Dragon Henna
I was experimenting with a new recipe tonight and wanted to test it out on my arm. My first problem was that the goop was too thin, so I had to add more powder. I worried that the henna had indigo in it again, because it was bright green, but it didn’t. It’s just fresh.
I don’t think this design will turn out very dark. I had to scrape it off after an hour because my skin was itching. I thought maybe it was lemon juice in tiny cuts, but it was hurting all over, not just in one or two places. The culprit is the mustard seed oil. They didn’t have eucalyptus oil for sale at the Indian Grocery, and I didn’t want to think that I drove five miles out of my way for nothing, so I got mustard oil. I’ve heard it’s a good mordant for henna, but that it can be harsh on the skin. They got that right. Next time I’ll stick with olive oil.
Posted in henna |
June 16th, 2008 at 1:31 pm
I recently purchased a Henna kit. When I opened the kit, the bottle of Mordant had leaked and was empty. Do you have a suggestion of what I could use as a replacement?
Thanks
June 16th, 2008 at 3:44 pm
Make really strong black tea, and when you steep it, add cardamon. Mix lemon juice in too, as the acid will help.
I’ve heard using mehaiba oil or clove oil or mustard oil with the henna mix helps fix it, but these are expensive and in some cases they react poorly with the skin. I use olive oil, because I like the way it smells (and I like the consistency it gives the oil) and because it’s cheap and available.
A more accurate recipe is in Mehindi: The Timeless Art of Henna Painting, by Loretta Roome.