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September 10th - Fundraiser to help Pakistani flood victims.
Click here for more information!
<noframe> <style> <!-- .henna_img { border-width: 1px; border-color: #000000; } .henna_img:hover { border-width: 1px; border-color: #ddaa44; } --!> </style> <table width="100%" align="center" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tr> <td> <table width="100%" align="center" cellspacing="30" cellpadding="0"> <tr> <td valign="top" width="50%"> <p class="inner_text"> <a href="img/henna1.big.jpg" target="_new"><img src="img/henna1.jpg" width="130" border="1" class="henna_img" style="float: left; margin: 0 14px 6px 0;" /></a> Henna—also called Mehndi, Hina, or Bapar—is the ancient art of painting the body with paste made from the powdered leaves of the henna plant. The tradition streches back thousands of years in India, the Middle East, and North Africa. Originally, the practice was thought to have started due to the plant's natural cooling tendencies. Then, as humans are naturally artistic creatures, methods were found of applying the henna to create designs. </p> <p class="inner_text"> <a href="img/henna2.big.jpg" target="_new"><img src="img/henna2.jpg" width="130" border="1" class="henna_img" style="float: right; margin: 0 0 6px 14px;" /></a> The henna plant, Lawsonia inermis, produces Lawsone, which is a burgundy/red dye molecule. It is this molecule that binds with the proteins in your skin (or hair, fingernails, leather, silk and wool) and stains.</p> <p class="inner_text">The natural oxidation process takes approximately three days to complete, so the henna design will start off orange and then darken into a rich reddish brown. Different areas of your skin will respond to the henna in different ways. </p> <p class="inner_text"> Typically, the henna stains darkest on your palms and the bottoms of your feet, then the tops of your hands and feet. You will get a good stain on the arms and legs as well. On most people, the torso stains lightly, and the stain lasts a much shorter time. Henna does not stain above the neck. </p> </td> <td valign="top" width="50%"> <p class="inner_text"> <a href="img/henna3.big.jpg" target="_new"><img src="img/henna3.jpg" width="140" border="1" class="henna_img" style="float: right; margin: 0 0 6px 14px;" /></a> The stain is permanent, but your skin is not! As your skin exfoliates, it takes the stain with it, and gradually your design fades naturally away. </p> <p class="inner_text"> Henna is applied to the skin as a thick paste which will be wet to the touch for about an hour. To work well, it needs to remain on the skin for at least 4-6 hours. The longer you keep the henna paste on the skin, the darker the stain will be. </p> <p class="inner_text" style="clear: both;">Eventually it will begin to flake off and whatever parts remain can be picked or scraped off. It is advisable not to get the design wet for at least 12 hours, as the Lawsone molecules are still working their magic! </p> <p class="inner_text"> After this initial care, it is important not to scrub at your design, use lotions that contain antioxidants, or go into pools or hot-tubs, as these actions speed up the exfoliation process. You can shave over your design, but don't scrub! </p> <p class="inner_text">With a little consideration, your design will last between one to two weeks of a good color, and one to two weeks of fading color. </p> <p class="inner_text"> One more quick note: Henna is <span class="inner_text inner_em">ALWAYS</span> brown, or some variation of brown. Henna is <span class="inner_text inner_em">NEVER BLACK</span>. "Black henna" is usually PPD, or para-phenylenediamine, which is often used in black hair dye. It should never be concentrated and applied to the skin. For more information on Black Henna, visit <a href="http://www.hennapage.com/henna/ppd/index.html" class="inner_link" target="_new">The Henna Page: Black Henna</a>. </p> </td> </tr> </table> </td> </tr> </table> </noframe>
Copyright © 2010 by Antoinette Hippe
