Once Dreading Art, Umathevy’s A Top Henna Artist Now

Umathevy Paramalingam is the founder of local henna business ‘Freshinkmehendi’. (Andrea Edmonds @ FMT Lifestyle)

SHAH ALAM: For someone whose livelihood now revolves around drawing intricate patterns on hands, Umathevy Paramalingam’s beginnings may come as a surprise.

“I hated art,” the 31-year-old told FMT Lifestyle. “Even in school, I’d pay my friends to finish art projects for me.”

Today, after over 10 years in the henna industry, she runs “Freshinkmehendi”, a popular brand in Malaysia.

Growing up in Klang, Umathevy never imagined herself in the creative field. She took on various part-time jobs after school and eventually completed a degree in Human Resources. But things took an unexpected turn during her brother’s wedding.

“We were all getting henna done, and my mum suddenly said, ‘Why not learn this?”, she recalled.

At the time, henna artistry wasn’t as popular as it is now. Always open to new ventures, she gave it a shot. Still, it wasn’t love at first sight.

Umathevy has been a henna artist for over 10 years and is a popular choice among brides. (Umathevy Paramalingam pic)

“Even when I went for my first henna class, I didn’t like it,” she admitted. “I was destroying everybody’s hands to practise – my mum, my sister-in-law. They were all my guinea pigs.”

She started small, setting up henna booths at college events. Working with her first bridal client, a family friend, turned out to be a gruelling experience for her.

“It took me nearly eight hours to finish her henna. I went home at 4am and told myself I’d never do this again,” she laughed.

But it was the steady income and a growing stream of compliments that kept her going, even before the passion fully set in.

“After three years, I actually started enjoying it,” she shared. “Seeing that I could go from not being able to draw to producing something beautiful made me realise it’s all about learning the right techniques. Anyone can do this.”

Umathevy only uses natural henna which she sources from India. (Andrea Edmonds @ FMT Lifestyle)

She was just 20 when she began designing with henna professionally, back in 2014. Since then, Umathevy has worked with hundreds of clients, even flying to Indonesia for a bridal booking once.

Henna is a natural dye made from the leaves of the Lawsonia Inermis plant, traditionally used for temporary body art and hair colouring.

The leaves are dried, ground into a powder, and mixed into a paste that releases a reddish-orange stain when applied to the skin or hair.

She works exclusively with natural henna imported from India. Before starting a design, she asks clients to send photos of their hands so she can tailor the pattern to their hand size and skin tone.

Henna, she explained, has been around since 5000 BC. “The Egyptians used it for everything – nails, hair, even mummification. It was only later that it became a form of body adornment.

A simple yet beautiful design that Umathevy completed in just a few minutes. (Andrea Edmonds @ FMT Lifestyle)

In North India, brides use henna because it has a cooling property. That’s why many brides feel sleepy after applying it – it’s relaxing.”

Henna designs range from traditional styles like Arabic and Moghul to modern interpretations, with today’s brides often adding their own creative twists.

“One client asked me to include seven icons of everything she loved – a stethoscope, boba tea – all hidden in the design which the groom had to find,” she explained.

Fun fact: Henna isn’t limited to Hindu brides – it’s also commonly worn by Muslims, pregnant women, and even, in some cultures, by men.

Umathevy hopes to equip more individuals with the skills to become artpreneurs. (Umathevy Paramalingam pic)

When the pandemic hit, Umathevy began teaching henna through online workshops. “I just started a fun class for RM150, and eventually, my full course went up to RM2,000. Over time, around 200 people joined.”

“We even held corporate workshops where we’d deliver the materials, and we would teach them virtually,” she recalled.

One of her proudest achievements is seeing her students go on to build their own businesses, with many even exploring different creative mediums through henna art.

“One of the girls I taught now runs a successful canvas and welcome board business. Another turned her henna skills into bottle art.”

That, she says, is what drives her today. “My main mission is to help create artpreneurs – to help others, especially young women and musicians or painters learn how to make money from their passion.”

Follow Freshinkmehendi on Instagram.