Pagans of Etsy Street Team

here are my directions for preparation & application of powdered henna.
there are many others out there, but this is how i do it:

1. Add lemon juice to henna powder & stir in little by little until mix is the consistency of creamy mashed potatoes.

2. Let henna/lemon mixture sit in covered container in a warm place for about 8 to 12 hours.

3. Bring to a boil 1.5c filtered water,1 tbs coffee grounds, loose black tea and sugar.

4. Cover & simmer for .5 hr. .

5. Strain & let rest while the henna and lemon juice is developing.

6. Re warm tea brew to bath water temperature.

7. Slowly add strained tea to the henna and lemon , stirring very well to blend.

8. Add tea tree, eucalyptus or clove essential oil (.25 tsp) to the henna paste and stir.

9. Add more lemon juice if the mixture is too thin.

10. Cover paste and let sit for 6-12hrs allowing the henna dye to release.

11. Can be kept for one week in airtight container in fridge, six months in the freezer.
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Fixative
1. 1.5c sugar, .5c lemon juice & some cloves
2. Heat on stove top
3. Stores indefinitely in refrigerator.
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Application
1. Put paste into a baggy & cut a hole in corner tip and squeeze gently.
2. Paint desired henna pattern onto clean (free of oils or lotions) dry, healthy skin.
3. Let henna design dry until paste line has changed from shiny to dull or matte.
4. Dab a bit of lemon sugar syrup on dried henna areas using cotton balls.
5. Let the sugar coating dry. It will form a protective crust so that it can dye the skin.
6. Leave on for 4-12 hours. For the darkest stain try to sleep over night with it on.
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Finishing
1. Scrape (do NOT wash) the henna paste and sugar off the skin.
2. Rub olive oil on before exposure to water for the next few days.
3. To prolong design avoid chlorinated pools, hot tubs & anything with mineral oils.