Monday, August 18, 2008

fake "black henna"

alright everyone, here's the deal:: if you are gonna put something on your body, especially in quantities, DO SOME RESEARCH.
henna is a reddish or brownish stain on the skin (depending on skin tone), and starts out as a green-gray powder, that is made into a green-gray paste (that usually smells like various oils).

henna is NEVER black.

it NEVER dries uber-quick.

it ALWAYS starts fading withing a few days; it NEVER lasts a long time (it is a stain, it will start to fade as soon as the skin starts to exfoliate).

the intensity of the color and how long it lasts will depend on where on the body it is applied; palms of the hands and soles of the feet (callused, thick skin) will be darkest, but will start fading soonest. nails will be orange until they grow out. hair will be colored until it grows out. using exfoliating soaps or scrubs will cause it to fade faster.

yes, this tirade has a purpose. just read this article
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26080350/
titled "Henna Hazard: Chemical causes ornate allergies"

there's a ugly, yet strangely nifty pic of a girl's hands, with flower and vine pattern blisters.

please, think about what you put on your body!!!!! henna is a wonderful art form, and a wonderful tradition.......use it mindfully, not as some nifty thing to get to show off to your friends that you were on vacation. they make t-shirts for that.

for more info, try
http://www.hennapage.com/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mehndi
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henna
http://www.hennadancer.com/

1 comment:

Erin Wallace said...

I've read through your blog - what you do is really interesting! I'm sure there are medieval reinactors that would really dig your blog. And I'd love to see some of the objects you've created.

I have diagnosed fibromyalgia. The Cymbalta that they advertise isn't all that. It has LOTS of bad side effects. My sunt passed out while driving. My mom's BP went severealy low. The most important thing about fibro management is to stay as healthy as possible low amounts of processed foods, get some exercise, and drink lots of water. B vitamen complex is supposed to help, but it hurts my stomach. Hope that little bit helps.