Options other than Vaseline for proecting skin during henna

[shutterpillar]

I just recently did my first henna application and I love it! I have one problem, though - the Vaseline that I used to protect my hairline from being stained has broken my skin out horribly! I had a feeling this may happen, as my skin is sensitive to most lotions and other things people slather all over themselves. Basically, if it did not come from the earth or is not "oil free" (for makeups, sun screens, etc) then my skin doesn't want anything to do with it. Can't really blame it, I suppose.

So now that I have a hairline full of acne, I am obviously looking for another solution when it comes time to do my next henna. Oils usually work well on my skin. Would coconut oil be a good replacement? I have a tub of Palmer's cocoa butter with vitamin E that works well on my skin... would that be an option? It spreads similar to Vasoline and can get very thick. I have also done a google search on this topic and read about someone from this forum using conditioner, which I may try next time. Most of the techniques that popped up in my search involved Vasoline, though. :undecided

Are there any other options out there that would not hinder the dye deposit of the henna? Would any of my above suggestions prevent dye deposit? I am assuming henna is pretty powerful stuff and could probably make it's way through molasses if it needed to. :grnbiggri

Thank you in advance for any replies. :blossom:

[Anje]

Honestly, my recommendation is just to wipe off any smears and drips as soon as you've got your henna wrapped up on your head. A thick layer of lotion might protect the area, but given how henna tends to penetrate oils, I wouldn't guarantee that it'd work, and it'd probably get in your hair. I always preferred to apply henna in the nude and immediately shower off everything that got slopped on my body. Then dress in a button-down shirt for the duration of the hennaing.

[Surinecet]

I usually don't apply anything to protect the skin from then henna. Mainly because I have a ton of wispy baby hairs, and I'm concerned Vaseline/oil would result in uneven dyeing. Like Anje, I apply without clothes, then wipe off drips as they happen. After I'm all done applying, I clean up the hairline and ears a bit. I find that after wrapping in saran wrap, the henna tends to slowly migrate down my neck/forehead as it warms up from my body temp anyway. I keep it on for 4 hours or so, then rinse. All that to say that the henna doesn't really stick to my skin even after sitting there for 4 hours. Sure, it's got a bit of a faded orange shade until my next shampoo, but nothing like the dark splotches I got when I used to use dyes. It's pretty easily covered up with some light makeup foundation. Otherwise, maybe conditioner or oil would help? You could test in a inconspicuous area first.

[shutterpillar]

Thanks for trying, then. :undecided: I did wipe up the bits that got on my hairline before I put the saran wrap on, but ended up with the same issue - the henna heats up under the saran wrap and ends up dribbling a little, even though the mix is pretty thick to begin with.

I may try the conditioner next time around just to see what happens, but henna hairline stain may just be inevitable.

[Warda]

I use baby oil. I just apply it around my hair line, apply the henna then wipe anything on my skin and re-apply baby oil. I have only done henna twice though but so far it had been successful. I dont know if coconut oil would work the same. I heard oil weakens the colour of the henna but I am not sure about that information. So I dont know. Baby oil works though I have tried it! Good luck :)

[Anje]

Are you applying your henna to dry or wet hair? You'll need more mix for dry than for wet, but it tends to reduce the drips.

[shutterpillar]

Anje - I applied it (Red Raj) to dry hair and left it on for about 5 hours. I didn't get many drips at all except for a little dribbling down the back of my neck during the last half hour, so it really was not bad, and I immediately wiped it away with a washcloth. I washed it out monday night around 7pm and the stains are completely gone today so it's definitely tolerable.

Thank you, Warda, that's good to know. :)

[Othala]

I always used Shea butter when I henndigoed. Worked for me and maybe it will for you too.

[Taika]

Hi, I would recommend to try once without anything, Henna does not stain my forehead nor scalp at all. I think it is because I have coconut oil in my mix as well as the fact that my forehead is somewhat oily on its own. (I did use oil the first time I hennaed to avoid the stains and it broke my skin out too). I also apply the henna-cassia-coconut mix to dry hair, so it does not drip at all.:)

[emmyliten]

Like many other, I don´t put on any protecting cream at all. I´m worried it might smear onto hair and effect the dying. But every time I dye with henna, I think I´m going to have to go around with orange ears and forehead for a while, but it _always_ washes right out! I never have even the slightest hint of orange on my skin, which makes me wondering how on earth the henna stays on my hair at all. Given, it never gets quite as "intense" as I would like, but still.
Sorry for slightly OT!

[ArienEllariel]

Am I the only one here that really doesn't get drips with henna? Mine's usually on the thicker side. Like greek yogurt. Never really really runny.

[jeanniet]

I always used Pond's cold cream. I think it has mineral oil in it, though--but I'm pretty sure the Palmer's does, too. It's not a completely natural product, anyway.

[shutterpillar]

Thank you for all the new replies, everyone. :) I have a lot to experiment with.

ArienEllariel - I did not think I would get any drips either, and was celebrating this victory when my time was nearly up. LOL. It was within the last half an hour that the drips started, and really it was not that much. Just one dribble down my neck which I quickly wiped with a rag. It did spread around my hairline a bit, but not the constant dripping I keep hearing about. My mixture was thick as well - greek yogurt is a good example, or pudding.

[Perididdle]

I don't put anything (maybe a little lotion the first time, but not the ensuing two times) and never have a big problem with stains at all! I leave it all around my ears and hairline, because I have lots of whispies. Maybe it sticks around, but I certainly can't tell. Give it a go, or try a layer of your most skin-friendly lotion.

Henna for body art often needs a longer dye release than it does for hair, I think, so that may be why it doesn't latch on as much to skin.

[rut.de.leu]

I have pretty much quit applying anything to my skin prior to dye/henna. It's more work and skin headache than it's worth; generally attentive wiping as drips happen and scrubbing if needed after the fact prevents staining.
With that having been said, petroleum jelly always made me break out badly too, so I used a thick conditioner that hasn't bothered me. Coconut oil is reported by many to be comedogenic so I wouldn't recommend that if you have issues with acne.

Suggestion to NOT try: masking tape. It apparently works really well for conventional dye, and others have had success with it! If you're leaving your hair for any length of time, though, as we do for veggie dyes and henna, it sticks to skin and won't let go without lots of oil and pulling. It's a disaster.