How do I mix powdered henna?
Henna is a very personal thing and what works great for one person may not work well for someone else.  There is no right or wrong, and there are no exact measurements.  Experiment with your henna recipe to find what works best for you.  Here are a couple of henna mixing recipes to get you started...

See our New Tips & Tricks Page for new advanced henna mix recipes!

Beachcombers! Super Easy Basic Mix
This mix leaves a good color and is super easy.

Ingredients Needed:

Powdered Henna
Lemon Juice (or Distilled Water, Coffee, or Black Tea can be substituted)
Mehndi Oil
Henna Applicator (professional applicator, Moroccan syringe applicator, or empty cones)

Mix powdered henna with lemon juice (bottled juice is fine) a little at a time until your paste is the consistency of baking soda toothpaste.  Mix thoroughly to remove any lumps.  It should be thin enough be able to be pushed through the opening of your applicator, but not so thin that it is runny.

Allow the mixed henna to sit in a warm place away from sunlight for a minimum of 2 hours or as long as overnight.  This allows for the henna to release its dye.  If you use the henna right away the henna dye will not be released and it will not leave a stain.  Once the henna is ready, add more lemon juice or mehndi oil, if needed, for desired consistency and transfer henna to your chosen applicator. Your henna is now ready for use.


Beachcombers! Favorite Henna Recipe
Easy Mix for Darker Color
This mix leaves a nice dark color and has a wonderful texture making it easy to work with.

Ingredients Needed:

Powdered Henna
Table Sugar
Lemon Juice
Mehndi Oil or Lavender Oil
Henna Applicator (professional applicator, Moroccan syringe applicator, or empty cones)

Mix, approximately, one part table sugar to 3 or 4 parts henna powder.  Warm the lemon juice on the stove. As an alternative, you can add the sugar into your lemon juice instead of directly to your henna powder.  This way you can also make a lemon sugar mixture to use as a sealant later.

Add the warmed lemon juice (or lemon sugar mixture) to your powdered henna a little at a time.  Mix thoroughly to remove any lumps. Your paste should be a bit thicker than you need to actually use, like thick mashed potatoes.  Cover with plastic wrap, pushing the plastic wrap down so that it comes into direct contact with the henna paste, and allow the henna to sit in a warm place away from sunlight for 3-12 hours.  If you use the henna right away the henna dye will not be released and it will not leave a stain.

After the henna dye has been released, mix in *aromatherapy grade lavender oil or mehndi oil a few drops at a time until henna is the desired consistency.  You may need to add a bit more lemon juice to get to the consistency you like. Let the mixed henna sit for at least an hour before transferring to your applicator for use.

Substitution Ideas

• Lemon juice can be substituted for any slightly acidic liquid such as grapefruit juice, wine, vinegar, or ginger ale.
• Table sugar can be substituted with dextrose, fructose, corn syrup, or honey.
• Mehndi oil and lavender oil can be substituted with other oils or mixtures of oils such as tea tree, cajeput, frankincense, or geranium oil.  Make sure all oils are *aromatherapy grade.  Tea tree oil helps bring out the best color, but doesn't smell very nice.  If you want to use tea tree oil, I suggest mixing it with geranium or lavender oil.

*Aromatherapy grade oil is the highest quality in oils.  Do not use cheap substitutes that may be mixed with chemicals.  Poor quality oils can result in a poor henna stain and can be dangerous.

Keep any unused henna refrigerated.  For long term storage put it in an airtight container and freeze it.

Additional, advanced henna recipes can be found on our
New Henna Tips & Tricks page.

Tips to make your design last longer.

Henna Storage (keeping your henna fresh)
Improperly stored henna will lose it's ability to stain the skin.  Contact with air, heat, and humidity can degrade the dying process resulting and a poor stain or no stain at all.  There is nothing worse for a henna artist, than to spend her time on a beautiful design only to have little or no stain left.

We store our henna cooled to provide you with the freshest possible product.

Unopened Henna
Henna that is still sealed should be stored in a cool dry place away from light.  The refrigerator is fine, but not necessary.  For long term storage (3 months or more) I suggest tightly wrapping the henna and freezing it.

Opened Henna
Once henna has been opened (both powder and pre-mixed) and exposed to air, it should be stored properly or it will lose it's staining abilities quickly.  If you plan to use your henna in a week or so, store it in the refrigerator.  An opaque container (Tupperware or such) is ideal to protect the henna from light and excessive humidity.   I have used henna from the refrigerator after 3 weeks and still had a good stain, but it is very risky to wait that long.  I suggest freezing any henna that will not be used within a week or so.

