Woke up to a black henna conversation this morning

[ Follow-ups ] [ Post Follow-up ] [ The Henna Page Forum ] [ FAQ ]

Posted by Kenzi on July 05, 2000 at 20:34:00:

I thought I'd share a telephone conversation I had this morning concerning black henna. I got a call from a woman who saw my website and wanted to order henna, black henna. I gave her my position on black henna and went into extra inning with it because she didn't interrupt. She seemed a little taken aback but then asked me a bunch of questions about why other people are doing black henna, don't customers know, how come the people keep doing black henna on the boardwalk etc. I went further into detail and warned her of the possibilities of lawsuits. She started saying how fortunate she was that I was the first person she called, she never would have known about all the dangers, she's so lucky, blah, blah, blah.

She works at a salon on the boardwalk at Ocean City, Maryland and said that there are a bunch of black henna artists that work there and have been working there for the past few years. She said that she wants to get in on the action but now she's worried about using something dangerous. I suggest to her that she buy natural henna powder and explained the process, but she didn't like that it wasn't instantaneous, allowing her clients to go swimming or whatever right away. I suggested body paints or temporary tattoos but she really wants to do henna.

She told me something very interesting: that health inspectors have been checking things out with these black henna artists and the rumor is that the health department there might close them down or force them to post warnings.

She decided she was going to try the natural stuff, but then called me back after talking to her husband; he doesn't want to do the natural stuff but really wants black henna and they want to order it from me. I don't carry it! I warn her again about the dangers but she says she wants to get in the market and make some money before the health inspectors close them all down! Since I don't have the black henna she wants to buy designs from me and because I didn't want to bother with her paying me I sent her a few pages of designs for free and used the opportunity to send her a printout of the black henna warning from this page, in living, livid color. sigh.

I just got another call from her saying she wants the natural henna after all! That at least shows that the message is getting through despite massive interference.

It was a very frustrating conversation because I can understand her motivation to make money (I hate turning clients away for not having black henna), but I would hate to know that I am harming someone. I feel bad enough when someone tells me that their stain didn't get dark enough.

Any of you in the Ocean City area who could lobby the health department to really pick up their efforts to get rid of black henna? Or just hang around the black henna artists and hand out flyers.

Follow Ups:

Black henna in LA - on a KID! Anne Beltestad 12:26:09 7/06/00 (5)
- Venice Beach is FULL of Black Henna!!!!! MyST 09:39:44 7/07/00 (4)
  - Re: Venice Beach is FULL of Black Henna!!!!! Giselle 17:47:27 7/07/00 (3)
    - Re: Venice Beach is FULL of Black Henna!!!!! Kenzi 20:34:07 7/07/00 (1)
      - Act like a hawker.. Nick 07:10:39 7/11/00 (0)
    - And so is Key West. Nick 18:32:05 7/07/00 (0)
Re: Woke up to a black henna conversation this morning MyST 08:59:36 7/06/00 (4)
- Good news! Kenzi 17:14:37 7/06/00 (3)
  - Re: Good news! Giselle 17:39:33 7/07/00 (2)
    - Just a big mouth Kenzi 20:40:16 7/07/00 (1)
      - The Ultimate Customer SeeSee 10:10:52 7/08/00 (0)

Post a Followup

Name:
E-Mail:

Subject:

Comments:
: I thought I'd share a telephone conversation I had this morning concerning black henna. I got a call from a woman who saw my website and wanted to order henna, black henna. I gave her my position on black henna and went into extra inning with it because she didn't interrupt. She seemed a little taken aback but then asked me a bunch of questions about why other people are doing black henna, don't customers know, how come the people keep doing black henna on the boardwalk etc. I went further into detail and warned her of the possibilities of lawsuits. She started saying how fortunate she was that I was the first person she called, she never would have known about all the dangers, she's so lucky, blah, blah, blah. : She works at a salon on the boardwalk at Ocean City, Maryland and said that there are a bunch of black henna artists that work there and have been working there for the past few years. She said that she wants to get in on the action but now she's worried about using something dangerous. I suggest to her that she buy natural henna powder and explained the process, but she didn't like that it wasn't instantaneous, allowing her clients to go swimming or whatever right away. I suggested body paints or temporary tattoos but she really wants to do henna. : She told me something very interesting: that health inspectors have been checking things out with these black henna artists and the rumor is that the health department there might close them down or force them to post warnings. : She decided she was going to try the natural stuff, but then called me back after talking to her husband; he doesn't want to do the natural stuff but really wants black henna and they want to order it from me. I don't carry it! I warn her again about the dangers but she says she wants to get in the market and make some money before the health inspectors close them all down! Since I don't have the black henna she wants to buy designs from me and because I didn't want to bother with her paying me I sent her a few pages of designs for free and used the opportunity to send her a printout of the black henna warning from this page, in living, livid color. sigh. : I just got another call from her saying she wants the natural henna after all! That at least shows that the message is getting through despite massive interference. : It was a very frustrating conversation because I can understand her motivation to make money (I hate turning clients away for not having black henna), but I would hate to know that I am harming someone. I feel bad enough when someone tells me that their stain didn't get dark enough. : Any of you in the Ocean City area who could lobby the health department to really pick up their efforts to get rid of black henna? Or just hang around the black henna artists and hand out flyers.

Optional Link URL:
Link Title:
Optional Image URL:

[ Follow-ups ] [ Post Follow-up ] [ The Henna Page Forum ] [ FAQ ]