We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Julia S.. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Julia below.

Julia, appreciate you joining us today. How did you learn to do what you do? Knowing what you know now, what could you have done to speed up your learning process? What skills do you think were most essential? What obstacles stood in the way of learning more?

I studied Architecture & Still Life Design for 3 years and then got in University of Athens in Greece at the Department of Photography and Audiovisual Arts. While I was studying there and working as a photographer doing my early steps, I was browsing one day on the internet and seeing all these beautiful henna designs on hands. Instagram and Pinterest were full of them back in 2015. I decided I wanted to have fun and try it out and while I was making my first ever online orders, henna cones was one of them.

Little did I knew about this path.. I never ever considered putting myself out there doing henna tattoos to others. I genuinely wanted to do it on myself and only. On top of that I was sure that Indian, Pakistani, Turkish, Egyptian and more women, would already do henna in their communities due to their culture, so I was feeling rather unnecessary in that area! Also I was feeling that being Greek actually would make me even unsuitable, since henna wasn’t in my culture background so I believed that no one would trust me to do their mehndi.

While I was having creative fun with the henna cones, being sure it would stay that way, I decided to make a fan art page on Facebook about it and innocently post photos of my hands with my self-taught mehndi! And this is how it all began.. It was 2016 when I started getting messages on the page from Greek and non Greek women that wanted to have beautiful henna on their hands, by me! My intention was never to do it professionally, I was just genuinely drawn to henna art with no purpose to make a living from it or get in the beauty industry at all.
But that was the key. Doing it for the right reasons and not for the wrong ones! Sometimes, while we try to figure out what we want to do in life, find our purpose, we try things that we think we like, because others do them. In my case, I started backwards! First I found something I genuinely loved and then everything fell together effortlessly.

Magic started to happen!

Julia, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

The motivation came by itself. When I started having clients, being a beginner also, the only thing that mattered to me and started as a stress, was to see them smile at the end of the session. Being happy, feeling excited and confident for the Art on their body, making their vision come true. Each person has their own aesthetic and it is important for me, them to choose their design style which I guarantee always represents their inner world. And then deliver it as best as I can. This was and is my motivation until this day.

After years I started realize that I had self-incorporated what big brands started doing recently, the customer-centric ethic and policy. The actual caring about the other person. Not focusing on the profits or other superficial things.

The most feedback I have gotten is about my attitude, that I am a friend, that I truly care. I don’t actually treat it as a business, I LET it be a business. I never had an attitude and everyday I remember where I started and who supported me but also how long it took me to get here and all the friendships I made. I am grateful.

When henna doesn’t stain well, I re-do it for free because I care for that happiness. I spend time with people, I share experiences, energy and I appreciate their company and presence.

Next important thing is that I made sure from the start, to use Vegan, Cruelty Free, non Toxic, GMO / PPD free products made by nature. And I stay true to that, until today. Caring again for the safety of others as I would do for mine.

What sets me apart from others – and I realized through people’s feedback – is that I care and I am an Artist friend and a support system for them. Remembering each person although I meet hundreds of new people every year.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

I had to unlearn to be afraid of people. I was always an introvert – and still am- but then I was being afraid to talk, interact and trust, I was unable to see the good in people.

I had to unlearn that, in the most beautiful and creative way. I have met so many women that I admire and I am lucky to consider many of them also my friends. Beautiful souls are around us but without the interaction through my Art I would never know.

I have created a safe, calm space, I also exude trust myself as a person, I respect others’ limits, physical and personal and I respect their personal life. I don’t ask questions that are personal, if someone wants to open up I let them do as they feel. Maybe it is me, but for whatever reason, through my henna sessions the magic happens that I believe now that there are good people out there. There is love and there is good.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

The interaction. Seems weird probably that I don’t talk about the art and the result. But honestly, the interaction with others, the bonding through the henna session, the happiness after, the trust when they come again and again, their joy of the sessions. It is not an impersonal work / art. This is the beauty of it. You build relationships, you get to know yourself better through others. When I give someone a beautiful henna tattoo and they also tell me that ” I enjoyed so much our time together” that’s something even bigger there. Same applies for my brides. The bonding and the successful henna / mehndi full of good energy and blessings. It is an honor and I have so much gratitude for this aspect of this job also. The responsibility of delivering a design not only beautiful and measured, but also filled with love and good energy is the least I can do for a person that gets married their best friend.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://hennabyjuliagreece.wordpress.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hennabyjuliagreece/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HennaTattooGreece/
• Other: https://linktr.ee/HennaByJuliaGreece

Image Credits
Henna by Julia Greece