Meet Zahra Amir | Professional Henna Artist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Zahra Amir and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Zahra, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
I didn’t start doing henna with a goal of business in mind. I was simply starting a new hobby and enjoying the process of embracing my culture while doing what I love most- art. It was only after doing henna on myself and close friends for 3 years when I realized that it was something that I could do on a larger scale and earn some cash on the side. As a 15 year old, it sounded like a pretty good side hustle- especially considering the large South Asian community here in Dallas.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I’ve been practicing mehndi or as many of you know it, henna for over 6 years now and I’m so happy that I get to use it as my culture’s form of temporary body art! Henna is a dye that comes from the leaves of plant Lawsonia Inermis, or henna tree. Its leaves are mixed with other ingredients to form a paste used to dye the skin. It has been used for over 5000 years by many cultures and is a symbol of happiness and joy for religious and bridal ceremonies.

What sets me apart from other henna artists is that I care for my clients. As a certified EMT and student in medicine, one of my biggest goals in life is to help others and save lives. That’s why I’m always honest with my clients and use the best quality products. Although I used to use prepackaged cones when I first started, I now create my own paste to ensure the safety of my clients so that they know they’re getting the real deal with no harmful toxins.

However, that’s not to say it was all easy. At 15 years old with a limited budget and no personal source of transportation, there’s a lot of stuff you can’t do. And understandably for my parents, the thought of me going alone to strangers’ homes to do henna was pretty scary. The fact that I needed then to take me everywhere also tedious so we made some compromises. I would limit myself to a certain radius and would only take clients in my neighborhood or at a local coffeeshop. Until I grew a bit older and learned to drive, this worked out perfectly for my family and I!

In short, when there’s something you love to do, don’t let anything hold you back! Work with what you can and you’ll reach your goal eventually, just trust in your effort and God’s plan.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Some of my favorite spots are close to home in East Plano. Haraz Coffee House has amazing coffees and their pastries are amazing- their Bee Bites are one of my favorite! The Oakpoint Nature Preserve is great for when you want to get back “down to Earth” to immerse yourself in nature and Breckenridge Park is great for when you just want a relaxing picnic next to the pond.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I want to give a shoutout to my parents- who had the faith in me at such a young age to be an entrepreneur and get a taste for life! To my mom- who encouraged me to start my own business among, and to my dad- who had always helped me figure out the logistics and little details behind what it takes to run a business. Thanks Mom & Papa, I couldn’t have done it without both of you! And also a huge shoutout to my faith, Islam, for instilling the ethics I follow with my small business!

Website: https://zahrahennadesign.wixsite.com/zahra-henna-design

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zahra.henna.design/

Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/zahra-henna-design-plano-3

Image Credits
Immaan Patel