Hi, my lovely readers. Hope you are doing well. Today, I am going to tell you a little story that is quite scary but might be a learning lesson for all of you. About 3 months ago my cousin-sister got married. She was a huge henna enthusiast and decided to get the most spectacular design which went up to elbows. She did a lot of research and finally booked a henna artist whose Instagram feed was filled with stunning designs.
She was very excited and so were we. I also decided to get henna done on the back of my hands (as the artist was way too expensive). The day came, she got the henna done and so did I and a couple of my other cousins as well. You wouldn’t believe the next part. When the henna dried, we washed it off, our hands and arms started to itch badly.
We applied some oil but the irritation continued. Me and my cousins had gotten quite minimalist designs so we experienced only redness and itching. However, the bride had swollen hands and arms along with itching, redness and skin peeling on her big day. It was so worse that her bangles were not fitting her anymore. We all rushed to the dermatologist and she told us that we had quite a bad reaction to some chemical found in henna.
Since that day, I disliked even talking about henna. Needless to say, the bride had swollen hands on her big day which she definitely did not expect. However, after a couple of years, my desire to use henna became stronger again but the thought of getting it done professionally or purchasing premade henna cones still repelled me.
Hence, I discovered a way to make my own henna cones and it was a big hit. Before I begin to tell you how to create henna cones, let’s look at some of the major drawbacks of using chemical based premade henna cones:
Drawbacks of Pre-Made Henna Cones
- It contains harmful chemicals that can enter your blood stream. Your skin is the largest organ and anything you put on externally will enter your body. Hence, it is advised to only use good quality, natural henna.
- It can cause extreme swelling on your hands. If you have sensitive skin and certain allergies, henna can cause immense irritation.
- Skin peeling is one of the most common side effects of using poor-quality henna.
- Itching and redness are some of the most common side effects of using chemical-based premade henna cones.
- The stain will not last long. It will start to fade away on the second or third day.
- You might have an uneven stain color.
How to make your henna cones?
Making the best henna cones that are free from any harmful chemicals is possible. The process is easy, inexpensive, and cheap. Before getting started on the cones, I’ll share my favorite henna recipe that will make sure your stain is super dark and lasts longer.
Things You Will Need
- 1 pack of organic henna powder
- Coffee
- Water
- Essential oil of choice
- Lemon or lime juice
- A wooden or a plastic bowl
- A spoon
- Scissors and some cellophane wrap
- Rubber band
- Scotch tape
- Common Pins
Step 1: It’s time to make some coffee. Simply add two tablespoons of coffee to 1 cup of water and mix well. We need the coffee to be strong. Let the mixture cool.
Step 2: Take 1 pack of organic henna, add in the coffee mix to create a thick paste. The paste should have a yogurt-like consistency and shouldn’t be too runny. Mix it well
Step 3: Add 3 to 4 drops of lemon or lime juice along with 2 to 3 drops of essential oil and mix well.
Step 4: Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it sit overnight. Do not skip this step as this will ensure the darkest stain possible.
Step 5: In the morning, grab your cellophane wrap (you can use any other plastic wrap lying around, just make sure it’s thick) and cut it into a square.
Step 6: Fold it to create a cone. Do not leave any front opening at this point for the henna application as we will create it later.
Step 7: Start adding henna in the cone with the help of a spoon or a piping bag till the cone is filled 1/3rd way.
Step 8: Grab a rubber band and tie it around the upper end of the cone. Secure it further with the help of scotch tape.
Step 9: Insert the common pin at the applicator side to create a tiny opening and that’s it. Your cone is ready. Insert the common pin back after using it.
See, creating your very own henna cones isn’t as difficult as it seemed. The best part is you know exactly what is included in it and there is no chance of any skin reaction. Make sure to choose an organic henna powder.
Always read the ingredient list to make sure you are choosing a good quality henna powder otherwise it defeats the purpose of creating your cones. Moreover, these cones do not contain any preservatives so try to use them within two to three days and always keep them refrigerated.
Disclaimer: I am certainly not suggesting that every premade henna cone available in the market is bad. There are some great quality ones as well. Hence be careful with your choices.
How to Use Henna Cones?
- Wash your hands and arms and pat dry. Make sure there is no moisture on your skin before applying henna
- Take out the common pin and start applying henna. You can always make use of henna stencils if you are not comfortable with creating designs directly with your cone
- Let the henna dry completely
- Once tried, scrape it off. I won’t recommend using water at this point. Try not to wash your hands for 12 hours after application
- Wash it off in the morning and apply a good quality oil (almond, olive, etc.)
I hope you found this article helpful and it will prevent you from making the same mistake which I did.
