The henna plant Lawsonia Inermis, is a plant farmed in Asia, Africa, and the Middle East.It can range from a shrub to a small tree. After periods of heavy rain, the henna plant will start to grow rapidly. Leaves will start to sprout.
Its time to harvest! Before the leaves yellow and drop from the plant, they are picked and bagged. During the harvest process, sometimes branches, and other parts of the henna plant are picked. The leaves are then dried out.
The harvested and dried henna plant leaves are then transported to a henna mill. The leaves are ground down into a fine powder. This process can be done by hand, or by machine. Grinding henna leaves down by hand is a labor intensive and tedious process. Most factories will grind the henna leaves by machine. Click here to see a picture of a henna mill.
Most companies now sift their henna before packaging, to remove any stems, or other particles that may have found themselves in the mix. Sifting can also be done by machine, and involves large batches of powder, shaken quickly back and forth over a large strainer.
Some companies do not sift their henna, and will package the powder, stems, and ungrounded leaves. Henna for export is usually packaged in airtight plastic bags or foil pouches. Otherwise, henna powder is sold out of barrels in the market, or is packaged in burlap type bags.
Once you have purchased your henna powder, and have mixed it into paste. It will go through a process I call "color release". Henna contains a dye molecule called lawsone, the color release is actually the release of the lawsone from the henna powder (or henna plant leaves). Lawsone bonds with proteins such as hair, skin, and finger nails. The lawsone will leave the proteins it is applied to, with a red/brown/or orange stain.
Apply the henna paste to your skin (the protein), in a fancy or simple design (mehndi), and let it sit for a couple of hours. And like magic you have a henna tattoo. Ok, so it's not magic, it is science.
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