Today we’d like to introduce you to Vee (Vidhi) Heiland.
Vee (Vidhi) , we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
My earliest memory of India is sitting still while my mom carefully piped henna onto my tiny hands. When I was eight years old, my family moved halfway across the world to Topeka, Kansas. Third grade was incredibly tough. Between the language barrier, the culture shock, and just trying to figure out a completely new school system, I felt lost.
Searching for a piece of home, I asked my mom to do my henna again. She happily agreed, knowing it was a way to keep me tethered to my roots. I didn’t expect what happened next. When I walked into school that following week with those intricate, reddish-brown stains on my palms, I suddenly had everyone’s attention. My teachers and peers had never seen anything like it. For the first time since moving, I felt truly seen. Those henna stains sparked conversations, helped me make my first real friends in America, and taught me at a young age that my culture could be a bridge to connect with others.
But as the years went by, I slowly assimilated. Between riding bikes, studying for tests, and catching up on American TV shows I’d missed out on back in India, my traditions started to fade into the background. Aside from the homemade Indian food my mom cooked every day, I largely forgot about the art of henna.
That changed in high school. I was asked to do a presentation about India, so I performed a Bollywood dance and offered henna to my classmates. Seeing their excitement rekindled my own. I started practicing on friends and family, bringing my cones to small events. By the time I hit college, I decided to turn it into a part-time job. I began sourcing my henna powder directly from India and buying high-quality ingredients. It was incredibly important to me to ensure I was using all-natural, safe products on my clients, especially since there are other so-called “henna” products out there that are not safe and can cause severe chemical reactions. I know, it sounds horrible because it is! Trust me, it is really important you find a henna artist that makes their own henna from scratch for the best results and the safest options!
However, henna quickly became much more than a side hustle or a creative outlet—it became my medicine. During my darkest struggles with depression and anxiety, the meditative process of creating those patterns literally helped me heal. It grounded me, and ultimately brought me back to myself.
Two years after coming out of that depression, in 2017, I experienced a profound turning point. I was working an event when a woman approached my booth. She wanted some henna on her hands, but she also asked if I would be willing to do a henna crown on her head once she started losing her hair to cancer. I told her absolutely, and to reach out whenever she was ready. Months turned into a year, and I never heard from her.
That silence broke my heart, but it also gave me a clear new purpose. I realized right then that I wanted to start offering free henna crowns to anyone experiencing hair loss from cancer. I had learned the hard way that time is not always on our side, and I wanted to give back to people navigating such a difficult chapter. Since making that decision, I’ve had the honor of creating many of these crowns. My work even went viral across Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok! Word spread like wildfire, and soon I was receiving interest from all over Kansas. To this day, I still provide these crowns completely free of charge to anyone who has lost their hair to chemotherapy.
In 2021, I finally took the leap and made henna my full-time career. Today, I book everything from private appointments and parties to corporate events and festivals. From an eight-year-old trying to make friends in a new country to a full-time artist giving back to my community, henna has always been my greatest tool for connecting with people.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
If the road had been completely smooth, I wouldn’t be where I am today! My journey as a henna artist has been paved with hard work, long nights, endless practice, and the beautiful connections I’ve built with all of you.
One of the biggest early hurdles I faced was securing a trustworthy source for my henna powder. I began purchasing directly from suppliers in India, investing thousands of dollars into the search before finally finding the perfect partner. The reality is that henna comes in many different grades, and my standard requires powder that is strictly body-art quality, freshly harvested, and five-times sifted. Sourcing this premium henna is what gives my paste its incredibly creamy texture and guarantees a rich, lasting stain, both of which are absolutely essential for delivering the clean, breathtaking designs my clients deserve.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
What do you do and what do you specialize in?
I am a professional henna artist with over 12 years of experience. I specialize in intricate, traditional henna designs and take great pride in formulating and making my own artisanal henna paste from scratch.
What are you known for?
Alongside my traditional work, I am most known for my volunteer work donating henna crowns. Since 2017, I have been providing free, intricate henna crowns to anyone who has lost their hair to chemotherapy, helping them reclaim their confidence and feel beautiful during a challenging chapter of their lives. I also hand etch glass coasters and decorate faux pumpkins on the side.
What sets you apart from others?
What sets me apart is my absolute refusal to compromise on the quality of my materials, combined with the genuine connections I build with my clients. I exclusively use freshly harvested, five-times sifted, body-art quality powder that I source directly from India. This ensures a perfectly creamy paste and a rich, lasting stain. I treat henna not just as a quick service, but as a luxury art form and a collaborative, meaningful experience with every person who sits in my chair.
What are you most proud of?
I am most proud of how far I have come and the resilience it took to get here. Through late nights, endless practice, and hard work, I have been able to build this into a full-time job. Making a sustainable career out of my passion is something I never imagined would be possible, and it brings me so much joy every single day. I would not be here unless my husband had pushed me and supported me through this amazing journey.
Is there something surprising that you feel even people who know you might not know about?
Something surprising that most people don’t realize is that my work involves so much more than just sitting down and drawing, and there is science behind it all! Because I care deeply about the quality I offer my clients, I make 100% of my henna paste entirely from scratch. Beyond the artistic side, I actually have to be highly knowledgeable about the chemistry behind it. Sourcing that freshly harvested, five-times sifted powder and mixing it perfectly requires a lot of science before the art even begins! I even have to factor in the weather, because the climate dictates my recipe. If there is too much humidity, I need the henna to retain less moisture, so I reduce the sugar. If the weather is dry, I need to add extra sugar so the paste doesn’t flake off. But the work doesn’t stop when you leave my chair, the rest is actually up to the client! A beautiful, dark stain depends heavily on how long the paste sits on the skin, your natural body warmth, and proper aftercare. It truly is a collaborative, scientific process from start to finish.
Pricing:
- Private appointments for henna start at $25 and go up depending on what you are wanting done. Jagua is another product I offer, which is derived of a berry and stains blue. Its a similar process to how henna works!
- At festival/ pop up events, my pricing starts at $10 and goes up to roughly $30
- I can be hired for parties, festivals, birthdays, girls night, corporate events, school events and so much more at my hourly rate. The pricing varies on how far I am traveling and how many hours I am hired! You can always reach out to me for a quote!
- Henna Crowns are free to anyone who has lost their hair to chemotherapy. Jagua starts at $35 at private appoitnments.
- I hand etch glass coasters and decorate faux pumpkins for sale too! You can learn more about the pricing on my website. www.essentialhenna.com
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.essentialhenna.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/essentialhenna
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/essentialhenna
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/essential-henna-topeka
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/essentialhenna
