Re: FAST EASY DARK BROWN
Posted by KAYA on January 23, 1998 at 22:38:24:
In Reply to: Re: FAST EASY DARK BROWN posted by Phoenix and Arabeth on January 22, 1998 at 01:58:06:
Let's set the scene, I have been messing around with henna since I saw an article in a magazine while waiting for my car to get fixed. I was immediately hooked. That was last summer and in the months in between I have tried many experiments and had many disappointments (most of which involve the color orange, which is not my favorite color).
I found a source for henna which is consistent in it's quality, and if it wasn't for that and this wonderful resource (hats off to the Henna Page) I might have lost interest somewhere along the line.
So anyway, I had recently been experimenting with food dyes in their non-water soluable lake forms to try and effect the color of henna (hoping for blue, but would be happy with anything but orange). But alas, in some of my tests the dye actually seemed to keep the henna from coloring the skin. what a drag.
Now comes the bitters, I had never had bitters in anything that I know of, and we had purchased some only because we were having a couple friends over for a little lounge party (you know, cheezy jazz, mixed drinks, polyester and faux fur). While I was mixing drinks, I accidentally spilled bitters on the counter. In the few moments inbetween the spill and me getting a rag to wipe it up, a stain formed (a light red color). My mind went click-whirr-whirr, and before I knew what I was doing, I was mixing up a tiny little batch of henna with the bitters.
I made a small pattern on the back of my hand, I didn't re-wet it or anything, just let it dry out. I wanted to see if it would do anything at all. Well, it left a faint mark, but it was not orange. I would have done more trials right then, but we had company and so . . .
The next day I thought to try again, but my little batch had completely dried out. I almost started over, but instead, out of laziness really, I just added more bitters to the mix and mashed it around until it was paste again. I then traced over the same pattern on my hand (it was pretty light) and this was when the next lucky break occurred. My wife (yup - I'm a guy) had a sore back and asked me to put some of the white flower oil on her back, which I of course did. Then sitting there with the little bottle of oil in my hand, I thought, why not ( I know, it's not a very scientific experiment, is it). So I re-wet with the oil. An hour or so later I brushed it off my hand and the lines were already modestly dark and, more importantly, NOT ORANGE. (happy happy joy joy)
Little did I know then just how much darker it would be in the morning.
So I had to try it again, with a bigger batch, following a specific formula, to make sure it wasn't just a fluke. It was no fluke. I feel like I've solved some wierd cosmic riddle. I could hardly wait to get to this page and share. Not to try and claim this as a be all and end all method, far from it. This is just a viable short cut. The beauty of henna, or one of it's many beautiful facets, is that there are always different ways to do it. (at least in my opinion, that is).
Oh, Phoenix and Arabeth (Hi!), since I am responding to your reply, I wish I could e-mail you, but I have no access. I don't have a computer at home (yet), and I'm not even supposed to have internet access at work (but I have freinds in Information Services - heh heh) so I will try to contact you through more primitive means, or through a friends e-mail.
Please post your results after you try it out (that goes for everyone) and if you figure out a better way please let us all know.
I've probably rambled on long enough, I guess.
Peace, harmony and stained skin! - Kaya