Henna drawing of a bride.
When you do henna, you usually have several places to start. You can simply make a henna paste from the purchased powder. Some people may prefer to start from scratch, growing henna plants from seed. Growing your own plants means that you can make henna from leaves that you have collected and dried yourself. The second method is usually a safe way to get fresh, chemical-free henna powder, but the first method may be less of a hassle.
A mehndi artist applying mehndi. Mehndi is another term for henna. The art of henna is commonly known as “mehndi” in South Asian countries like India.
Those who wish to make henna from scratch, i.e. start by planting henna seeds, should note that henna plants generally need to be houseplants if the artist does not live in India; Very hot and humid climates are essential for the survival of henna plants. Once planted in the right conditions, plants often thrive without much help. All that is needed is three or four henna seeds placed in very rich, moist soil.
The henna should be mixed in a ceramic or wooden container.
Misting the soil daily and placing it in a warm room under a plastic greenhouse cone should provide good growing conditions. Greenhouse cones (clear plastic cones with a small hole at the top) can be used to keep heat and moisture in. When the henna plant has sprouted about three dozen large leaves, the henna artist can harvest about a third of them. Thick, large, dark green leaves usually work best when making henna powder.
Henna for temporary body art can be made from scratch or with store-bought powder.
To dry the henna leaves, simply place them between paper towels and place them in a warm, dry place for about three weeks. The leaves should be light green in color and very brittle when completely dry. The artist can then grind the leaves in a food processor, nut grinder, or with a mortar and pestle. If none are available, the artist can crumble them by hand and then crush the flakes into a fine powder with the tip of a wooden spoon. The powder should look like a mixture of flour and sand.
Henna leaves must be dried to make henna.
Lemon juice is the first ingredient used in homemade and commercial henna powders to make henna paste. Lavender and bergamot essential oils follow closely behind. The artist should mix the paste with a wooden or plastic spoon in a wooden or ceramic bowl, using enough lemon juice for the henna powder to form a thick, pliable paste. About 10 drops of lavender and bergamot oil not only help the henna smell good, but also help the lemon juice remove the henna ink, darkening the tattoos.
Once mixed, the henna paste should be covered with plastic wrap and allowed to sit for 12-24 hours. This resting time allows the henna powder to oxidize and create the traditional dark reddish orange tint for henna tattoos. After oxidation, the artist can apply henna to skin, hair, or even clothing to create natural henna art.