Henna Cones
How to use a henna cone
Henna is an type of plant that creates art and leaves a natural stain for many days or weeks. The traditional way of doing henna is with hand made henna cones. It is basically mylar or thin plastic wrapping paper that is rolled by hand and then taped and filled with henna.
Types of henna cones
There are many types of henna cones and basically it comes down to personal preference. Some even choose a application bottle as they think it is easier. Application bottles clog easy and make your hand cramp quickly. If you are planning to do an event or party, henna cones are better than tubes or squeeze bottles.
Cones usually come in 3 basic sizes:
- 30 gram cones
- 50 gram cones
- 75 gram cones
How to choose the correct cone
A cone does not make henna better, so usually the bigger cones will be for big application areas. If you are doing a large tattoo that covers a large area or calls for big lines you will want to use a larger cone. Big events also can call for a large cone. The bigger cones do not mean bigger lines, you can achieve smaller lines with big cones.
If you are doing small tedious tattoos then smaller will be better. It is easier to hold and more than likely you will not mess up as easy with a small cone. They also keep your hand from cramping.
If you are doing medium size lines then cut the tip to medium and use a medium cone.
How to cut a tip on a henna cone
If your henna cone is rolled correctly you can create a pin sized hole. Always start smaller than what you want. If you cut it to large then you are stuck with that size. Try and keep the same sized cone in coordination of the size of the cone. For example use the 75 gram cone for a large hole. This is also the best for doing your root touch ups if using it for hair dye. Use the medium sized cone for a medium hole and the small cone for a small hole.
Being at a festival this will help you remember and do faster work knowing which cone has what hole. If you need to fill large areas cut the hole at an angle and apply at an angle. This will help you fill a large area faster.
How to prepare and hold a cone
When you first get your cone there is a few things you must do. First remove the needle or tip. If there is no needle cut the tip the the appropriate size. Hold the cone about 1-2 inches from the tip and squeeze all of the henna out from that point forward. This will give you a bit of room in the cone to mix it up. Now pinch the tip of the cone and massage from front to back with a squishing motion. This will help mix the henna after it has sat for a long period of time. Henna releases its dye for a long period of time and works better when it is mixed up.
You are now ready to start doing a henna tattoo!
Holding a cone is simple, you are basically going to hold it like you do a pencil and squeeze while you are moving your cone. I prefer to trace because I’m not a great artist, so I use blue tattoo carbon paper to do my out line and then trace it. This way you can make a tattoo that looks like the pros!
For fine tip application squeeze near the tip about 2 inches down. Bend and squeeze or just squeeze from the tip to keep your hand steady.
Best quality cones
The only way to know if you have the best quality cone is to try it. Henna cones are cheap and they are plentiful so once you find a good company stick to them. I do prefer Henna Hut because the have the darkest henna I have ever seen and it is chemical free. The fresher the henna the better the quality most of the time. Extremely good henna you will not even need to add lemon, it will naturally be dark staining and last the longest periods.
Applying henna
Before you apply the henna it is best you exfoliate the area the day prior. Last minute is better than not at all. Removing dead skin will help your tattoo last a time. If you are doing your hair make sure you wash your hair prior. Damp or dry is OK. Apply oil to the area you intend to apply henna to. I recommend Shelly Oil from Henna Hut. A small amount goes a long way.
How to roll your cone
How to roll your own cone. There is a few different ways to role your own cone. Some start with a rectangle piece of mylar and some use a triangle. The triangle can be 7-8” long. If you use a rectangle it needs to be 7-8” from corner to corner. Start by holding the shortest tip of the triangle and rolling until the tip is rolled and then release holding point while holding from the outside and twisting inwards. Rolling cones takes some skill and lots of practice! A simple way to cheat is using a plum bob! Use it to roll a henna cone in blazing speeds. Once you get to the size you want just use scotch tape. Roll down the top and tape as well.
Storing henna
This goes for henna powder, henna cones and mixed henna. DO NOT store in freezer! This will ruin the cells in the henna fast. It is OK to store in the refrigerator after you have mixed it. Henna comes from the desert, so as long as it it sealed and kept from the sun it will last a very long time. If it is NOT air tight and is in the sun it will go bad very quickly.
To Learn more or purchase go to Henna Hut. They have the best henna on the planet and they are very nice to work with.
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