Recipe in here

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Posted by Fia on February 4, 2004 at 16:20:54:

In reply to: Pectin, Henna, Indigo and the Locwears posted by Naamah on February 4, 2004 at 16:11:40:

Hopefully Catherine will get the page with my mixes up soon. In the mean time - the
original gelled henna (non-strained version) is in the post entitled "Warm henna jelly"
below on the forum. The recipe for the strained henna is here:

Smooth gelled henna, tedious preparation but very smooth and easily applied gel
--------------------------------------------------------------------
- 100 grams henna powder
- 750-1000 ml liquid (about 25-34 f l. oz.) - has to have an acidic component to it
both for dye release and for the pectin to gel, I usually use half lemon juice, half water
- 25 grams powdered pectin (about 0.8 oz.)

Boil about two thirds of the liquid and let cool off a little so it's warm but not boiling.
Mix in the henna powder with the liquid (it will not be anything like a paste, more like
a green/brown soup) and let stand until you see dye release. Strain the liquid through
cheese cloth/muslin/stocking to remove the fixed particles. What you'll have left is a
brownish liquid with the released dye. To be honest - the straining part is a messy
"pain in the a**" job and I'd highly recommend wearing gloves and clothes you're not
afraid to get henna stains on, also to do this over a surface where it won't matter if
you get some henna liquid on it - it will splatter. Consider yourself warned and don't
blame me if you have henna stains on your wooden kitchen countertop because of
this... :-)

Boil the remaining part of the liquid and add pectin as per the basic and fast recipe.
Pour the liquid/pectin mix into the henna liquid in the bowl and mix well. Let stand
until gelled - usually about 20 minutes and use like you'd use other gelled henna.

The big pro about this version of the gel is that it's extremely easy to apply and rinse
- it's also virtually non-clogging for drains. This gel is also considerably more
lightweight when it's on the hair - good if you keep the henna on for a long time or
you have lots of hair that would be weighed down by regular paste. This is the closest
you'd get to the feeling of a regular hair color while still using henna.

Smooth gelled henna, as yet untried preparation method
------------------------------------------------
- 100 grams henna powder
- 750-1000 ml liquid (about 25-34 fl. oz.) - has to have an acidic component to it
both for dye release and for the pectin to gel, I usually use half lemon juice, half water
- 25 grams powdered pectin (about 0.8 oz.)

Take a circle of cheese cloth/muslin, place the henna on the cloth and tie it into a
temporary "tea bag". I'd guess you would have to make the bag fairly loose to allow
liquid to penetrate and get to all the powder. Boil about two thirds of the liquid and
drop the tea bag in the liquid when it's cooled off to warm but not boiling. Squish the
tea bag (use gloves!) to let the liquid absorb into all the powder. Let stand until you
see dye release - my guess is that it wouldn't hurt to periodically squish the tea bag
from time to time to express the released dye and get fresh liquid into the tea bag.
Remove the tea bag making sure to squeeze out as much of the liquid as possible.

Boil the remaining part of the liquid and add pectin as per the basic and fast recipe.
Pour the liquid/pectin mix into the henna liquid in the bowl and mix well. Let stand
until gelled - usually about 20 minutes and use like you'd use other gelled henna.

As said - this one is yet untried - but seems like a feasible idea and would remove the
messy part of straining the fixed henna particles out of the liquid.

I would assume the strained version of the gelled henna would be the preferred
version for someone with locs as it clings to the hair but is low on fixed particles that
can get stuck. Can't say exactly how it would work as I don't have locs myself and
never heard anyone use this version on locs either. You'll have to do some
experimenting to see if it works or not.

As for indigo - gelling may work with indigo too - haven't tried and probably will not
try as I'm not using indigo to color my own hair. Again - do some own
experimentation - if you go ahead remember that pectin needs something acidic in
the liquid it's boiled with to gel.

/Fia

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Re: Recipe in here Catherine Cartwright-Jones 18:43:21 2/4/2004 (1)
- No problems :-) Fia 04:26:13 2/5/2004 (0)

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: Hopefully Catherine will get the page with my mixes up soon. In the mean time - the : original gelled henna (non-strained version) is in the post entitled "Warm henna jelly" : below on the forum. The recipe for the strained henna is here: : : Smooth gelled henna, tedious preparation but very smooth and easily applied gel : -------------------------------------------------------------------- : - 100 grams henna powder : - 750-1000 ml liquid (about 25-34 f l. oz.) - has to have an acidic component to it : both for dye release and for the pectin to gel, I usually use half lemon juice, half water : - 25 grams powdered pectin (about 0.8 oz.) : : Boil about two thirds of the liquid and let cool off a little so it's warm but not boiling. : Mix in the henna powder with the liquid (it will not be anything like a paste, more like : a green/brown soup) and let stand until you see dye release. Strain the liquid through : cheese cloth/muslin/stocking to remove the fixed particles. What you'll have left is a : brownish liquid with the released dye. To be honest - the straining part is a messy : "pain in the a**" job and I'd highly recommend wearing gloves and clothes you're not : afraid to get henna stains on, also to do this over a surface where it won't matter if : you get some henna liquid on it - it will splatter. Consider yourself warned and don't : blame me if you have henna stains on your wooden kitchen countertop because of : this... :-) : : Boil the remaining part of the liquid and add pectin as per the basic and fast recipe. : Pour the liquid/pectin mix into the henna liquid in the bowl and mix well. Let stand : until gelled - usually about 20 minutes and use like you'd use other gelled henna. : : The big pro about this version of the gel is that it's extremely easy to apply and rinse : - it's also virtually non-clogging for drains. This gel is also considerably more : lightweight when it's on the hair - good if you keep the henna on for a long time or : you have lots of hair that would be weighed down by regular paste. This is the closest : you'd get to the feeling of a regular hair color while still using henna. : : Smooth gelled henna, as yet untried preparation method : ------------------------------------------------ : - 100 grams henna powder : - 750-1000 ml liquid (about 25-34 fl. oz.) - has to have an acidic component to it : both for dye release and for the pectin to gel, I usually use half lemon juice, half water : - 25 grams powdered pectin (about 0.8 oz.) : : Take a circle of cheese cloth/muslin, place the henna on the cloth and tie it into a : temporary "tea bag". I'd guess you would have to make the bag fairly loose to allow : liquid to penetrate and get to all the powder. Boil about two thirds of the liquid and : drop the tea bag in the liquid when it's cooled off to warm but not boiling. Squish the : tea bag (use gloves!) to let the liquid absorb into all the powder. Let stand until you : see dye release - my guess is that it wouldn't hurt to periodically squish the tea bag : from time to time to express the released dye and get fresh liquid into the tea bag. : Remove the tea bag making sure to squeeze out as much of the liquid as possible. : : Boil the remaining part of the liquid and add pectin as per the basic and fast recipe. : Pour the liquid/pectin mix into the henna liquid in the bowl and mix well. Let stand : until gelled - usually about 20 minutes and use like you'd use other gelled henna. : : As said - this one is yet untried - but seems like a feasible idea and would remove the : messy part of straining the fixed henna particles out of the liquid. : : I would assume the strained version of the gelled henna would be the preferred : version for someone with locs as it clings to the hair but is low on fixed particles that : can get stuck. Can't say exactly how it would work as I don't have locs myself and : never heard anyone use this version on locs either. You'll have to do some : experimenting to see if it works or not. : : As for indigo - gelling may work with indigo too - haven't tried and probably will not : try as I'm not using indigo to color my own hair. Again - do some own : experimentation - if you go ahead remember that pectin needs something acidic in : the liquid it's boiled with to gel. : : /Fia
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