Re: Paste o' Death, North of the (U.S.) Border

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Posted by Theadora on July 26, 2000 at 00:40:28:

In Reply to: Paste o' Death, North of the (U.S.) Border posted by Kenzi on July 25, 2000 at 19:29:14:

Thanks Kenzi for being tactful and out spoken. It sounds like you
were pretty brave as well.I know its hard work . You rock!
: I have been silent for a few days because I was on vacation in
Montreal, a city which should now be called the City of Black Death.
I saw quite a few henna artists there (probably 20 total) and every
single one of them was using black henna. It was quite incredible.
And one thing that really struck me was the smell of black henna...it
was the usual wonderful smell of natural henna but mixed with that
awful and unmistakable smell of hair dye/die. That might be
something, Catherine, toadd to your list of things to look for when
distinguishing black henna from natural henna.

: I started checking out the henna artists while just walking around
town and right away some very familiar designs jumped out at me. The
ones I saw first were Liisa's beautiful brushwork designs (my fave is
the dolphin). One person had the whole gamut plus some that I hadn't
seen before. I saw a few other familiar designs, even a few of mine,
but usually ones that I had copied from elsewhere.

: Catherine, one guy had, among his designs, printouts of all your
desgins on your website! He saw me looking at them and said that I
was looking at very ancient henna designs from his part of the world
(he was Iraqi). I said, in a friendly way, "I know the woman who did
these designs!" and he said, "that's impossible unless she lived
5,000 years ago!" ha ha ha! I know you always say how old you are
Catherine, but you don't look a day over 4,500!

: While looking at all these designs I also watched the artists
working. They were doing great business with all the tourists filing
by. They were all using paste o' death and applying it with a
syringe. They held the tip of the syringe like a pen and then used
the other hand to push the plunger down. Seemed very cumbersome to
use two hands. I also noticed that a lot of them had their
fingertips stained black from the "henna" they were using. Another
way for it to get into their systems.

: I was appalled at how much black henna was flowing but I felt shy
about saying anything to them. My hubby engaged some of them in talk
of henna and made me show them my henna work (some fresh new stuff on
hand and arm). Most of them really liked the color and that got us
on the subject of black henna. One guy said that he used it because
people asked for it and everyone else was using it. I told him that
it was dangerous and he wasn't too open to that idea. He said that
it was just a rare allergy and that he tests each person before
applying the "henna". I told him that it wasn't an allergy and that
it often didn't show up for 2-3 weeks after application so a test
wouldn't work. He didn't agree so we just left it at that. He was
interested, however, in buying some of my henna so maybe he can be
swayed by some good stuff! I talked to another guy, the one with
Catherine's website pics. He also was impressed by the color of my
henna (sorry for tooting my own horn!) and that got us going with the
black henna discussion. He insisted that no one ever complained of a
problem with black henna; I explained that the reaction shows up 2-3
weeks later and that most of his clients are tourists who aren't
going to bother to track him down to complain. That gave him pause
so I kept going and suggested to him that he was compromising his own
health by touching the stuff and that the health authorities in
several areas of the US were starting to crack down on the stuff. We
talked to a Moroccan woman henna artist, also using black henna, but
she was with a client and didn't have time to talk to us much.

: I think that if these people do order henna from me I am going to
put together a little package of pictures of black henna burns plus
the chemical warnings. It's tiring to have to explain this stuff
over and over again, but eventually I think it will get through.

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: Thanks Kenzi for being tactful and out spoken. It sounds like you : were pretty brave as well.I know its hard work . You rock! : : I have been silent for a few days because I was on vacation in : Montreal, a city which should now be called the City of Black Death. : I saw quite a few henna artists there (probably 20 total) and every : single one of them was using black henna. It was quite incredible. : And one thing that really struck me was the smell of black henna...it : was the usual wonderful smell of natural henna but mixed with that : awful and unmistakable smell of hair dye/die. That might be : something, Catherine, toadd to your list of things to look for when : distinguishing black henna from natural henna. : : I started checking out the henna artists while just walking around : town and right away some very familiar designs jumped out at me. The : ones I saw first were Liisa's beautiful brushwork designs (my fave is : the dolphin). One person had the whole gamut plus some that I hadn't : seen before. I saw a few other familiar designs, even a few of mine, : but usually ones that I had copied from elsewhere. : : Catherine, one guy had, among his designs, printouts of all your : desgins on your website! He saw me looking at them and said that I : was looking at very ancient henna designs from his part of the world : (he was Iraqi). I said, in a friendly way, "I know the woman who did : these designs!" and he said, "that's impossible unless she lived : 5,000 years ago!" ha ha ha! I know you always say how old you are : Catherine, but you don't look a day over 4,500! : : While looking at all these designs I also watched the artists : working. They were doing great business with all the tourists filing : by. They were all using paste o' death and applying it with a : syringe. They held the tip of the syringe like a pen and then used : the other hand to push the plunger down. Seemed very cumbersome to : use two hands. I also noticed that a lot of them had their : fingertips stained black from the "henna" they were using. Another : way for it to get into their systems. : : I was appalled at how much black henna was flowing but I felt shy : about saying anything to them. My hubby engaged some of them in talk : of henna and made me show them my henna work (some fresh new stuff on : hand and arm). Most of them really liked the color and that got us : on the subject of black henna. One guy said that he used it because : people asked for it and everyone else was using it. I told him that : it was dangerous and he wasn't too open to that idea. He said that : it was just a rare allergy and that he tests each person before : applying the "henna". I told him that it wasn't an allergy and that : it often didn't show up for 2-3 weeks after application so a test : wouldn't work. He didn't agree so we just left it at that. He was : interested, however, in buying some of my henna so maybe he can be : swayed by some good stuff! I talked to another guy, the one with : Catherine's website pics. He also was impressed by the color of my : henna (sorry for tooting my own horn!) and that got us going with the : black henna discussion. He insisted that no one ever complained of a : problem with black henna; I explained that the reaction shows up 2-3 : weeks later and that most of his clients are tourists who aren't : going to bother to track him down to complain. That gave him pause : so I kept going and suggested to him that he was compromising his own : health by touching the stuff and that the health authorities in : several areas of the US were starting to crack down on the stuff. We : talked to a Moroccan woman henna artist, also using black henna, but : she was with a client and didn't have time to talk to us much. : : I think that if these people do order henna from me I am going to : put together a little package of pictures of black henna burns plus : the chemical warnings. It's tiring to have to explain this stuff : over and over again, but eventually I think it will get through.

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