Certified Organic Rajasthani Henna Recipe
Ingredients: large batch (makes 10-12 cones)
• 100g henna powder
• 30ml essential oil (cajeput, lavender, tea tree are good economical options that work well)
• 1 tablespoon of sugar. For very dry weather, use up to two tablespoons of sugar.
• 250 ml filtered water. Tap water may be ok, but it varies from region to region. Please test a small batch if you want to try using your own tap water rather than filtered water.
• Extra water to adjust consistency
Ingredients: small batch (makes 4-5 cones)
• 4 tablespoons henna
• 10ml essential oil
• 1 teaspoon sugar – for very dry weather use up to 2 teaspoons and use 70 ml water
• 80ml water
• Extra water to adjust to consistency
Method:
Carefully empty henna powder into a metal or ceramic bowl. Plastic may become stained. Add sugar and mix through the dry powder. We use dextrose, but most sugars are suitable. The larger the grain of the sugar, the more mixing you will have to do to ensure it is fully dissolved.
Add essential oil and half the water. Stir with a spoon or spatula until all blended. The mixture may become slippery and lumpy. If this happens, use your spoon or spatula to ‘chop’ the lumps until it is more blended and easier to stir without splashing the water out of the bowl. Stir well, scrape down sides and cover the surface of the henna with cling wrap. Set aside for two hours.
After the paste has sat for two hours, most lumps will be easily beaten out. Add a little more water and mix well until it is as smooth as you can get it, ensuring that all sugar is dissolved if using a course sugar.
Add extra water as required to get the consistency you prefer. We like to have it ribbon off the edge of a quickly dipped spoon or spatula and for the resulting folds in the paste to collapse, yet still retain visible defined edges. You can see a video of my consistency check here. If the edges melt into each other, the paste is too thin and your lines will melt together. You will need to add more powder to fix this. If the folds leave hollows and do not slump down, your paste is too thick. Add a little more water, no more than a teaspoon at a time (or ¼ teaspoon for a small batch) and stir thoroughly until corrected.
Straining
We recommend straining all paste through a stocking to remove any lumps that remain, and any plant matter or debris that might clog your applicator. You will need:
• a length of stocking, cheap loose weave is fine. If it has a reinforced toe or a ladder, tie it off above the reinforced or damaged part and snip off the excess with a pair of scissors.
• A freezer bag or piping bag
• A cup
Place the freezer bag or piping bag point down into the cup, fold the overhang over the top of the cup.
Put the stocking in the bag, poke it down into the cup and fold extra over the edge of the cup.
Spoon henna into the stocking up to the top of the cup. Lift stocking, lift bag edge and then out of the cup. Hold the bag tightly around the opening (the stocking will be hanging out), and pull the stocking out with your other hand. The paste will be forced through the weave and into the bag. The thicker you mix the paste, the firmer you will have to pull. Be careful not to flick it out as you get to the end! Any lumps or debris will be caught inside the stocking.
Tie off or clip the opening of the bag, cut the corner at the bottom and use to fill your applicator.
You can wash out the stocking and reuse. We recommend rinsing well and checking for any holes before filling all your cones. If a hole has developed, you will likely need to strain again. Tie the stocking off above the hole and repeat.