Re: Yogurt as dye activator
Posted by Catherine Cartwright JOnes on September 07, 1999 at 04:07:17:
In Reply to: Yogurt as Mordant? posted by Kenzi on September 07, 1999 at 03:36:17:
Yoghurt is used to mix henna...it is sour and will help the henna
release dye. It is used in many Gulf countries, and occasionally
India. Just about anything sour will help henna release its dye. I
just found a recomemdation for Ganges water as the most blessed thing
to mix.
Yoghurt is not, however, a mordant for henna . A mordant would be
something you soak the material to be dyed in so it will take dye
differently or better. I haven't heard of anyone boiling their hands
in alum, potash, ferrous sulphate, stannous chloride (common
mordants for vegetable dying for wool)...and I hope I
don't. Possibly, though, the blackened-henna ammonia trick falls into
the mordant category, though!