Living the Life

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Posted by Rachael on May 2, 2001 at 23:50:19:

I have only been pro on henna for less than a year, so all this talk
about the henna season that was going on over the winter was kinda
lost on me. I though that since I live in FL, and the seasons don't
much change, that there wouldn't be a real difference in the level of
business I get from one time of year to another.
Boy, was I wrong.
I have been hennaing my hinney (or is it hiney?) off the past couple
weeks. I did a corporate gig for Steve Madden Shoes at Disney's Grad
Night for high school seniors this past weekend. It was a 3 hour gig,
6-9pm, but in that time I must have henna'd over 50 17 and 18 year
old girls. I came home Friday night and my right hand was so swollen
and sore that I had to ice it. The next night, same deal, 6-9pm; it
was a little slower, but not enough to give my right hand a break. I
started compensating by squeezing the paste with my left hand and
guiding the tip with my right, which just resulted in two swollen
hands in need of soaking, instead of the one (time to switch to
carrot bags, I think.) All swelling aside, I was so giddy after that
event that I went out dancing. The girls I was working on weren't the
most informed or concerned henna customers, which was somewhat
annoying because I had to keep explaining the nature of the henna
beast, it was also great because they would just sit down in the
chair, offer up skin and say, "Do whatever you want." It was also
great to think about nothing but henna for 3 solid hours. No getting
up to answer the phone, like at home; no haggling over prices, like
at festivals; just me, my henna, and a neverending sea of willing
subjects. I am doing it again on the 11th of May, and I really can't
wait.
In addition to that, Darlahood and I have a big corporate gig coming
up this Thursday, at a software trade show. The whole situation
doesn't seem to conjure up thoughts of henna (mid-life yuppie
computer guys attending a conference with a fishing theme), but we
get paid whether we are busy or not, so we'll see how it goes.
I henna'd my left hand, in an effort to have a living example for the
corporate clients and my henna did some strange, strange things.
I mixed up 3 tablespoons of Jamila with some of my special henna
catalyst solution and a drop each of clove and eucalyptus oils, let
it sit overnight, and did an Indian design on my palm the next day. I
dipped the pads of my fingers, steamed once over plain water, and
wrapped with no sealant, and slept on it. the next morning the pads
were blotchy, which I expected, but the really strange thing is that
even with no sealant, after 48 hours my fingers are decidedly black
in most places, and where the color is the darkest, the skin feels
almost like its been burned or rubbed raw. The texture of the skin is
still smooth and they look normal except for the extremely dark color
and blotchiness, but everytime I touch something, it feels like,
where the darkest areas are, I am a pushing down on tender skin. I am
planning to rehenna over the lighter areas tonight, to even out the
color, and the tenderness is not at all intense, just puzzling. My
skin is not in the least calloused or thick, so I wasn't really
expecting this level of stain, especially without a lot of steaming
and lemon-sugaring. Has anyone else ever had this happen? Could it be
that my paste was too acidic for the skin on my figertips to handle?

ah, the mysteries of our art-
Rachael

Follow Ups

Re: Living the Life Monica Tittle 14:09:38 5/3/2001 (0)
Re: Living the Life Catherine Cartwright Jones 03:01:49 5/3/2001 (0)
Re: Living the Life Kenzi 00:04:21 5/3/2001 (0)

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: I have only been pro on henna for less than a year, so all this talk : about the henna season that was going on over the winter was kinda : lost on me. I though that since I live in FL, and the seasons don't : much change, that there wouldn't be a real difference in the level of : business I get from one time of year to another. : Boy, was I wrong. : I have been hennaing my hinney (or is it hiney?) off the past couple : weeks. I did a corporate gig for Steve Madden Shoes at Disney's Grad : Night for high school seniors this past weekend. It was a 3 hour gig, : 6-9pm, but in that time I must have henna'd over 50 17 and 18 year : old girls. I came home Friday night and my right hand was so swollen : and sore that I had to ice it. The next night, same deal, 6-9pm; it : was a little slower, but not enough to give my right hand a break. I : started compensating by squeezing the paste with my left hand and : guiding the tip with my right, which just resulted in two swollen : hands in need of soaking, instead of the one (time to switch to : carrot bags, I think.) All swelling aside, I was so giddy after that : event that I went out dancing. The girls I was working on weren't the : most informed or concerned henna customers, which was somewhat : annoying because I had to keep explaining the nature of the henna : beast, it was also great because they would just sit down in the : chair, offer up skin and say, "Do whatever you want." It was also : great to think about nothing but henna for 3 solid hours. No getting : up to answer the phone, like at home; no haggling over prices, like : at festivals; just me, my henna, and a neverending sea of willing : subjects. I am doing it again on the 11th of May, and I really can't : wait. : In addition to that, Darlahood and I have a big corporate gig coming : up this Thursday, at a software trade show. The whole situation : doesn't seem to conjure up thoughts of henna (mid-life yuppie : computer guys attending a conference with a fishing theme), but we : get paid whether we are busy or not, so we'll see how it goes. : I henna'd my left hand, in an effort to have a living example for the : corporate clients and my henna did some strange, strange things. : I mixed up 3 tablespoons of Jamila with some of my special henna : catalyst solution and a drop each of clove and eucalyptus oils, let : it sit overnight, and did an Indian design on my palm the next day. I : dipped the pads of my fingers, steamed once over plain water, and : wrapped with no sealant, and slept on it. the next morning the pads : were blotchy, which I expected, but the really strange thing is that : even with no sealant, after 48 hours my fingers are decidedly black : in most places, and where the color is the darkest, the skin feels : almost like its been burned or rubbed raw. The texture of the skin is : still smooth and they look normal except for the extremely dark color : and blotchiness, but everytime I touch something, it feels like, : where the darkest areas are, I am a pushing down on tender skin. I am : planning to rehenna over the lighter areas tonight, to even out the : color, and the tenderness is not at all intense, just puzzling. My : skin is not in the least calloused or thick, so I wasn't really : expecting this level of stain, especially without a lot of steaming : and lemon-sugaring. Has anyone else ever had this happen? Could it be : that my paste was too acidic for the skin on my figertips to handle? : : ah, the mysteries of our art- : Rachael
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