Jamilia henna powder seemed to be the most popular type of powder that gives the best stain. I buy mine from here. Buy the newest crop possible, and keep it refrigerated.

For beginners I suggest using this applicator bottle (also buy the metal nibs pictured below). When you are more experienced you can roll your own henna cones using mylar paper (you can buy it from the same place I buy my henna from by the meter).

To make the henna paste, you simply put as much henna paste as you would like henna paste in a bowl. You then add lemon juice (I buy pre-squeezed lemon juice) until the paste is the consistency of yogurt. You then add some sugar (this makes the paste stringy, so you can draw lines easily).

Next, you put cling film over the paste and push it down so it is touching the paste. Leave the henna paste for 24 hours so the dye can be released. This isn’t a necessity but if you can add lavender oil an hour before using the henna paste to make the stain darker.

Getting your henna into the applicator bottle is very messy (wear latex gloves!) and tricky, but I’m sure you will figure something out

Now onto creating the henna designs, practice, practice, practice! Practice on paper first before trying it out on a willing model. I find really good design inspiration from here.

Once the design has dried you want to leave the paste on for as long as possible for a darker stain (I leave mine on overnight). You can use a mix of sugar and lemon juice to keep the paste down, but I don’t find this works well. I use a cheap clear face mask to keep the paste down.

Last but not least here are some general tips

• Black henna does not exist! It is normally hair dye when people claim it is black henna, do not buy it! Sometimes henna can look almost black due to how dark the stain is, but this is generally more of a dark chestnut colour.
• Once you have taken the paste off the henna stain will get darker over the next 24 hours.
• Heat makes the henna stain darker, try a hairdryer or even steam.
• Try not to shower for at least 24 hours after you have created a henna design, this will make your henna design darker.
• You can buy cheaper henna powder, but I do not find it stains as well.
• The longer you keep your henna powder, it looses it’s dye potency. Use it up as quick as possible.
• This goes even more so for your henna paste, after a few days the henna paste over-realases and you get puddles of oily liquid on top of the paste. It is then unusable.

I hope this will help you will your henna ventures!

Much Love,

Joelle xox

Just to let everyone know that all news about the site will be run through here from now on. Sorry for the slight re-shuffle in the site recently, been busy launching the blog and making a few changes. So whats new, well our designer Jack Featherstone has recently picked up a D&AD joint first award for illustration. check out his work here.

CovertCandy has also had a little award itself being awarded the 7th best credit crunch fashion site by the Independant. Bearing in mind Ebay got 6th we’re pretty chuffed about this. Heres the link.

Expect to see a lot more clothes going up on the CovertCandy shop soon as well.

Always great to hear your thoughts and feedback about CovertCandy so please get in touch with all your crazy ideas.