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How to Mix
Perfect Henna Paste
Process Discussion and Details
Art through Science
Everythign you need to know to mix the perfect henna paste
Mixing a high quality henna paste that stains something epic, that can do whatever you want it to do, and that once applied has a look worthy of professional-looking social media snaps is not at all about finding the perfect recipe or a secret ingredient that will suddenly take you from tragic to epic.
Mixing a high quality henna paste is a process; this means that understanding the ingredients is more important than measuring the ingredients and that knowledge of the variables that affect the mixing process and how to control and optimize them is what will get your paste to reach optimal degrees of perfection.
...and don't be hard on yourself. It takes practice, patience, and did I mention practice...?
TAKE ME
to the
QUICK TUTORIAL INSTEAD
The other important fact to internalize in order to mix the perfect batch of paste is that: it's not hard. It may take practice but it's not hard.
Once you understand the underlying principles of how henna works and what constitutes a high-quality paste, the way you think about tit will change and you will eventually get to the point where you will intuitively understand what to do to correct your paste if it falls short in one way or another.
While many websites across the internet that claim the existence of a secret ingredient, a secret recipe, or a "special trick," most all are nothing but click-bait. Once we have developed an understanding of the principles of the process of mixing your own henna paste you will be able to identify and further easy to debunk fake online science and false claims on your own and then figure out who to trust and who is merely marketing "snake oil."
First, there is no getting around the fact that high-quality ingredients are required to produce high-quality results. Understanding what constitutes quality when it comes to henna powder, essential oils and other items used to mix henna paste, however, will be the topic of another tutorial.
For now, it is sufficient to say that STAIN ORGANIC's Lead Product Development Engineer has spent years researching these matters from the differences in the genetics of different strains of the henna plant to how the natural chemistry of pure essential oils affects the final color of your design, to the biological factors of the human body that can affect a final stain outcome and so much more.
What you will need:
Our motivation in developing STAIN ORGANIC's henna product line was the idea that we could save people months, perhaps even years of time and hundreds if not thousands of dollars in costs that it takes to arrive at these
results via trial and error.
Our research is ongoing and we are always trying to make
our products even more epic!
Tell us what you think we can do to make our products better!
FAQs & Points Worth Knowing
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Henna powder yields paste in a mass-based ratio of approximately 1:3:
for every 100 grams of dry powder used approximately 300 grams of paste is produced;
-
300 grams of paste yields approximately
12 henna cones:
the standard size for a natural and/or organic henna cone sold by most suppliers in North America is 25 grams.
100 grams of henna powder will yield approximately
300 grams of henna paste which gives approximately
12 henna cones.
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Henna cones made using STAIN ORGANIC's Premium Rajasthani Henna Powder can be stored in the deep freezer for upwards of 6 months with little to no loss of quality or color.
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Henna cones can be stored in the fridge for several days, however cannot be stored in the refridgerator to preserve freshness long term.
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CAUTION!Henna cones should not be defrosted by placement into water! To preserve the quality of the paste, defrosting a henna cone should be done according to the method demonstrated in this video:
How to Mix Henna:
The Process
1
Setting a Basis
Select a Base Measurement of Henna Powder:
A base measurement serves to set the foundation of the mixing process. The key raw ingredient, henna powder, is always used as the base measure ingredient for any process.
STAIN ORGANIC's Premium Rajasthani Henna Powder comes from an entirely unique strain of henna plant (Lawsonia Inermis L.) that has been cultivated by the same family, in Sojat, Rajasthan, for generations. It possesses a very well developed phytochemistry (natural plant chemistry) that causes it to be ideal for body art. It's unique properties include:
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Staining Ability: the correct natural plant biochemical profile that is ideal for producing a long-lasting, deep set and robust stain that is bold in tones and dark in color;
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Robust Nature: its capacity for a resisting demise in varying conditions, from being able to outlast most any henna paste at room temperature or warm conditions to being able to withstand deep freezing for upwards of six months with little to no stain loss;
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Complex Phytochemisty: Phytochemistry is the natural chemistry that occurs within a plant. Experienced cultivators of the henna plant know which plant components contribute to desired qualities in terms of texture and staining ability. Cultivators save seeds from the best plants of the season and cross breed them the next season.
