Re: newbie henna user has questions

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Posted by Angela on June 14, 2001 at 23:12:26:

In reply to: newbie henna user has questions posted by Angela on June 14, 2001 at 23:11:21:

: Hi, I'm Angela, an expat Canadian living in the U.A.E. In March I
: discovered Aileen Marron's henna kit and found that I could buy
ready-
: made henna cones from the market in my building and now I'm HOOKED!
: I've spent hours and hours browsing henna sites on the internet and
: last week I discovered the joy of the henna forum. I think I've
read
: through almost every post in here! I have a couple of
: questions.First, is there any way of testing a pre-mixed henna
: mixture to find out what's in it? Any places that do that sort of
: thing? The reason I ask is that I've been using ready-made cones
from
: a local Indian henna salon here in Abu Dhabi and I suspect they're
: putting in some nasties to darken the colour. For three months I
had
: no problems, but a couple of weeks ago I bought a cone and did an
: elaborate design on the back of my hand and it itched like crazy
: (good stain, though). I didn't think much of it until I used the
same
: cone to do a neck design (by looking in the mirror) and ended up
with
: a red, swollen, itching neck/chest. Luckily, the redness went away
: after I scraped the henna off - and believe me, I couldn't get it
off
: fast enough! I cut the cone open to take a look at the henna and
: found that it smelled like gasoline. I actually tried a cone from
: another Indian salon and got the same itchy results on my neck but
: not on my hand. I did ask about ingredients at both salons, but
: neither were willing to part with the information. After that I
: started trying to make my own paste from the powder and later did
: another neck design which I was able to leave on for 4 hours one
day
: and 5 hours the next (it didn't take well the first time, second
time
: it looked pretty good) with no itching whatsoever. Anyway, the
: obvious solution is to make my own paste so I know what's in it,
but
: I'm just curious about what I've been slathering on my body for the
: last three months. Also, I'm not very good at mixing my own yet and
: my cone rolling skills have a ways to go, so I may have to rely on
: them until I get better. Tonight, for the first time, I did henna
on
: two of my friends and I was very frustrated with my cones/paste.
One
: of my friends has super sensitive skin so I mixed a batch of henna
: with only lime juice and tea to use on her. Unfortunately, despite
: the fact that I sifted the powder three times through a tea
strainer,
: the tip of the cone clogged every two seconds and I nearly threw it
: across the room in anger. All in all, the designs turned out well -
: or at least they looked good when they left but both wanted arm
bands
: and I don't know how well my henna will take there. For my first
time
: doing others I probably should have insisted on doing hands since I
: have more experience at it and the stain is more reliable. Live and
: learn. Second question - I saw a tip on the henna page sent by
Rachel
: Newcomb which says to add a bit of nail polish remover to the
paste.
: How safe/effective is this? Another question - I saw a design on
the
: Usha Shah web page (http://www.mehendiart.com/4.htm) that looks
like
: it's shaded in. Can anyone tell me how to achieve that look? One
more
: thing (my husband says I have terrible e-mail ettiquette because I
: blather on and on), someone on the forum asked about making
transfers
: and I thought say that I've had success using sewing paper,
eyeliner,
: and mehlabiya oil to trace designs printed from the computer and
: transfer them to skin. Last comment - thanks for all the info
: everyone posts on the web about PPD's/black henna. I won't be
: touching it and I've already educated several people around here.
: - Angela

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: : Hi, I'm Angela, an expat Canadian living in the U.A.E. In March I : : discovered Aileen Marron's henna kit and found that I could buy : ready- : : made henna cones from the market in my building and now I'm HOOKED! : : I've spent hours and hours browsing henna sites on the internet and : : last week I discovered the joy of the henna forum. I think I've : read : : through almost every post in here! I have a couple of : : questions.First, is there any way of testing a pre-mixed henna : : mixture to find out what's in it? Any places that do that sort of : : thing? The reason I ask is that I've been using ready-made cones : from : : a local Indian henna salon here in Abu Dhabi and I suspect they're : : putting in some nasties to darken the colour. For three months I : had : : no problems, but a couple of weeks ago I bought a cone and did an : : elaborate design on the back of my hand and it itched like crazy : : (good stain, though). I didn't think much of it until I used the : same : : cone to do a neck design (by looking in the mirror) and ended up : with : : a red, swollen, itching neck/chest. Luckily, the redness went away : : after I scraped the henna off - and believe me, I couldn't get it : off : : fast enough! I cut the cone open to take a look at the henna and : : found that it smelled like gasoline. I actually tried a cone from : : another Indian salon and got the same itchy results on my neck but : : not on my hand. I did ask about ingredients at both salons, but : : neither were willing to part with the information. After that I : : started trying to make my own paste from the powder and later did : : another neck design which I was able to leave on for 4 hours one : day : : and 5 hours the next (it didn't take well the first time, second : time : : it looked pretty good) with no itching whatsoever. Anyway, the : : obvious solution is to make my own paste so I know what's in it, : but : : I'm just curious about what I've been slathering on my body for the : : last three months. Also, I'm not very good at mixing my own yet and : : my cone rolling skills have a ways to go, so I may have to rely on : : them until I get better. Tonight, for the first time, I did henna : on : : two of my friends and I was very frustrated with my cones/paste. : One : : of my friends has super sensitive skin so I mixed a batch of henna : : with only lime juice and tea to use on her. Unfortunately, despite : : the fact that I sifted the powder three times through a tea : strainer, : : the tip of the cone clogged every two seconds and I nearly threw it : : across the room in anger. All in all, the designs turned out well - : : or at least they looked good when they left but both wanted arm : bands : : and I don't know how well my henna will take there. For my first : time : : doing others I probably should have insisted on doing hands since I : : have more experience at it and the stain is more reliable. Live and : : learn. Second question - I saw a tip on the henna page sent by : Rachel : : Newcomb which says to add a bit of nail polish remover to the : paste. : : How safe/effective is this? Another question - I saw a design on : the : : Usha Shah web page (http://www.mehendiart.com/4.htm) that looks : like : : it's shaded in. Can anyone tell me how to achieve that look? One : more : : thing (my husband says I have terrible e-mail ettiquette because I : : blather on and on), someone on the forum asked about making : transfers : : and I thought say that I've had success using sewing paper, : eyeliner, : : and mehlabiya oil to trace designs printed from the computer and : : transfer them to skin. Last comment - thanks for all the info : : everyone posts on the web about PPD's/black henna. I won't be : : touching it and I've already educated several people around here. : : - Angela
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