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Wednesday, October 20, 2010

Life of a Henna Tattoo: Good and Bad

I just finished a beginning henna workshop and what a GREAT class! I had an amazing group of women!

Two of the women in class are regular henna customers of mine and allowed me to demonstrate an important fact about henna color.  Two days before I gave both Stacy and Shanon henna tattoos.  Stacy didn't put any lotion on that day so I hennaed her without cleaning the area first.  I used witch hazel to clean Stacy's skin since she had lotion.

Stacy's henna was brilliantly dark and lovely.  Shanon's was rather lack-luster.  The exact same henna, the exact same day, and both designs done on the foot and ankle area.

I constantly tout that henna takes best on clean dry skin.  A quick cleaning can't remove all lotion since lotion seeps into the skin cells, but it's better than nothing.  Clean open cells allow a better bond with henna.  Think of your skin cells as a glass.  If part of the glass is filled with lotion (or water or anything else), not as much henna can fit in the glass.

For the best possible henna tattoo stain, you need clean dry skin!

Another thing brought up was how the henna tattoo stain on my hand was so dark.  The full answer to that is here http://shophenna.com/new_henna_tips.htm, but though my henna was very dark, it wasn't going to be a long lasting stain.  I only left my henna on for less than 2 hours, just long enough to do the design and finish a movie I was watching.

Henna paste still on the skin.
Henna stain just after paste removal (paste on less than 2 hours).
Henna stain the next morning.
Henna tattoo stain 3 days after paste removal.

Though I still got nice dark color from my henna it started fading MUCH quicker than normal.  By the 4th or 5th day the henna was starting to fade.  Granted I was also in the process of installing drywall and mudding and sanding the drywall.  This meant plenty of hand scrubbing through out the day. Typically I can expect at least a week of nice deep color from my henna.
Henna stain 7 days old after poor care and not leaving the paste on the skin very long.

The lesson from this?  Take good care of your henna for a lasting stain.  Leave it on for 4 hours or more and avoid any type of exfoliation.

Consider this your October henna reminder!

Happy hennaing!

Thursday, October 14, 2010

Karwa Chauth, Diwali, Eid-al-Adha Gift Shipping

Hey is that English?  Don't worry if those words are unfamiliar to you, I'll tell you about them!  Karwa Chauth, Diwali, Eid-al-Adha are Hindu and Muslim holidays coming up.

Karwa Chauth (October 26)
The Hindu custom of celebrating your god-sister and celebrating a good marriage.
Gifts of glass bangles, henna, and sweets are given to friends, sisters, daughter-in-laws, and wives.

Diwali (November 5)
The Hindu Festival of Lights celebrating the triumph of good over evil.
Glass bangles as gifts or to get for yourself are custom on this holiday.  Think of this as a giant New Year's Eve party!

Eid-al-Adha (November 16)
The Islamic Festival of Sacrifice, a day to give thanks for all that you have and share with those who do not.
This is a day for charity and spending time with friends and family.  It is custom to wear new clothes and bangles, and to have henna on your hands.

These holidays are closely followed by Jewish and Christian holidays, Hanukkah and Christmas in December.

'Tis the season for giving!

If you need to get gifts for these holidays you can find our
shipping schedule on our Specials page
.


Happy Karawali-eidmaskah!

Friday, October 8, 2010

Light Scarring from Henna Mixed with Chemicals

I had a customer come in a couple of days ago who had some light scarring from chemical laced henna she had gotten while on vacation, TEN MONTHS ago!  Though I called this light scarring, I don't think she considers the scarring light.
The henna that produced these scars 10 months after application was mixed with benzene, kerosene, or gasoline.

She said the henna had a painful burning sensation while it was on the skin.  It left a nice deep brown color even though she only left it on for a half hour or so because of the burning.

Henna should not burn.  It may feel a little itchy on the skin because as it dries it shrinks.  It may make your skin feel cold, but natural henna will NOT burn.

Henna should have a natural scent and you will likely smell the essential oils mixed in the henna.

