Spring is here! Warmer times throughout the land.
When I am in Coimbatore, one of my first activities is to have fresh henna paste artistically placed on my hands, feet, and really wherever else I please.
In Tamil, Lawsonia inermis is known as marudani. In much of metro India, mehendi cones are available in all local shops. Often, these are made of chemical ingredients used to mass produce the cones, because it has to last on the shelves. These chemicals can trigger allergies, rashes, and other skin diseases, which have the potential to spread throughout the body. They are also considered cancerous. An article from 2022 in The Hindu explains the cones include a chemical called PPD; mixed with Sodium Picramate, and exposed to sunlight, it is cancer-causing. https://www.hindustantimes.com/cities/lucknow-news/chemical-henna-may-lead-to-skin-cancer-dermatologists-101665596629333.html
Real henna paste, made from the leaves of the marudani shrub, can only last 1-2 days. It cannot be mass-produced and sold in stores across the world.
It’s easy to make, though, especially if you have a small garden. I planted Lawsonia inermis about 1.5 years ago, and plucked some leaves 8 months ago. Now, I’ve harvested enough to make 200-250 g of powder, which is the best way to store it if you don’t have a tree. I also harvested a handful of seeds!
The Process
Here’s the process: Plant the tree or seed, watch it grow with sunshine and water. It’s a hardy shrub, and can survive bad soil, excessive sunlight, or even extra rain. Just make sure it doesn’t get fungal infections.
Once the tree is mature (5-6′ tall), pluck the leaves, and grind them. It’s as simple as that. Hand grinding is traditional, and the artist who decorates my hands in Kovai (Poorani of Butterfly Mehendi Art) does it this way. You can also use a mixie for faster grinding. The color will still set.
The paste is cooling especially for warm summers. It is also useful for cracks in your feet or toe nails. I would suggest this for anyone who has fungal infections in the nails as well.
Using Cones
Poorani also makes cones out of her hand-made paste. She does this by filtering the paste using running water; then collecting the thinned out portions and transferring them into a cone. It makes for pretty designs, but some of the cooling effect is lost. I prefer using the cones for the outlines, and the paste for filling in. It makes for some really fun expressive art. I’ve done specific ones for different festivals, of nature, and sometimes just honoring the creativity of the artist.
Author with Artist