This tutorial uses 100 grams of STAIN ORGANIC Premium Rajasthani Henna Powder as the ingredient for the base measurement.
What you'll need:
100 grams
STAIN ORGANIC's Rajasthani Henna Powder
Set
Standard measuring
spoons
3 teaspoons
Raw Organic Cane Sugar
75 grams (Optional)
Organic Rajasthani Black Tea Leaves
Standard Kitchen Scale
As Needed
Freshly Squeezed Lemon Juice
Large
Metal Mixing Spoon
1 - 2 tablespoons
STAIN ORGANIC's
Essence, Essential Oil Blend
One
Large Glass Bowl
2
Measuring out your Base Ingredient
-
Calibrate Kitchen Scale: Place the glass bowl on the kitchen scale and turn the scale on, ensure the scale shows a reading of zero with the glass bowl sitting on it, you may have to press TARE or turn the powder off then on again in order to get a zero reading;
-
Measure out Henna Powder: Add STAIN ORGANIC's Rajasthani Henna Powder for Body Art into the bowl until the scale shows 100 grams.
3
Adding the Essentials
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Add Essential Oils: Using the measuring spoons add 1 - 2 tablespoons of STAIN ORGANIC's Essence Essential Oil Blend
NOTE: 1 tablespoon is equivalent to three teaspoons, therefore you can add between three and six teaspoons of essential oil. Individuals with highly sensitive skin should a quantity closer to the lower end of the range.
All essential oils
used and sold by
STAIN ORGANIC
are IFRA Certified
We require our suppliers to provide full Content of Analysis Reports, statements of IFRA compliance, Product Specifications and MSDS reporting along with any other relevant reporting with every single batch purchased as a condition of doing business with us.
Your safety is our priority!
3
Making the 'Dry Paste'
-
Add Lemon Juice: Slowly add lemon juice to the powder, little-by-little, stirring frequently. STOP this process when your paste has become entirely wet, i.e., no light spots of dry powder remain. The paste should be tough and seem almost sandy.
NOTE: Addition of tea is optional for best body art stain results use 100% lemon juice
-
Create a Lemon 'Bath': Break up your solid lump of paste into smaller pieces and add more of the lemon/tea mixture until your paste is sitting in a bath of liquid that covers less than one third of the paste.
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DON'T MIX IT!: Allow your 'dry paste' to sit in the liquid lemon bath without mixing so that your measured henna powder will absorb the amount of lemon juice that it needs to become soft, smooth, and evenly moistened.
NOTE: You can dd more or less lemon depending on atmospheric humidity, the shape of your bowl, etc. It is always safer to underestimate than to overestimate with measurements.
4
The Waiting Game Round 1
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Cover Your Henna Paste: Using plastic kitchen wrap cover the bowl containing the dry henna paste sitting in a lemon juice bath forming an air-tight seal. There is no need to place a layer of plastic wrap atop the surface of the paste as some suggest. Plastic wrap can leach unwated chemicals into your paste (especially in the presence of essential oils) and the purpose of this stage is to expose the paste to oxygen, not to create a barrier between the paste and the oxygen.
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Stash & Wait 24: Place your covered paste in a warm area away from heavy traffic and out of reach of pets or children. Let stand for 24 hours for dye release.
NOTE: During the 24-hour dye release period, check in on your henna paste and be sure to break up any existing large lumps with your large mixing spoon.
5
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After 24 Hours Mix!: After allowing your paste to sit for 24 hours, it should appear swollen and darker in color. Mix well until no lumps remain using an electric beater if necessary.
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The Perfect Paste: Add lemon juice and sugar slowly, little-by-little, testing your paste as you go along, until you achieve your perfect desired consistency.
Congratulations You've done it!
Enjoy your perfect henna paste and don't forget
to let us know how it turned out or
to contact us if you have any questions!
