Meet Dubai’s henna queen, Safa Munafer: The entrepreneur transforming henna art across the Middle East

It’s the subtle trick of artists: Slipping away unnoticed, yet somehow, with all eyes still on them. For some, it’s music and writing. And for those like Safa Munafer, it’s with henna. With the cones between her fingers, along with the trademark scent of lavender oil, she finds herself in the midst of patterns: A world where it’s just her and art.

It's a journey that began with playful doodles on the wall, led to a thriving business in Dubai. Munafer, the CEO of Dubai Henna, the first ever internationally certified henna artist in the Middle East, now teaches others how to find beauty and creativity in between the lines of henna.

It’s a journey of self-expression, entrepreneurship and finding joy in what you love the most, without letting the commercial pressures rob you of that freedom.

A love for art at an early age

 Soft-spoken and humble, Munafer, who has worked with luxury brands such as Dior, Chanel and F1, doesn’t believe she has much of a story to share, but when is an artists journey ordinary? The intricately drawn henna on her hands say the same.

 "I started when I was eight years old," Munafer shares. "I loved art. I used to draw on walls, on canvases... art has always been my passion."

 Her passion for art and creativity took on a new form when, as a young girl, she was asked to do henna for her cousin’s wedding. "I don’t remember the patterns. I feel as if I did a bad job. But everyone loved it," she recalls.

 Yet, the exhilaration trumped the doubts. Perhaps it was the joy of doing henna for someone on their wedding day, the most important day of their lives. Or perhaps, it was the feeling of accomplishment that henna filled her with. She had a desire to keep spinning something new with henna.  "When I did the bridal henna, I felt different. It made me want to continue,” says Munafer.

 And continue, she did, as henna for centuries, has been more than decoration—it has symbolised celebration, blessings, and artistry across cultures. For Munafer, it’s also been a path to self-expression and strength.

Finding peace through henna

 For Munafer, henna is more than just an art form—it's therapeutic. "When I start drawing, it becomes a design," she explains. "I can express anything with henna. I feel so relaxed and calm. It’s like therapy."

 What’s her favourite design? Curvy, petal-filled vines, which are the most challenging to do, but as she says, the more challenging, the better. And they’ve almost become her signature, and to prove this, Munafer shows the delicate designs on her hands.

 However, being creative while adhering to clients wishes, comes with its own set of challenges.  "You have to sit with the client and make sure they don’t move their hands," Munafer says. "You need to understand what they really want. Sometimes, they don’t have a design in mind and give me the freedom to create whatever I want, but that’s when the challenge becomes exciting."

Teaching henna: A new chapter

 Painting henna on a person’s hands is one thing, but teaching it? It’s the best, as Munafer’s smile says. Her journey into teaching henna began 15 years ago in Sri Lanka, when she taught a 9-year-old girl. "I wanted to teach someone how to be creative with henna," she remembers. There was a joy in watching someone learn the art of henna, and Munafer discovered another passion: Teaching. “I realised that teaching was something that I loved,” she says.  Word began to slowly spread, and soon she found herself teaching larger groups, eventually reaching over 1,000 students.

 The natural progression was to take her lessons online, allowing students to learn at their own pace. "I started an online course where students can learn whenever they want. They get a full year’s access to the course, and I’m able to help them develop their skills on their own time," Munafer explains.

Balancing creativity, family, and entrepreneurship

 What happens when your hobby becomes a business? How do you stop it from becoming mechanical and a chore? Well as Munafer says, it is far from easy, but you just keep remembering why you started in the first place.

 Managing creativity and entrepreneurship is no easy feat, especially for a mother of two. "It’s difficult, but you have to plan ahead," Munafer shares. "I handle both family and business, but I manage by planning early and being organised." And now, she has the first structured Henna’s Master Course, which offers a step-by-step guide to mastering henna, from beginner to expert.

Her entrepreneurial journey began shortly after she moved to Dubai in 2017, while she was pregnant. In the beginning it was just the two of them: She and her husband, sustaining a small business, which slowly grew. As Munafer says, her husband has been the best support every step of the way, even if he wasn’t actively part of the business.  "I started packing orders, handling everything on my own," she recalls. It was a challenging time, but it was also when Munafer’s love for henna became an even stronger source of calm and strength.

It’s the love for the designs, the art, the people who learn from her that keeps the joy of the business going. Now, she has a little more help in terms of staff than she did back then, but it's still a bit of a task to manage creativity and entrepreneurship under one roof. But, like she says, "Henna is everything to me,” and that's what keeps her going.

Even when things are difficult as a mother, running a household and a business all from home with two children, she unwinds by just picking up a cone. “I don’t have to talk to anyone in that space,” she says. Instantly, the world feels lighter. And what makes it better? The touch of lavender. “That oil we use? It is just so calming,” she says.

 It’s easy to see what Munafer means when she says that she feels at peace, when doing henna. She has a contented expression as she contemplates different patterns, while applying it on hands. As she says, the day’s rush and chaos ebbs, she heals, with every stroke of henna.

Henna: A simple art

 For Munafer, henna isn’t just a business—it’s a way of life. "When you learn henna properly, it’s not complicated. People can learn in a month," she says.

 Her passion is infectious—after hearing her story, you just might want to pick up a cone and try it yourself.