She wrote the manuscript for The Henna Wars in the span of three months,[1] rewriting the ending a total of six times before publication.

[2] Because of the lack of YA fiction about Bangladeshi teens, she felt pressure to make sure that the book offered positive representation to South Asian LGBT youth.

[4][5] She stated that she found it "difficult to reconcile queerness with Muslimness [sic]" when she was growing up, and that this influenced her portrayal of identity and sexuality in the book.

[8] Page Street sold the rights to Hachette Children's Group for publishing in the United Kingdom and Commonwealth of Nations.

Flávia and Chyna also open a henna stall to enter the competition, which angers Nishat, who feels that they are engaging in cultural appropriation.

[11] Lana Barnes of Shelf Awareness described Nishat's struggle as "the dichotomy of wanting to break from the constraints of tradition while still maintaining strong ties to culture and beliefs.

[13][12] Kirkus Reviews praised the book's handling of its themes, saying it "weaves issues of racism and homophobia into a fast-moving plot peopled with richly drawn characters.

"[15] Writing for NPR, Caitlyn Paxon recommended the book specifically to "teens who are navigating their own tightrope of identities and assure them that it's okay to be messy.

[17] It was listed as one of the best young adult books of 2020 and 2021 by Teen Vogue, American Library Association, The Irish Times and NPR.