You should read this whole section through before starting.

You need to make your henna paste a day or two before you use it to allow time for the dye release, but henna paste can be stored in the fridge or freezer for later use.

The acidic henna mix can react with and tarnish some metals, so only use plastic, glass or ceramic bowls and a plastic spoon.

An alternative to a bowl and spoon is to mix the ingredients in a snap-lock bag by kneading it, which contains the mess and helps to protect the henna from the air (see Dye Release).

MIXING YOUR HENNA

The ideal proportions of each of the ingredients varies according to the weather and various characteristics of the ingredients themselves. I will give suggested measurements but you may need to adjust it for each batch to get the right consistency and potency. 10g of henna powder should make enough paste for 10 to 15 palm-sized designs.

• Place about 10g of henna powder into a snap-lock bag or non-metal bowl.
• Gradually knead or stir enough lemon juice (about 20ml)* into the henna powder to make a paste as thick as mashed potatoes.
• Make sure it is completely mixed and lump free.

 * The amount of juice or liquid needed can vary depending on the batch. Just add a little at a time and keep stirring. It’s better to have it too thick than too runny at this stage, as you can easily thin it later.

• Add the sugar (about ¼ teaspoon)
• Add Cajaput or Lavender essential oil (1 to 2ml)
• Mix thoroughly until smooth and silky
• If you mixed it in a bowl, cover the paste with cling-wrap, with the cling-wrap right on the paste with no air pockets. Alternatively, transfer it now to a snap-lock bag, expel the air & seal it.
• If you mixed (or put) it inside a snap-lock bag, place the bag of paste on top of a piece of white paper or tissue, then (ideally) place the bag of paste and the paper/tissue inside an air-tight jar.
• Wait for dye release

DYE RELEASE

How long dye release takes depends on your ingredients and the weather. The colder it is, the longer it will take. On a hot day it may be less than 2 hours. If it’s very cold it could take 2 days. If you want to delay the dye release you can put the paste in the fridge. A less acidic paste (eg. diluted juice) will also release dye slower. If you want it to happen quicker, leave it in a warm place, but over 30°C will spoil it.

After the dye is released it starts to combine with oxygen which reduces it from binding to the keratin in your skin – resulting in a poor stain. If you are not going to use your henna paste as soon as dye release occurs, you will need to slow oxidization. For this reason it is ideal to mix or at least rest your paste in a snap-lock bag (without air) inside a small air-tight jar.

How to tell when dye release has occurred:

• If your henna is in a snap-lock bag released dye molecules will pass through the plastic to stain the paper faintly orange.

• If your henna is in a bowl the paste surface will turn brownish. This is the dye oxidizing. You can check the difference in the colour from the green paste underneath with your spoon.

CHECK IT’S READY

If it’s too runny it won’t hold together and your designs will bleed/run. If it’s too thick or lumpy it won’t flow out of the applicator.

• It should be smooth and creamy like yogurt or soft toothpaste.
• You can test the consistency by drawing a line with it on the back of your hand. It should stay as you drew it and not flatten out or run.
• Leave it on your skin for 1 minute, then wipe it off. If it leaves a bright orange stain, it is ready. If not, leave it a few more hours.
• Add a little more lemon juice if required. If it’s too thin, add powder. If you add more than a pinch of powder you should let it rest for another few hours.
• If it’s lumpy you can strain it through a stocking, but you shouldn’t need to with the finely sifted Jamila powder, if you’ve mixed it well.

If you need/want to strain it through a stocking, spoon the paste into the toe of the stocking. Put the henna-filled toe into a large snap-lock bag; hold the bag tight in your fist above the henna and pull hard on the top of the stocking, squeezing the paste through the stocking into the bag.

PREPARING TO APPLY YOUR HENNA

Wearing disposable gloves is recommended.

It’s easiest to fill your applicator bottle or cones from a snap-lock bag, so if your paste is in a bowl spoon it into one of these. Cut corner of the snap-lock bag and fold the top down to squeeze the henna into your cone or bottle.

Skweezie Bottles:

Applicator bottles are easy to use when full but its gets harder to squeeze the henna out as it empties, so it’s good if you can top it up after a while.

While filling, tap the bottle down on the table several times to settle the henna to the bottom and force out air bubbles. Fill it right to the top.

Cone:

Hand-rolled cellophane cones are a bit more fiddly to prepare but can be easier to use.

First you’ll need to make your cones:  The middle of the longest side will be the point of the cone. Hold it down with your finger while you roll one corner to form a funnel. When it’s all rolled up you can adjust it to make the hole as small as you like. Use sticky-tape to secure it, especially around the tip.

To fill: Make sure the inside is fully open. Squeeze the paste into the centre of the cone, trying to keep the sides clean. Fill from half to two-thirds full. Pinch and twist closed the open ‘tail’ to tightly seal it. Wrap a rubber band around the twisted end and roll it down to the henna. After using some henna, you will slide the rubber band down to keep the pressure full in the cone.

APPLYING YOUR HENNA

Apply the henna paste to clean, lotion-free skin.  The dye penetrates warm skin better. A warm wet towel can be used to warm and open the pores if necessary.

To form smooth, consistent lines, hold the applicator tip just above the skin like piping icing. Squeeze gently and work slowly. Keep a tissue on hand for wiping the tip of the applicator, and a pin for clearing blockages.

The henna begins to stain immediately so if you make a mistake wipe it off right away. Damp cotton buds are good for fixing smudges.

You can draw the design on the skin with a water-based pencil first, then trace over it with the henna.

When you are finished, you can embellish your design with a sprinkling of cosmetic glitter, to add sparkle and colour while the paste remains on the skin. It must be applied while the henna is still wet.

 AFTER CARE

While the paste is wet, care needs to be taken to not smear the design. A fan heater or hair-dryer can be used to quicken the drying time while keeping the tattooed area warm.

Once it’s dry you can spray your finished design with a sugar and lemon juice mixture to help the fragile paste stick to the skin even longer, for a darker stain.

• Dissolve about 1 tablespoons of sugar in 3 tbsp (60ml) of warm water.
• Add 1 tbsp (20ml) of lemon juice
• Pour it into a spray bottle and shake well
• Lightly mist the paste with the juice mix, holding the spray bottle about 15cm away.

Just be aware that the sugary juice can attract flies or bees, so it may not always be appropriate. An alternative to the sugary-juice seal, is to gently wrap the dried henna design with tissue and cling-wrap, which keeps the area warm and slightly moist.

Leaving the henna paste on as long as possible (overnight is ideal) and keeping it warm will give a darker, longer-lasting tattoo. If you want to remove the paste before it falls off itself, it’s better to gently scrap it off, than wash it off. Or you can gently rub it off with a paper towel and vegetable oil or lemon juice.

Try not to wash the tattooed area for at least 4 hours, and avoid getting it wet for the first 24 hours if possible.

You can rub some vegetable oil into the tattooed skin before bathing or swimming to protect it from water. Don’t use baby oil or Vaseline!

When you first remove the henna paste the stain will be an orange-yellow colour but will darken over the next 2 days.

Other factors that influence the darkness of the tattoo are the person’s individual body chemistry and the area of body tattooed.

The tattoo will gradually disappear as your skin exfoliates. It can last up to 3 weeks on hands and feet, but only 3 to 10 days on arms, chest and back. Frequent washing or rubbing, shaving and products such as soap, sunscreen, baby oil and chlorine will cause it to fade quicker.

Left-over henna paste will keep for a few days in the fridge, gradually losing its potency. If wrapped well to seal out light, moisture and air, it can be frozen for several months. To use it again, let it defrost for an hour at room temperature.