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| Henna Artist |
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Before you start reading... Remember that anything I say on this page is purely an opinion based on my experience. If you feel something I say is untrue or offensive, remember that it is only one person's opinion, and don't get too mad. If you have a comment or would like me to add something to this page, please e-mail me.
A. There are two options available to you; you can purchase henna in your local international grocery or through the mail. I recommend going to your local Indian or middle eastern market to purchase your henna. You can also find the oils that you may want to use there. Save yourself the shipping charges. Also, you may get lucky and find that the person selling the product can offer some advice on how to use it. If you can't find henna in your area, you can find some good sources on the internet (check out my links page). When you are buying from an on-line supplier, try to keep in mind what a fair price is. Shop around, and don't be too easily convinced by a company's claims that their premixed henna sells for too much because it is worth it. Either way, I recommend buying henna powder rather than the premixed tubes because there is no way to tell how long the premixed stuff has been around. Q. How can I make my henna stains darker? A. Here's my equation: time + acidity + heat = darker stains. The longer you leave the paste on the better. You can even set the paste with lemon juice and sugar and put something over it so you can sleep with the henna in place. The amount of time you keep the area from getting wet after scraping the paste off also matters. I recently scraped the henna off and then kept the area dry for twelve hours or more and got a fabulous result. If you want to get the lemon juice off, just use some oil and a paper towel to clean it up. The henna stains darken a lot in the time after you take the paste off, so don't be discouraged if it isn't dark when you first take the paste off, there's still time. The acidity of the paste also seems to play a role in the depth of the color of the stains. That is why I recommend mixing the paste using a recipe which includes some thing acidic: lemon, lime, tea leaves... Finally, heating the area where the paste is applied also seems to help the stains darken. I use a small space heater and keep the area warm while applying and reapplying lemon juice to keep the henna paste from drying and cracking. Word to the wise... the things I have just described take more time and effort than you may think, so be sure the henna you have is of good quality before you go through all this. I have experienced the disappointment of using hair quality henna and going to the trouble of leaving it on, ect. only to get a really light stain. Save yourself the disappointment, buy henna specifically for mehndi. Q. What's the best way to apply henna? A. There are several ideas out there right now on how to apply the paste to get the best results, but I've stuck to a few that I will explain. The cone: This is the traditional henna dispenser. I use a thick plastic cut into a 7"x8" rectangle rolled up into a cone shape and taped leaving a small opening at the tip. If you want to do fine lines this is the way, but be sure to sift the henna powder very very very well first. The needle/ small stick: Another traditional application method is the use on an object with a fine point to apply the paste. I have used this method and loved the intricate designs I get without constantly unclogging the applicator tip. However, this method is very time consuming (at least for me), so I usually stick to the tube type applicators. The icing tube: I use this method the most. It is easy and I get a good result. I use the finest tip I can buy and I can get fairly thin lines with it. Remember that you need to sift the henna if you are using the finest tip, otherwise you will spend a great deal of time unclogging the applicator. I recommend the disposable bags if you are going to use this method. Q. How long will this last? A. The answer to this depends on quite a few factors: the henna, how long you left it on, a lot of things. But, a general response is three days to a month. Q. What about black henna? A. I do not have any experience with black henna... So please don't e-mail me and ask how to do it as soon as you see Madonna's new video. Seriously, there are people who can advise you on this, but I'm not one of them. My concern is that people might expose themselves to the risk of a skin problem trying to get a black henna. The henna page is compiling a warning about this problem, if you want to know more. Q. I got this orange stain on my skin, what about all those pictures on the internet where the henna is dark green/brown? A. The natural color of henna stains is basically red/orange/brown. The pictures that you see where it is a dark green/brown are taken before the paste has been removed. Q. Why does it look like I applied a different henna on my palms, toes and the soles of my feet? A. The henna stains on the palm and some other areas of the skin come out darker because of the nature of the skin in those areas. A stain on the palm of your hand will be darker than a stain on the back of your hand, it has nothing to do with you. Q. Is there a difference between henna for hair and henna for mehndi? A. Yes, there is a difference. If you use the henna meant for hair on your skin, the stains will not be as dark. I have heard that the difference is in the place on the plant they take the leaves from; darker henna for mehndi comes from the top leaves, and henna for hair comes from the rest. Q. How can I make the stains last longer? A. I have compiled an aftercare section which has a better answer to this question, but the basic answer is as follows. Stay away from harsh soaps (like ivory) and things with alpha hydroxy type ingredients. I recommend using olive oil as a lotion to preserve the stains. Put the oil on before you shower and anytime after you wash the area. Doing that seems to make the stains last longer. Also, doing the same things that I recommend in the darker stains answer will make for a longer lasting henna design. Q. Is there a way to get rid of the stains quickly? A. Ok, so say your boss freaks out when he sees the design on your hands, and you can't face another day of your co-workers asking you "what's that on your hands? ", there is a way to get it off quick. But, before I tell you, let me say this; you should think about it before putting the design in a prominent area, it's easier to never put it on than it is to remove it. The way to get it off quick is chlorine bleach diluted in water. Ask anyone who works in a job where they have to use this solution for disinfecting, it will take the stains off. However, use common sense caution when doing this. Bleach is not good for your skin, so don't use it full strength, don't scrub too much, and be sure to use a good lotion on the area afterwards. Q. Where do you get ideas for designs? A. There are a few places that sell books with drawing of designs. Al Muhajubat is place I have found good books of Indian designs. There are plenty of sites where you can see other people's work and gather ideas, see my links page for some sites with good pictures. Also, look around you; it has been said that women used to look at rugs and woodwork patterns to get ideas for henna designs. |
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