September, 2005:

First of all, I realized I had the traditional sealant wrong in my Basic Mehndi Mix post, so I changed it. You dissolve 2 or more parts sugar to 1 part lemon so it’s nice and pasty. I just mixed up a jar myself… and then adulterated it with some unnecessary essential oils and ground clove. I don’t know why. I was bored! I also nuked it a couple times (5 seconds each) to encourage the sugar to dissolve properly. Don’t know if that helps or not, though.

I’ve uploaded some stuff I’ve been working on this weekend into my Henna Gallery. Most of it was me playing with designs from Darcy’s recent ebook.

The paste I made this week was a little bit too pasty. It was thick enough that squeezing it out of the cone hurt my hand — a complaint usually reserved for jaq bottles! It also dried up and cracked fairly quickly, and it didn’t stick to the skin unless I took care to moosh it on real good. (You should be able to drape it over the skin, and it’ll fall onto the skin and stick. Not this batch.) However, the lines sure were crisp! And since I used less EOs in this batch, the design I did on my palm turned a pretty red color, not the nutty brown of my last mix. Both colors are good, but I really like the red.

I discovered that the easiest way to seal this batch, since the henna wasn’t sticking to my skin very well, was to unroll a cotton ball, reroll it around the tip of a pencil, dip that in the lemon-sugar mix, and gently roll it across the design a couple times. Dabbing it with a cotton ball or two Q-tips made the mix stick to the henna, which wasn’t stuck to the skin, which lifted the henna right off. By rolling, it helped seal the henna to the skin, even if it wasn’t too well placed. Although it helped, when the henna was partially dry, to pat it with a finger to make sure the moist underlayer did have contact with the skin.

Also, dabbing usually made me coat it too thickly, which resulted in gooey drips of lemon-sugar getting all over the carpet. We’re hoping my ever-so-patient partner doesn’t notice. This weekend he gave me a new henna-inspired nickname, though: Doodlebear. Like, those teddy bears they used to sell, where you can draw all over them, then wash them off and draw all over them again. I’m considering using that as my henna name if I ever do this as a business: Doodlebear Henna. Except that doesn’t sound very bridal, now, does it? LOL.

So the first batch I mixed was too runny. This batch was too stiff. Hopefully with my next batch, I’ll find a good medium.

And props to Rand for experimenting with part of my slimy batch that I gave him at work on Saturday! You are a brave man, my friend.

A mixing guide for beginners, by a beginner.

HENNA BREW

Ingredients

• 15 grams (about 2 tablespoons) quality henna (order online from Mehandi.com or Henna Tribe suppliers)
• 1/2 to 1 teaspoon sugar, brown sugar, honey, or molasses
• 2 drops tea tree or cajeput essential oil
• 1 drop of any other essential oil that smells good (I like geranium)
• Lemon juice

Dissolve your sugar into 1 tablespoon of lemon juice. Add the mix to your henna,  and add more lemon juice until you have a thick paste. Mix well. Let sit for 2  hours in a warm spot. Add essential oils. Mix well. Add more lemon juice if needed  to reach desired consistency (comparable to that of toothpaste). Let sit 4 to 8  hours in a warm spot, or overnight. When you have dye release*, load into one or  more cones (cone materials are cheap — learn to roll one here or here) or jaquard bottles and apply. Seal your design and refrigerate the leftovers.

*Dye release has occurred when:

• A small dot of henna left on your palm for ten minutes leaves a bright orange  stain on removal
• The top layer of your mixed henna turns a dark brownish green, while the insides  remain bright green
• If you mix your henna in a thin plastic sandwich baggie and set it out on a paper  towel, you will know you have dye release when you lift the baggie and see a  faint orange stain on the paper towel

TRADITIONAL HENNA SEALANT

• 3 tablespoons lemon juice
• 6+ tablespoons sugar, brown sugar, honey, or molasses

Mix well. Apply using cotton balls, Q-tips or a paintbrush.

Method one: Apply over dry design and layer with squares of toilet paper  thoroughly wetted with sealant. Let dry. Wrap with an Ace bandage or old sock  and leave on overnight. Peel off, and gently remove any remaining stickies with  vegetable oil, or water if necessary.

Method two: Once dry, seal entire design. Let sealant dry. Dust with baby powder or talcum. Leave on 6 to 8 hours, or wrap lightly with an  Ace bandage or old sock and leave on overnight. Pick off the henna goobers in  the morning, and remove any remaining bits gently with vegetable oil, or water if  necessary.

MAXX’S WONDER SEALER

• 3 tablespoons Elmer’s glue
• 3 tablespoons lemon juice
• Glitter, if desired

Mix well. Apply over dry design using two Q-tips held together, or paint on with a  paintbrush. Don’t coat too thickly. Dries clear and hard. Peel off in 6 to 8 hours,  or cover loosely with a sock or Ace bandage and leave on overnight. Peel off in  the morning. Avoid washing — chlorine makes the design fade faster.