How To Make Henna Paste
by Ildiko Cziglenyi
Ingredients you will need:
- Finely-sifted henna powder (20 grams for a small batch)
- Strained fresh or bottled lemon juice (1/2 cup)
- White Sugar (5 Tb for a small batch)
- Pure Aromatherapy Grade Essential oils of any one or combination of Tea Tree, Cajaput, Ravensara, Eucalyptus Globulus, or Lavender (1 tsp)
Directions (for a small batch):
Day 1:
Remember to make henna the day or night before you want to use it.
Strain lemon juice (fresh or bottled) with a fine tea strainer or coffee filter, and set aside.
Next make the lemon-sugar solution in a jar. Use half of your strained lemon juice (approx 1/4 cup). Mix in sugar (approx 4 1/2 Tbs). Stir until dissolved. Set aside.
To make the henna paste, put into a bowl and mix 20 grams finely-sifted henna powder with up to *1/4 cup strained lemon juice, plus 1-1/2 tsp. white sugar solution until it is the
consistency of mashed potatoes. ( *You may not need the whole 1/4 cup of lemon juice, so save 1 Tb of it for later.) Cover bowl and find a warm place in your house, whether it is
on top of your fridge or nearby a heater, to set your henna. (I put my bowl right over where the pilot light is on my gas stove.) Let your paste sit overnight at 70 F.
* Note: Henna will release dye more quickly in hot weather. Over 90 F, your henna may be ready in 3-4 hours. If you live in a cooler environment, your henna paste needs to sit
overnight. The surface of henna paste turns slightly darker at dye release, whereby the henna’s skin-staining capability is activated. Henna that has achieved dye-release in a plastic
bag while sitting on a white paper towel can stain the paper orange right through the plastic!
Day 2:
In the morning, add 1 tsp of essential oils that are high in monoterpines (terps), as listed above in the ingredients, for every 20 grams of henna used. Mixing terps with your henna can
dramatically improve the darkness of the stain.
Make sure that the consistency of your paste is similar to toothpaste. If your paste is too thick, add a little more strained lemon juice, drop by drop until it is just right. This may
take a little practice to find the right consistency for you. Let mixture sit again for several hours before using.
Your paste should be good for 2-3 days, before it begins to demise, losing its potency. Therefore, make only what you will use right away or put into sealed container and store in
freezer for up to 3 months.
Click here to continue to: Henna Procedure & Aftercare
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