How do I make safe black henna?

How do i make henna ?

• i want to know how to make safe henna , ive heard of black henna and how it's bad for the skin and can cause damage to it , so i don't want to know about that. can you please tell me the ingredients and instructions to making normal henna ? is there any way of making the henna black so it looks like a tattoo e.g. if i add black food colouring into the henna or something like that

• Answer:

  There is no safe way of making henna black, food coloring simply won't work because the dye molecules are too big to penetrate skin cells and any chemicals that can penetrate the skin cells risk being absorbed into your bloodstream (such as PPD in black henna). Henna is made from the shrub, Lawsonia inermis, which contains a reddish-brown dye molecule in it's leaves. To make henna paste, you need henna powder (henna leaves that have been ground), a slightly acidic liquid (lemon juice, coffee, or tea), sugar (keeps the henna from running and cracking), and an essential oil ( tea tree, lavender, or cajeput are the most popular). When buying henna powder make sure that it's just that, 100% henna (preferably body art quality). A lot of stores carry henna that's been modified to keep it (or at least look) fresh since henna has a short shelf life if not stored properly. 1. Spoon henna powder in a clear glass bowl (you want to use a glass bowl because it's non-porous and won't be tarnished unlike metal bowls). 2. Slowly add small amounts of acidic liquid to the henna powder. Use a spoon to mix thoroughly. 3. When all of the henna powder has been moistened, it will be a very thick paste. Spread it out in the bowl. 4. Cover bowl with cling wrap and set in a dark, warm spot (NOT in the sun and NOT directly on a heat source) 5. Leave the bowl for 6-12 hours, until you can see dye release on the surface of the thick henna paste (compare with unexposed henna paste at bottom of bowl if you aren't sure). When it's ready, stir it up with a spoon. 7. Optional: Add a few drops of essential oil. 8. Mix in the sugar. 9. The final consistency should be like toothpaste or yogurt. If needed, carefully add small amounts of acidic liquid and blend thoroughly. 10. Let your mixed paste sit for an hour or two before using. Or you can put it immediately into the freezer. (Fresh henna paste will demise rapidly if left unfrozen.)