For longer storage, wrap henna tightly and store in the freezer.  This will keep henna fresh indefinitely.  I suggest freezing henna paste in individual "servings" so you only thaw as much henna as you need.  I like to freeze my henna in carrot bags, as it makes it easy to mix the henna after it has thawed and easy to fill cones or applicator bottles.

If you use applicator bottles with removable tips, be sure to remove the tips and wash them before storing your henna.  You can ruin your tips by storing them away dirty.

Thawing Frozen Henna
Thawing time will depend on how much henna has been frozen. You can estimate 2-6 hours for thawing time.  Be sure that your henna is room temperature before using or you will not get a good stain.  Do not heat your henna in any way to thaw it.

You can refreeze your henna without ill effects.

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Henna Tattoo Sealer and Wrap Information
The longevity and color of your henna tattoo depends on many different factors, the most prevalent being the amount of time the moist henna is in contact with your skin. If you apply your henna design, let it dry naturally and then scrape it off, you will get color; but for great color, you need to keep the henna moist and in contact with your skin longer than an hour or two. This is where a henna sealer comes into play.

To use a henna sealer, you should apply your henna design normally. Once the henna is set (meaning you can touch it) but BEFORE the henna is completely dry you can apply your henna sealer of choice.

Here are a variety of sealers you can try...

Lemon Sugar Sealer:

The lemon sugar henna sealer is all natural, inexpensive, and does a fantastic job. It is my henna sealer of choice when practical, but I tend to use other sealers more often. It is a heavy sealer, so you need to be extra careful if your henna design has fine delicate lines. It can also attract bugs if you are using lemon sugar sealant outside.

Mix together approximately 1 part sugar and 2 or 3 parts lemon juice.  This can be heated on the stove for easier mixing.  

Before your henna is completely dry, CAREFULLY apply mixture over top of the design (be sure you apply a very thin layer, you don’t want it to run) with a cotton ball. Apply heat every so often with a hair drier or a candle to help release the henna dye for better color. Be VERY careful, do not burn yourself.  This additional heat is a big help to bring out the best color.

Leave henna and sealer on for at least 4 hours to overnight. When you are ready, gently scrape dried henna off. Do NOT wash off with soap or it will lighten your design. After all henna has been removed, you can gently rub henna oil or olive oil over the design to remove the lemon sugar residue.

Avoid washing your henna tattoo with soap for a day.

Super Easy Spray Bandage Sealer:

Spray bandage makes a terrific henna sealer. It doesn’t make a mess and best of all there is no running of your henna, so you get a nice crisp henna tattoo. It also does not mess up fine delicate henna designs like other sealers can and is great for large areas. It does have chemicals in it so be sure to check for allergies and is more expensive than other sealers.

After your henna design has set, but before it is completely dry apply spray bandage. Hold spray bandage 4-6″ away from your henna design and spray a light layer. Wait a few minutes or use a hair dryer to dry the sealer and spray another layer. Repeat if needed. As with all sealers, adding heat in intervals can help release the dye in the henna.

      
This henna design used one coat of spray bandage sealer.
Notice the henna tattoo is nice and crisp.

Hair Gel as a Henna Sealer:

Extra hard hold hair gel can be a nice henna sealer. If you get it in a spray pump it works well with large henna designs. Hair gel sealant is inexpensive and does a good job. Like lemon sugar sealant, hair gel can make your henna design run if it is too runny or you apply a thick layer. Take care to apply a very thin layer.

Not all hair gels will work. Choose a hair gel that is extra hard hold and that does not contain glycerin. Glycerin will make the hair gel stay tacky and not dry completely.

Before henna is completely dry, CAREFULLY apply mixture over top of the design (be sure you apply a thin layer, you don’t want it to run) with a cotton ball. Apply heat every so often with a hair drier or a candle to help release the henna dye for better color. Be VERY careful, do not burn yourself.

Apply another layer of hair gel sealant if needed.


Henna Wrapping Techniques

This technique makes use of your body heat to release the henna dye properties and can yield amazingly good results. You know all the pictures you’ve seen of super dark henna tattoos? Those henna designs used good fresh mixed powder henna, with a sealer, and wrapped the henna design.

This design used the Beachcombers! Favorite henna recipe with both lavender oil
and tee tree oil, a lemon sugar sealer, and was wrapped in saran wrap and tissue.

After you have a nicely sealed henna design, you can further enhance your henna tattoo color by wrapping your design. To wrap a henna design, first make sure the sealer is completely dry. You may want to consider two or three thin layers of sealer.

Wrap tissue paper, bathroom paper, or nonstick medical paper/tape around your henna design. This is to absorb any sweat or excess moisture that may make your henna design run.

After wrapping in paper, wrap the henna design with an ace bandage, plastic wrap, or a large glove or sock. This will trap your body heat in and keep the henna warm and moist -the perfect conditions for optimal henna tattoo stains.  The plastic wrap will yield the best results, as it traps more heat in.

