A reddish dye extracted from the henna plant, traditionally used in South Asian and Middle Eastern cultures for coloring skin, hair, and nails.
From Hindi and Urdu 'mehndī,' ultimately derived from Sanskrit 'mendhikā.' The English word 'beni' specifically refers to the reddish hue, while 'henna' is the broader plant and dye.
Beni has been used for over 5,000 years and ancient Egyptian mummies show traces of it, yet modern nail polish is often tried to replicate the exact shade and longevity of this natural stain that weddings still use today.
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