Henna Happiness Creates Healing Culture In Huntington

Owner Trudy Pellegrino opened Henna Happiness on East Carver Street in Huntington in 2008, and has over 20 years of experience with henna art. (Long Islander News photo/Connor Beach)

By Connor Beach
cbeach@longislandergroup.com

Tucked away in a small shop in Huntington village is a unique store that offers a wide array of crystals and sage, as well as astrology readings and henna art.

Henna Happiness, owned by Trudy Pellegrino and located on East Carver Street, attracts customers who are interested in the healing arts or looking for a temporary henna tattoo.

Henna tattoos are created using a paste that is made from the dried leaves of the henna plant, which is applied to the skin to create designs that last several weeks.

Prior to opening Henna Happiness, Pellegrino, of Huntington, had been doing henna for about 10 years at fairs and festivals.

Her first booth was set up in Heckscher Park in Huntington during the 1998 Fall Festival, and the popularity of her art surpassed even her own expectations.

“I had a line, and I had no idea how many people would like it,” she said.

Pellegrino “kept with it,” operating a website until 2008 when she opened the brick and mortar location that Henna Happiness still occupies today. Now approaching 10 years in business, Henna Happiness continues to thrive.

“I’ve been doing the henna tattoos for 20 years now, so people always know that they can find that here,” Pellegrino said.

Customers can also find astrology readings at Henna Happiness, an art the Pellegrino said she has been studying for 30 years. Her upcoming book “Dawn of Aquarius” addresses the aligning of astrology and astronomy.

Henna Happiness also offers a variety of crystals that Pellegrino said can be used to help people face a variety of challenges.

“People come in with anxiety… and we treat them with a heart stone and a ground stone,” Pellegrino said.

Pellegrino compared the energy system to a rainbow where the different color stones represent the different remedies that customers are seeking.

Although Pellegrino said the healing nature of stones and crystals work for people of all ages, she feels like young people have adopted the movement.

“A lot of young people really caught on,” Pellegrino said. “The last couple of years people have really gone crystal crazy.”

Pellegrino said Henna Happiness continues to serve as a place where people can begin or continue their relationship with the healing arts.

“This is a great way for people to become aware that this culture exists, and I feel like it’s an open space for the healing culture,” she said. “That’s the aim of all this, to help all of us live a little more within our own truths.”