This should help you get the best possible henna tattoo stain. Check out our trouble shooting guide for additional help.
 

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More Henna Tips

Tips to make your henna design last longer...

• Use a henna sealer such as spray bandage or lemon sugar sealant and keep henna on overnight.
• Chlorinated water (pools, spas) will fade henna very quickly (this includes tap water which often has high levels of chlorine) so stay away from these to avoid fading your henna design.
• Wear gloves when your hands come in contact with chemicals (when cleaning especially).
• Use gentle soap when washing hands (stay away from any type of exfoliating soaps).
• Wear rubber gloves when washing your hair.
• Apply henna oil over your design before showering.

Lemon Sugar After-application Sealer Recipe
This will help get the darkest color and a long lasting design:

• Mix together approximately 1 part sugar and 2 or 3 parts lemon juice.  This can be heated on the stove for easier mixing.
• Before henna is completely dry, CAREFULLY apply a THIN layer of mixture over top of the design (be sure you apply a thin layer, you don't want it to run) with a cotton ball.  Apply lemon sugar as often as you'd like (I prefer 2-3 thin applications).
• Apply heat every so often with a hair drier or a candle to help release the henna dye for better color.  Be VERY careful, do not burn yourself.
• Leave henna and sealer on for at least 4 hours (best to leave on overnight). Gently scrape dried henna off.  Do NOT wash off with soap and water or it will lighten your design.
• After all henna has been removed, you can gently remove the lemon/sugar mixture by gently rubbing henna oil, olive oil, or lemon juice over the design. Do not use baby oil or any other petroleum-bases products.
• Avoid water on your tattoo for as long as possible.
• Avoid washing your henna tattoo with soap for 24 hours.

Super Easy Spray Bandage Sealer
Spray bandage makes a terrific henna sealer.  It doesn't make a mess and best of all there is no running of your henna, so you get a nice crisp henna tattoo.

• After your henna design has set, but before it is completely dry apply spray bandage. 
• Hold spray bandage 4-6" away from your henna design and spray a light layer. 
• Wait a few minutes and spray another layer.  Repeat if needed.
• OPTIONAL:  Apply heat every so often with a hair drier or a candle to help release the henna dye for better color.  Be VERY careful, do not burn yourself.
• Leave henna and sealer on for at least 4 hours (best to leave on overnight). Gently scrape dried henna off.  Do NOT wash off with soap and water or it will lighten your henna design.
• After all henna has been removed, you can gently remove the spray bandage sealer by gently rubbing henna oil or olive oil over the design. Do not use baby oil or any other petroleum-bases products.
• Avoid water on your tattoo for as long as possible.
• Avoid washing your henna tattoo with soap for 24 hours.

This henna design used one coat of spray bandage sealer. Notice the henna tattoo is nice and crisp.

What Kind of Henna Applicator Bottle is Right for Me?
Beachcombers! offers a large selection of henna applicators for henna tattoo art.  With so many to choose from it can be confusing, but we're here to help! 

We have two basic kinds of henna applicator bottles available, Moroccan Applicator Bottles (both basic syringe tip applicators and professional stainless steel syringe tip applicators) and Professional Jacquard Bottles (also known as jaq bottles or jac bottles).


Moroccan Applicator Bottles
These are fantastic & versatile henna applicators and are great for both henna beginners and professional henna artists.  They allow for excellent control and it's super easy to swap out tips on the fly.  These bottles use special syringe caps that allow the blunt syringe tips* to be easily screwed on. 

Best of all, Moroccan Applicator Bottles are available in both 1/2 oz and 1 oz sizes, and both of our Moroccan blunt syringe tips work with both size squeeze bottles. 

There are two different styles of blunt syringe tips that work with these applicator bottles:  Standard Syringe Tips and Professional Syringe Tips.

Standard Syringe Tips - These are perfect for beginners and inexpensive.  Our Moroccan Essential Syringe Tips have a plastic base and stainless steel tip.  They are very inexpensive so they allow you to experiment with this style of applicator before purchasing the professional stainless steel tips. 
There are 5 gauge sizes to choose from: 19,18,17,16, & 14 -smallest size to largest size.

Professional Syringe Tips - My favorite!  These are precision machined stainless steel tips that are polished on the inside for extra smooth flow.  These are lifetime tips designed for professional henna artists (though they are wonderful for beginners).  These heavy duty tips will last nearly forever if you keep them clean and treat them well. 
There are 5 gauge sizes to choose from: 20,19,18,16, & 14 -smallest size to largest size.
The 20 gauge tip is the smallest available henna tip and will take practice.

