How to Mix Your So Henna Powder For the Best Consistency

So Henna eyebrows are the perfect choice for brow lovers who enjoy maintaining their eyebrows but want a semi-permanent brow tint treatment which lasts between 2 - 4 weeks (depending on their skin type and aftercare). This brow tinting treatment is an alternative that is also low maintenance and customisable to each client and their desires, from shape to style and shade of eyebrows. So Henna is a brand which comes in a wide array of shades that can be mixed together to form the perfect bespoke shade match for any client. (Check out the So Henna colour chart here).

So Henna powders derive from the natural henna plant which produces a dye to penetrate the first layer of skin and coats the brow hairs, resulting in the even and desired appearance of full eyebrows. The So Henna dye has a natural ashy finish, which means no orange brows as the colour develops. Most importantly, mixing your henna powder into a fine and smooth consistency will be the key to the ideal eyebrow look, so here's everything you need to know about this simple process.

Mixing Your So Henna Powder

It is important to note, in rare cases, clients can be allergic to brow henna due to the occurring PPD chemical present in the powder. This is why patch testing 48 hours before a henna brows treatment is important. Presuming you have done your patch test on the client and everything is good to go, you need to prepare your henna brow kit accordingly, and mix your powder for easy application. 

Before anything else, make sure you are mixing the henna powder in a non-metal container, henna contains tannins (an organic compound found in plants) which reacts with metal and can cause the final mix to oxidise and lose potency. The So Henna Professional Brow Kit provides for everything you need including plastic tools and a Glass Mixing Dish to avoid this potential issue.

Now you’re ready to begin mixing. Scooping a small amount of your desired shade (or mixture of shades to create something completely bespoke for your client) you may notice small white dots around the pigment powder, don’t worry, they’re completely normal and naturally occurring compounds of the henna, they will dissolve in your henna mix once you add water and activate the potency of the colour. You can read more about these little white dots here. So how much water will you need? Typically for the perfect consistency for henna brows, use a Pipette to accurately dispense a 1:1 ratio of powder and distilled warm water is recommended to get best results.

You may be wondering how you would get the smoothest henna paste if you're endlessly mixing with a plastic spoon or a brow brush? There is an alternative, the So Henna Mixer Tool is designed for this very job. The Mixer Tool blends all the ingredients into a smooth consistency with ease and speed. It is recommended to let the mixture sit for one to two minutes as this allows the active ingredient, lawsone, to release its dying properties and become more potent. A second mix using the Mixer Tool will help any undissolved henna powder to mix in with the rest of the paste resulting in your desired consistency.

Remember, a thicker So Henna paste will penetrate deeper into the skin, and is easy to control and apply using a brush. On the other hand, a smoother, thinner consistency of the paste allows for layering a desired shade, it can be even easier to apply but it will not penetrate as deeply. The beauty with the So Henna Professional Brow Kit is the wide variety of shades and the customisable use of the products. For the full step-by-step to applying So Henna, read this blog post next. 

Why Is All Of This Important?

Let's recap. For starters, if your So Henna powder is mixed in a metal container or with a metal mixer it will create a chemical reaction altering the colour and potency of your paste causing it to oxidise and lose the colour your client wants for their eyebrows. No one wants inconsistent eyebrows or non-matching colour. So Henna provides professional semi-permanent tint and tools with professional results, so make sure you use them.

Furthermore, if the henna powder is not mixed or dissolved completely, the paste will be lumpy and it will not apply as smoothly thus results will be unpredictable or patchy. Not only will this be difficult to control during application, but the pigments from the dye will not be able to penetrate for a consistent result on the skin. Letting the henna paste sit after the first mixing allows for the powders to dissolve and incorporate with the water before you smooth everything with the second mixing. Using the So Henna Mixer Tool gives the desired consistency time after time and it saves you from potential wrist strain, meaning you can get on with the brow treatment without having to spend additional time mixing.

And there you have it, the perfect way to mix So Henna powder into a smooth honey-like consistency, ideal for a professional Brow Technician looking to make their job just a touch easier and the client experience all that more streamlined.