Re: making a basic harquus

Posted by Jenna on December 16, 1999 at 20:44:42:

In Reply to: making a basic harquus posted by CAtherine Cartwright Jones on December 16, 1999 at 19:57:25:

: I tried a couple of harquus recipes ... (not that there was a very
: complete description, so I'm doing a lot of guessing) and found some
: basics that work. This one makes a glossy black, fragrant, durable,
: waterproof, smudgeproof harquus. The only down side is it that it
: must be applied hot (feels like about candle wax temperature).

: Get 2 tablespoons that you can afford to totally trash, a grinder
: (like a mortar and pestle) and a candle.
: Put a couple of pinches of henna powder in one spoon and hold that
: over the candle flame till it carbonizes to black. Stir it with a
: little stick as you carbonize it, like the unburnt end of an incense
: stick. Don't let it catch fire. Enjoy the incredible fragrance of
: hot henna! Be patient...this takes a little while, and must be
done
: slowly.

: Grind several pinches of frankincense or myrrh into powder, and put
: that in another spoon. Hold that over the candle flame till it is a
: hot amber liquid. Don't let it catch fire. Again, be very patient
with
: this. Stir that with your little stick. Your stick will get sticky
: with hot resin. As soot coats the back of the spoon, scrape that
off
: with your sticky stick and mix it into the hot resin. Start adding
: the carbonized henna (a little at a time) by dipping your sticky
: stick into the henna, and mixing what sticks into the spoon of hot
: resin. Occasionally thin this out with a a few drops of perfume oil
: (I used Tibetan Musk). Keep adding soot and henna and perfume oil
: until you have a smooth hot black puddle of resin in your spoon.

: Start testing consistancy on your forearm. Dip your stick into
resin
: puddle in the spoon, blow on it a bit to cool it, and make a little
: line on your arm. Yes, %^@#$&, it's hot! I found by carefully
: balancing the oil and resin, heating and cooling, I could apply it
to
: my skin without burning myself, and the resulting harquus lines were
: absolutely waterproof and smudgeproof, glossy black, and very
: fragrant.

: I think ambergris would make the mix much easier to work with, but I
: don't want to inconvenience any whales. When I tried adding wax,
the
: harquus pealed off my skin too easily. Alcahol kept bursting into
: flame, and didn't seem to help any. The simple resin and soot mix
is
: very durable, but must be applied pretty hot (not enough to burn
you,
: but it will wake you right up!) I did a bit of this on my cheek,
with
: no harm, but it made me flinch. There may be a way lower the
: temperature without losing the durability of the harquus .. this
was
: just a first try.

: BTW...just in case anyone thought to do so....don't do this on your
: eyelids!!!!!! Too hot!!!! Try it on your FOREARM until this recipe
: is refined!

I can not wait to try this! You are soooo good CCJ! Thanks for sharing

Follow-ups:

• Re: making a basic harquus Catherine Cartwright Jones 21:29:39 12/16/99 (4)
  • bendable? kate 23:09:29 12/17/99 (1)
    • Re: bendable? Catherine Cartwright Jones 03:54:24 12/18/99 (0)
  • Re: making a basic harquus kate 01:44:52 12/17/99 (1)
    • the perverse nature of silverware. Catherine Cartwright Jones 03:51:06 12/17/99 (0)