Professional Jacquard Bottles (Jaq Bottles)
Jaq bottles are common among henna artists and work beautifully for both professionals and beginners.  Jaq bottles are 1/2 oz squeeze bottles with precision machined stainless steel tips.  Like the Professional Moroccan Stainless Steel Tips, these are lifetime tips.  Jaq applicators cannot be interchanged with Moroccan Bottles or Tips and are only available in the 1/2 oz sized bottle.
There are three sizes to choose from:  .05mm, .07mm, and .09mm.


The applicator you choose is largely a matter of personal preference since all do the same basic job of applying henna to the skin.  For beginners, I recommend the Moroccan Applicator Bottles with the Essential Syringe Tips.  These will give you the versatility to try both the 1/2 oz henna applicator and the 1 oz henna applicator.  If you decide to upgrade, the Professional Stainless Steel Tips will work with Moroccan bottles you already have.

If you still have questions, feel free to email me or to phone our toll-free line.  I'm always happy to help.


*Moroccan syringe tips are blunt syringes and are NOT used to pierce the skin. They are used for applying henna on TOP of the skin.



Henna Applicator Bottle Tips

• The 1/2 oz bottle holds one cone or tube of pre-mixed Beachcombers! henna.
• The 1 oz henna applicator bottle holds approximately 1-2 cones or tubes of pre-mixed Beachcombers! henna and is great if you use larger amounts of henna or are applying henna to a number of people.
• The 1/2 oz bottle is ideal for using henna on a small amount of people. Consider getting extra bottles if you mix your own henna or you need to henna a large number of people.
• The 1 oz bottle is ideal for storing your mixed henna. Consider getting extra bottles if you mix your own henna.
• Be sure to keep the applicator full of henna. As the applicator empties, it become harder to squeeze.

Filling Henna Applicator Bottles
Filling professional metal tip applicator bottles and Moroccan syringe tip applicators can be simple. 

• For henna powder that you mixed:
  Put henna paste into one corner of a carrot bag (cake decorating bag) or sandwich baggie and cut the tip.  Squeeze henna into applicator bottle.
• For instant henna paste from a tube:
  Apply longest applicator tip and squeeze henna into bottle.
• Tap bottle often on a hard surface to settle henna and work out air bubbles as you fill.  Be sure to fill the applicator bottle completely.  If there is an air bubble or  the bottle is only partially filled it is much more difficult to squeeze.

NOTE: Remember to remove the nip from the professional Jacquard Bottles to expose the bigger opening in the bottle.  These tips can be tight.

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How To Strain Your Henna Paste
Say good-bye to clogged applicator tips.  Straining your henna will give you the silkiest smooth henna you have ever used!  Best of all this method is mess free!

Due to request, we've created a kit that contains everything you need to strain your henna.

You will need:

• your mixed henna (either pre-mixed or the henna you mixed from powder)
• a knee high nylon stocking or panty hose
  (without reinforced toes)
• a strong carrot bag (for cake decorating)
• a cup (I like to use a large mouth coffee mug)

1.  Cut a small opening in the tip of the carrot bag (to release air).

2.  Place the carrot bag tip down inside your cup, folding the top of the bag over the mouth of the cup so that the carrot bag is acting as a liner for the cup.

3.  Stretch the stocking over the mouth of the cup (like a drum) so that the toe is over the cup.  You can use a rubber band to hold it in place if you need to.   If this is the first time you've used the stocking, you will want to
pre-stretch the stocking or it will be very difficult to push the henna through.  Do some serious stretching to the stocking if it's your first time using it!

4.  Carefully glop your mixed henna on the top of the stocking.

5.  Carefully remove the stocking from the cup, letting the toe of the stocking fall into the cup while holding the leg of the stocking.  This creates a "toe of henna" in the stocking.

6.  Remove the carrot bag from the cup while keeping the toe of the stocking inside the bag.

7.  Firmly grip the carrot bag above the "toe of henna" while still holding the leg of the stocking out of the bag.

8.  Slowly and firmly pull the stocking through where your hand is grasping the carrot bag, squeezing the henna out of the stocking and into the carrot bag.  You may need to knead the "toe of henna" to squeeze all of the henna out. 

The first time you use your nylon will be the hardest to squeeze the henna through.  After you've used the stocking once or twice it will be much easier to squeeze the henna through.  Take the extra time to stretch the nylon out well, before the first use.  Your hand muscles will thank you!

This should only take about 5-10 minutes.

The henna left in the stocking is the henna bits that would have clogged your applicators!   As an added bonus, the carrot bag makes it super easy to fill your applicator bottles.  As your bottles empty while you use them, you can continue to refill them using the carrot bag.  You may prefer to cut the opening in the carrot bag a bit larger to fill your bottles.

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