  • It should NOT smell like chemicals.
  • It should NOT burn.
  • Any artist worth getting henna from, WILL be able to tell you the ingredients in their henna paste.

Be Smart!  Be Safe!

There aren't as may warnings or pictures of damage from henna with additives like benzene, kerosene, and gasoline as there are for black henna.  The real danger with these additives is that they are carcinogens (cancer causing and cancer spreading agents), and they build up in your blood stream and liver.  They don't just go away when your henna tattoo goes away.

The fact that they can leave a color similar to natural henna is tricky.  Look for tip-offs such as only needing to leave the henna on for a short period of time, really long lasting henna, or an artist being vague about the ingredients in their henna.

ONLY use safe natural henna!

Learn more about henna safety on my henna help site.

Tuesday, October 5, 2010

Hands On Henna Workshop October 16

Fall Simply Henna Workshop: Learn the art of Mehndi

Mehndi Class Henna 101:
An in depth introduction to the basics of henna tattoos. Everything you need to be comfortable and confident doing henna. A hands on "how to" henna class for henna beginners to intermediate henna artists. Taught by Jody of Beachcombers Bazaar.

The only thing you need to bring is yourself and a smile. A comprehensive henna kit is provided.

When: Saturday October 16, 2010
5:30 - 8:00pm (doors open at 5:00)
Where: Beachcombers Bazaar
2525 Edgewater Dr, Orlando, FL 32804

The workshop will cover...
  • Henna history & traditions
  • Different kinds of henna
  • Henna tattoo safety
  • How henna works (color & longevity)
  • Mixing henna basics
  • Try different application techniques
  • Henna art techniques
  • Includes complete henna workshop kit
  • and more!
Cost: ONLY $35 per person
Cost includes workshop and complete henna workshop kit (no substitutions for kit products). Additional product will be available for purchase after the workshop at discounted prices. Payment must be made before the workshop by Visa, MasterCard or cash.

Space is limited!  This workshop will sell out, so don't delay.

Sorry no coupons or discounts are accepted for workshop registrations. No refunds due to limited seating.

How To Register:
Questions? Email Jody

Friday, October 1, 2010

Karwa Chuth Indian Celebration

This traditional Indian holiday is a yearly celebration that honors husbands and god-sisters of Indian women.

The celebration has changed over the years, but I love the original meaning behind the holiday.  Karwa Chuth orginally celebrated the relationship between women bonded during a traditional male and female marriage ceremony.  Let me explain...

Many years ago before telephones, cars, and trains, when Indian women married, they went to live with their new husband and their in-laws.  This often meant leaving their friends and family far behind, leaving the girl without a confidant to talk to and help work out issues with her new family.  To ease this transition, during the marriage ceremony another bond was sanctified between the bride and another women who would become the bride's life long god-sister or god-friend.

The ceremony during the wedding bonds the women as sisters and best friends, giving the new bride a means to have someone close to confide her worries and hopes in privacy and confidence.  Karwa Chuth originally was a celebration of this relationship between women and the marriage that brought them together.  They would exchange gifts of food, glass bangles, henna, and bindi body stickers, and enjoy each other's company.  They would celbrate the marraige of the husband and wife as what brought the women together as god-sisters.

The bride's in-laws would also give her gifts (glass bangles being a must) on this day to celebrate the good fortune of having a kind and loving daughter-in-law, and to show how much they love her.

As the necessity of god-sisters has waned, the Karwa Chuth celebration has gravitated more towards celebrating the well-being, prosperity, and longevity of a woman's husband.  A day long fast, from sun up to sun down, and prayer accompany the tradition of gifts. 

The fast comes from the Story of Queen Veeravati who both accidentally cursed and revived her husband with the help of Goddess Parvati.

Karwa Chuth 2010 is October 26, so celebrate the special women in your life!

For much more information on the Karwa Chuth celebration visit the official website.

Be sure to get your bangles, bindi and henna today from the website, www.ShopBeachcombers.com.

Celebrate!
Jody