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MIXING THE HENNA
Step 1: Finding the Right Henna
Henna comes in a variety of greens and browns. It is not possible to determine its quality by its appearance. The best way to know if it is good is to test it. A lot of companies overseas sell henna that contains a green dye or green dyed sand just to make the henna look greener and more appealing. To test and see if the henna contains this, mix it with some lemon juice and put it between two sheets of glass and let sit for 15 minutes. If there was the unnatural green dye or sand in this, you'll be able to see (with a magnifying glass) the bright green dots appear in the henna. (For more info. see www.thehennapage.com ) These dyes have no affect on the henna stain. It is just to make the henna “look” fresh.
There is a huge variety of henna out in the market (at Indian/Middle Eastern grocery stores, online, some local import shops, and overseas). Most of the local grocery stores may have the henna sitting out on the shelf for a long time and therefore may have demised (lost its quality). Sometimes you might end up with a company that sells you henna of poor quality. If you do end up buying such henna, don’t be too disappointed because it usually works great on hair and nails, and is perfect for practicing and fine-tuning your design work. Use it on yourself, on paper, or even make a lamp! It will also cool down those burning and tired feet at night if placed on the soles!
When shopping for the best quality henna, be sure the product is fresh from a hot climate, hasn't been sitting on the shelf or storage very long, is 100% natural (free of any materials other than henna) and is of a high quality brand you can trust. There is a lot of henna out in the market and overseas that claims to be “superb”, “finest” or “best” quality. Watch out for these labels. It is not always the best! The only way to know its effects is to it.
Click here for our latest sources of top quality henna products.
Step 2: Testing the Henna
There are a lot of different recipes people use throughout the world to make their henna. Some work better than others. It is best to test the henna with a variety of recipes. An easy way to test henna to see if it has a good color is to mix 1/2 to 1 tsp. henna with some lemon juice until it is of toothpaste consistency. Scoop paste into a corner of a plastic bag and place in a warm place for a few hours. If it is good henna, it will release a brownish color. Snip a fine hole in the corner of the bag where the henna is. Apply a small henna design on the skin. Let it sit for 2-3 hours. If it stains the skin well and darkens to a reddish-brown color in the next 2-3 days, it is good henna.
Step 3: Sifting the Henna
Step 4: Choosing Henna Paste Ingredients
Henna paste consists of:
Below is a diagram of ingredients that work best in a henna paste:
Step 5: Making the Henna Paste
A good henna is the key ingredient to a high quality henna recipe. If the henna is not of good quality, there isn’t much that can be done to darken the stain. Below are a few recipes that work great for henna. Larger quantities can be made by doubling the ingredients. The henna paste will last 5-10 days in the refrigerator and over a year in the freezer.
Recipe 1: My favorite recipe
Ingredients for henna paste:
3Tbsp. henna powder (pre-sifted) 6-8 drops tea tree oil
1Tbsp. brown sugar 6-8 drops lavender oil
Warm tea mixture: recipe follows 2-3 drops clove oil
In a metal or ceramic bowl place the henna powder and brown sugar. Add just enough warm tea mixture (a spoon at a time) to the henna, stirring each time, until the henna is a toothpaste-like consistency. Let sit in a warm place for a few hours (if needed right away) or up to 12 hours. One hour before using, add the oils and mix well. Place in an applicator for use or store in a zipper freezer bag and freeze.
The tea mixture:
5 cups water 2 cardamoms
3 dark Lipton tea bags 6-10 cloves
3 slices dried limes
Put water in a deep pan over medium heat and bring to a boil. Add all ingredients and stir. Cover and simmer over medium heat until the mixture is half its original quantity. Using a pressure cooker also works well. Remove from heat. Let it sit for 5-10 minutes. Strain through a fine sifter in a metal bowl. Throw away the material in the sifter. The tea can now be mixed into henna to make a paste or cooled and put into ice cube trays for later use.
Recipe 2:
2-3 cups water 2-4Tbsp. lemon juice (fresh or bottled)
1-2 dark Lipton tea bags warm tea mixture: recipe follows
2Tbsp. henna powder (pre-sifted) 6-8 drops tea tree and/or cajeput essential oils
1 tsp. sugar or honey
While the tea is brewing, in a metal or ceramic bowl place the henna powder and sugar/honey. Add just enough lemon juice to saturate the henna. Stir well, cover and let sit for 1 hour in a warm place.
Put water in a deep pan over medium heat and bring to a boil. Add tea and stir. Cover and simmer until the mixture is half its original quantity. Remove tea from heat. Let sit for 5-10 minutes. Add just enough warm tea mixture (a little at a time) to the henna, stirring each time, until the henna is a toothpaste-like consistency. Let sit in a warm place for a few hours (if needed right away) or up to 12 hours. One hour before using, add the oils and mix well. Place in an applicator for use or store in a zipper freezer bag and freeze.
Recipe 3:
Use the same procedure in Recipe 1 but add a variety of tannins from the henna ingredients chart into the tea mixture while it’s brewing. To make the henna come out the smoothest with the least breakage in design lines, use dextrose in place of brown sugar.
Step 6: Straining the paste
Step 7: Making a henna cone
Step 8: Applying the henna (Coming soon)
Step 9: Aftercare Instructions (Coming soon)
Henna Ingredients Chart: |
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Terpenes: (essential oils) |
Tannins |
Sour Activator |
Sugar Smoothener |
(Best Oils) |
dark tea |
dried limes |
sugar |
Tea tree |
dark coffee |
dried lemons |
brown sugar |
lavender |
cardamom |
lemon juice (fresh or bottled) |
dextrose |
*clove |
saffron |
lime juice (fresh or bottled) |
fructose |
*cinnamon |
cloves |
grapefruit juice |
honey |
*black pepper |
sumac (pomegranate powder) |
orange juice |
jaggery/gur (hardened chunks of brown sugar found at an Indian grocery store) |
frankincense |
citric acid powder |
vinegar |
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cajeput |
black pepper |
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geranium |
tamarind |
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ravensara |
cinnamon |
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cypress or cypress tips |
dried pomegranate seeds |
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cardamom |
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(Low in terpenes but still good) |
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thyme |
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pine |
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neroli |
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rosemary |
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marjoram |
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juniper |
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* Skin irritant. Very strong oils. Use in very small quantities or avoid. |
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