How To Use Henna

Henna is growing in popularity because it can make beautiful designs with artistic flare and meaning. You can choose to pay someone to apply your henna or you can use henna on your own. If you are going to use henna on your own, you will need to follow a few simple steps.

1. First, you must find out where to purchase your henna. Henna can be bought from a store shelf or you can order it through a supplier. Purchasing henna from a store shelf can be more convenient and low cost. However, it can also be cheap. What I mean is that you might get henna that is outdated and less potent than the henna purchased through a supplier.
2. Secondly, you need to know how to mix your henna. Henna is basically plant leaves that have been ground up into a powder. Before mixing your henna into a paste you must first get out any large particles in your henna powder. Getting rid of these large particles can be done by sifting the henna through something such as an old stocking or panty hose. It is possible to purchase henna that is such good quality it doesn't need to be sifted, but it will cost more.
3. After you have properly sifted your henna, you are ready to start the mixing. Now, there are a number of henna recipes out there. However, all you need to remember is that henna needs something sour and something sweet. For example, you can use lemon juice and little bit of honey and make a fine henna paste. However, you can also use vinegar instead of lemon juice or sugar instead of honey. The choice is yours.
4. Next, before you can apply your henna, you need to wait until the henna releases the dye. While you are waiting for your henna to release dye, you need to cover the henna with plastic. When the henna turns a brownish color on top, the dye has been released. You can tell this by scraping the top with a spoon to reveal a greener color under the top brown layer. This release will take longer on a cold day than a hot one.
5. Now that you have a dye release you can use henna. However, you may have to strain the henna again to remove lumps especially if you are going to use a syringe. There are a number of ways to apply henna but you must seal the henna overnight using hair gel and covering it with something also helps to keep the henna in place.