New to henna... :) need some help...

Thea,

Sorry to hear about your bad experience with "fake" henna.  Scary, isn't it?  Don't feel stupid for not doing research--how many of us (or our parents) research facepainting before we walk in a booth to have a butterfly drawn on, or get sound references on the pool's lifeguards, or investigate if the petting zoo has had any cases of animals biting children?  We don't!  Most of us are trusting and believe that if someone is working for the public, they must know what they're doing...it must be safe...they wouldn't be in business otherwise...if it's of any consolation, you're not alone.  Those "deathpaste" slingers are everywhere.  Keep your friends away from them!

Now, pure body-art-quality (BAQ) henna is safe.  It's been used for thousands of years.  Some women have designs put on their pregnant bellies or on their bald scalps after chemotherapy.  So you see it's considered safe to do so by most (because...when are you ever more vulnerable and careful than when you're recovering from chemo or carrying a baby?)  Henna allegies are rare, but not unheard of, so you're right to test before getting a huge design.

Get your hands on some nice BAQ henna.  (This forum is sponsored by mehandi.com, so even though I don't work for them, that's where I would direct you for supplies.)  Mix a little tespoon of powder with water to make a paste, smear a little blob of it on the inside of your elbow, and cover it with a bandage or similar.  Wait for a few hours, and rinse off.  (Don't make too big of a blob as you might have a pumpkin colored stain on your arm if it develops good color while you test.)  Observe the site for a day or two afterwards to make sure you don't experience any skin irritation, swelling, itching...then you'll know you're not allergic to henna.  If you are prone to allergies and sensitivities, test again a few days later (allergies do not manifest themselves until you've been exposed to the allergens repeatedly) just to make absolutly sure.  Then you'll be free to design beautiful things on your skin!

If you want to learn how to do the designs, you won't find a place with more information and free resources than this site.  Go to the home page and look at the e-books.  The website I mentioned above also has a kit to learn how to henna (I think it's called The Henna School or something like that) that comes with BAQ henna powder, recipes, cones, terps, templates, etc.--very complete.  Or you can buy a small amount of henna, find a simple recipe to follow, try your hand at making the application cones...it's up to you and how deep you want to delve into the art.  Finally, you could find a serious henna artist in your area, and after you ask a million questions and make sure they are using only safe products, get a small design so you can observe how it's done professionally.  It's very inspiring!

Good luck!  If you start hennaing, come back and share.  There are many true artists on this forum (check under the "body art" tab, actually) who would generously help you through your learning. 

Hi, I'm sorry to hear about your bad experiences, but this forum is a good place to find out about the good stuff! :)  I'll second the opinion that the henna available through these folks at Henna Page is good, and their free instructional e-books are great too.  They also have inexpensive hena samples that you can order to make sure you're not allergic.   If you decide to shop elsewhere, I'd recommend looking for a website that sells fresh body art quality Jamila henna, as well as essential oils, and that clearly states that they don't sell or endorse the use of PPD.   (Jamila isn't the only good henna out there, but it's a high quality, reliable brand, and a favorite of many, so it's a good place to start.)

One thing to be aware of is that most people who do have allergic reactions to natural henna mixes aren't reacting to the henna itself.  Some people have citrus allergies, or they're sensitive to the essential oils used in the mix. (Tea tree, Cajeput and Lavender are the oils most often used to enhance the stain.  Lavender isn't quite as powerful, but it's considered to be gentlest on the skin.)  It's possible to get a good stain without lemon juice or oils, but it can be challenging. 

I don't mean to scare you off by this... I just mean that you should do a small test using the henna mixed with the lemon juice and essential oil, and make sure your skin's ok with it.  If you do have a sensitivity, you should be able to make a new mix without the offending ingredient.

Good luck,

Ellen