Prepping for your appointment & best aftercare practices for HENNA

​Alchemy prepares fresh natural paste from the leaves of the henna plant. The paste is painted onto the skin, the lawsone molecule in the plant begins to stain the skin. To get the best possible, darkest, longest lasting stain, the success is up to you. A typical stain lasts for 10-14 days before fading. We are happy to see designs that inspire you, but typically do not copy the work of other artists*.

to prepare

  • It's a good idea to plan ahead so you won't need to shower after your henna is applied.
  • Lotions and self-tanners will block your henna stain
  • Please review the list of ingredients in Alchemy henna paste: adjustments can be made for sensitive skin & allergies.
  • Location, location, location: plan your clothing: want a foot piece in winter - let's talk. Want a shoulder piece? wear a bandeau. Want something on your solar plexus? bandeau or bikini top. Something more exotic or unsure about how to plan for body pieces? Please leave a message when you schedule your appointment - and I'll call. I want your henna to be awesome.

aftercare

  • The paste needs to be on the skin 4-6 hours 
  • Henna LOVES heat. In cool / cold weather warm drinks, heating pads, electric blankets are all useful
  • Flake or 'scrub' off the paste instead of washing it off.
  • Avoiding water for 24-48 hours really does make a difference!
  • "Sealing" or wrapping is effective. Sealant recipe below. Wrapping with a compression bandage, old sock, stripped cotton rags, and even TP are good. No plastic wrap: cling wraps trap moisture and cause lines to feather.
*$10 up charge

when you first take off the henna paste, your design will be orange (maybe a little disappointing)  - - but it will get darker in the next 24 hours

Alchemy Paste Ingredients

Fresh henna powder from India & Pakistan
Water or herbal tea
Essential Oils: Tea Tree, Cajeput, Rose Geranium, Lavender and Lemongrass (sometimes patchouli, peru balsam, rosemary or clove)
Sugar

Sealant 

To make the sealant: Dissolve 1/4 cup of sugar into 1/4 of water by heating together in a sauce pan or the microwave. Cool before using.This can be packaged and stored for hennas later by freezing or refrigerating.

A little hint? you can also use lemonade, Pop / Soda, simple syrup, cocktail syrup, watered-down Maple syrup. No honey (water and honey make a diluted hydrogen peroxide).

Jagua

Jagua's blue stain is made from the fermented juice of Genipa americana - a plant native to Central America. The edible fruit is used by the indigenous peoples to create geometric temporary body art.

Jagua stains instantly and leaves little room to correct mistakes - and requires special care to avoid smuding.

One great thing about the jagua is it can be scrubbed off after 4 hours and you don't have to avoid water for an effective stain (like you do with henna).

Prepare & aftercare

Best practices: follow the prepare directions for henna. Like henna, jauga does love being warm. 

Aftercare:
  • Don't smudge
  • Leave the jagua paste or gel on the skin for 4-8hours
  • Use soap and water to remove - paying special attention to make sure ALL of the paste (or gel) is gone - remember it stains EVERYTHING it touches
  • Resume daily activities

Jagua is more likely to cause sensitivities than henna, especially for those allergic to strawberries or citrus. We recommend smaller designs for your first appointment. 

Paste ingredients:
Our jagua is purchased ready to use from Fresh Jagua
Ingredients include Jenipa americana, water and essential oils (Lavender and/or cajeput) and xanthan gum for texture