Re: Henna on black skin
Posted by Catherine Cartwright Jones on September 15, 1999 at 03:54:23:
In Reply to: Henna on black skin posted by Marty n Carrie Sue on September 15, 1999 at 02:55:46:
Henna is a translucent stain that is carried in skin layers on top of
the melanin bearing layers. The henna stain on a dark skinned person
is nearly the same color as the henna stain on a light skinned
person, but the effect of the color is different. If your body henna
stain is in the rust-paprika range, on a pale person, the darkness of
the stain is most apparent. On a very dark person, the dark qualities
of the stain sort of blend in, but the orangy-red or amber colors
contrast to the darkness. The contrast is subtle, and lovely...two
tones of earthy color contrasting each other. You can maximize the
effect by leaning heavy on the astringents when you prepare the skin,
and going for very bold designs. Frilly designs may get lost in the
low contrast. The skin cells are, of course, identical in all colors
of people, and henna will stain them the same way, but you're just
working in various sorts of contrast.
On palms and soles of dark people, the henna is particularly dark and
beautiful.