Re: black Henna

[ Follow Ups ] [ Post Followup ] [ The Henna Page Forum ] [ FAQ ]

Posted by Catherine Cartwright Jones on August 1, 2001 at 21:58:32:

In reply to: black Henna posted by Barrowboy on August 1, 2001 at 10:38:11:

Yes, there are several black dyes that will briefly stain skin.
They're the ones used in food, frosting, candy, and Manic Panic.
These molecules are large and don't penetrate very deep into the
epidermal layer, (so the stains don't last long) but they're pretty
safe .... unless you're allergic to them. Allergies to food dyes are
increasingly common, but these dyes are generally accepted as mostly
harmless.

Though they are food based acid dyes, "Acid black" isn't a
particularly helpful name .... I know of several types of acid black
dyes, some of which are quite toxic, so more specificity is required
here. FDA approved Black #10 is the sort of word you're looking for.

Difficulty is: the food dye molecules seem to be hydrophilic (water
soluble) and henna is a hydrophobic molecule(not particularly water
soluble), so the henna/food dye pastes separate something awful (just
how many times did you have to shake, shake, shake those colored henna
tubes and still never quite get the paste consistant??)

And ... that stuff is MURDER to get out of anything it touches!!!
That's why I can't use it as a product. I don't remember the last
time I hennaed in an idiot-free zone ... so the colored paste is
almost guaranteed to cause a disater of one sort or another.

Follow Ups

Post Followup

Name:
E-Mail:
Subject:
: Yes, there are several black dyes that will briefly stain skin. : They're the ones used in food, frosting, candy, and Manic Panic. : These molecules are large and don't penetrate very deep into the : epidermal layer, (so the stains don't last long) but they're pretty : safe .... unless you're allergic to them. Allergies to food dyes are : increasingly common, but these dyes are generally accepted as mostly : harmless. : : Though they are food based acid dyes, "Acid black" isn't a : particularly helpful name .... I know of several types of acid black : dyes, some of which are quite toxic, so more specificity is required : here. FDA approved Black #10 is the sort of word you're looking for. : : : Difficulty is: the food dye molecules seem to be hydrophilic (water : soluble) and henna is a hydrophobic molecule(not particularly water : soluble), so the henna/food dye pastes separate something awful (just : how many times did you have to shake, shake, shake those colored henna : tubes and still never quite get the paste consistant??) : : And ... that stuff is MURDER to get out of anything it touches!!! : That's why I can't use it as a product. I don't remember the last : time I hennaed in an idiot-free zone ... so the colored paste is : almost guaranteed to cause a disater of one sort or another.
Optional link URL:
Link title:
Optional image URL: