. Everyone was showing off their henna the rest of the weekend. 🙂 Thank you so much Maria! We will definitely be calling you in the future (and I already shared your card with a parent from the party!)

Phyllis L  11/15/21

Maria, the ‘henna lady’, was a real ‘hit’ at my daughters bat mitzvah party.

Both kids and adults were bedazzled by her henna artistry.   Everyone loved their personal works of art.  We are grateful that she was able to attend.  She really added to make our event a success.  Not to mention she is a pleasure to work with!!

Chessie S. • 7/12/21

Ancient Fire Henna was a huge hit! We are a summer community and hired Maria for one of our weekend community events. She was super professional, fun and a real trooper since we had so many people interested in getting henna. Will definitely hire again!

Cheri McNeill 1/30/20
Maria is an experienced henna artist. Very knowledgeable about the history of henna, the ritual, ceremony & all natural mix of henna. 1st met Maria at a home henna party and have been hooked ever since. Maria is the only henna I get. Her mix is all natural ingredients and stays for weeks. I have never been disappointed in her artwork she is quite the artist.
 
Paula G. • 12/17/19

Maria was on time l, efficient and very talented. She handled a party of 60 people very effectively and the guests loved this touch to the party. Thank you!

Alison M. • 8/25/18

We used Maria for a 14th birthday party. She was so nice and did a great job! There were 9 girls and everyone got at least 3 designs. Very quick and does great work!

 

Some of Maria’s past clients include:

  • City of Cambrige, MA
  • Marblehead Festival of Arts
  • Wakefield PTO
  • Mass College of Art
  • Harvard Kennedy School of Government
  • Republic Services
  • Origins Skincare
  • Boch Automotive Group
  • Boston Magazine

Contact Maria

Parties and Special Events:

Henna tattoos are a fun and fantastic activity for your party or corporate function. Perfect for birthdays, after prom or graduation, ladies nights, or any other cause to celebrate.  Maria will provide a menu board of henna designs that are simple and beautiful that clients can choose to have applied. She is very fast and efficient at handling large amounts of clients and can accommodate up to 20 clients  per hour.  Hourly rates for parties are $ 169 an hour with a 2 hour booking minimum.    A supplemental travel fee may or may not apply depending up on the location of the event.. If the event is at a location that is distant from the artist’s home location, then additional charges for distance traveled or lodging may apply, at the artist’s discretion.  If the event is after hours, meaning after 11 PM there may be a supplemental time and a half hourly charge and/or supplemental lodging fee.

Please note , we do not have a brick and mortar studio , however,  if you are in the immediate Marblehead MA area and if we are available  we can arrange a more budget friendly private appointment to meet at a nearby location. Call or email us now to discuss availability.

Service Area: 

Ancient Fire Henna is based in Marblehead, MA but we service all of New England and beyond.  Having a destination event? Inquire within about our special package rates!

Educational Programs:

Looking for a great activity for a library or school group or function?  Maria can provide not only body art, but awareness of the cultural context it developed in.  Learn the history and use of henna art, it’s geographic and cultural origin, and even the science of it!

Sweet 16 | After Prom or Graduation Parties | Educational Programs
Belly Blessings | Corporate Events | Any Celebration

To inquire about having Maria provide henna services for your next event please feel free to  contact us at 978 518 7799 or hennachick@verizon.net .

Maria carries full liability insurance, for your peace of mind.  

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