henna+spices=pain?

[Obsidian]

I mixed up 4 TBS of henna with 1 TBS ginger and 1.5 tsp cinnamon and its really uncomfortable. Tingles quite a lot for 15 minutes or so then it gets hot, not sure how long I can leave this on. I had to rinse my eyebrows after only 10 minutes, it was just too much.

So, am I sensitive to the spices or did I use way too much? I was trying to cover the scent of the cassia I used in my mix.

[missrandie]

I think you have way too much spice in there, unfortunately.

[Anje]

OOh, yeah... Ginger and cinnamon can both get hot on your skin (especially cinnamon), especially if your spices are potent. If it's uncomfortable, rinse and shampoo it off right away, because too much exposure for too long could cause chemical burns. (On the flip side, using just enough that it feels a little warm can increase circulation and hair growth, according to some. But it sounds like you've got too much. It shouldn't hurt.)

[Obsidian]

I was able to leave it on for nearly a hour. The pain mostly went away but it stayed hot. I think Ill just stay away from spices for now on

[turtlelover]

Ginger and cinnamon are not meant to leave on skin! Ouch!

[Alex Lou]

Yeah, cinnamon can be painful even when used correctly as far as I can tell. If putting it on your scalp counts as "correctly"...

[Obsidian]

Well, I know there are other here who use cinnamon in their henna, its where I got the idea. It did smell really good when it was on and pretty much prevented the wet hay scent that has a tendency to linger for days.
I wasn't thinking that my spices are good quality and I wouldn't need a lot to achieve my goal. I still have some of the evil henna in the freezer, I'll have to mix up more henna to dilute it down.

[morrigan*]

You only need a small amount with spices. I used to put half a teaspoon of cinnamon in henna or maybe even less. That's if i did a whole head. I also like to add few drops of clove EO it smells fantastic.

[teal]

I can't help with the spices - that sounds painful! I'm sorry you had to go through that. :(

You mentioned trying to get rid of the wet-hay smell, and it has just now occurred to me that I haven't smelled that smell as strongly since I started freezing baggies of wet henna mud after dye release. In other words, when I make up a batch and it's freshly released and used that day then I smell the wet-hay smell strongly, but if I'm using a baggie of henna mud pulled out of the freezer and defrosted then that is not nearly as strong. If you really dislike that smell then it's worth a try (and report back!) and I'll also note that prepping for a henna session is a lot easier this way from personal experience. You can even use the baggie as a ready-made piping bag by cutting off one corner. :thumbsup:

[school of fish]

When I used to use spices in my mix it was 1 Tbsp each of ginger, cinnamon & clove to 100g of henna. I felt a bit of warmth with that ratio but no uncomfortable tingle.

By contrast, I currently make an exfoliating scrub with 1 part each honey and cinnamon and that is TINGLY!!! Since I rinse it off quickly it's no problem, but I can't imagine leaving it on for any length of time.

I believe the proportion s what makes the difference for me ;)

ETA: I use the scrub on my face, not on my scalp. Just wanted to clarify - I don't use any kind of scrub on my scalp since I don't have any need of it.