Removing Henna from Skin

[purple_figtree]

I just hennaed my hair for the second time, and once again, I dyed my forehead, ears, neck, and the edges of my face very orange. I look like a kid who's coloured on themselves with an orange highlighter :( I thought I was being careful not to get it on my skin, but without a mirror it's hard to tell.

Does anyone have any tricks for getting the orange off? I've tried soap, oil, rubbing alcohol, and hand lotion, and it's lightened somewhat, but still definitely orange. I know from experience that it will come off eventually, and wearing hijab hides a lot of it, but I'm not looking forward to the all the questions about why I'm orange and the resulting gales of laughter. Tact and manners are a little lacking in Jordan sometimes.

I have been told to put vaseline around the edges of my face before hennaing, but I always seem to forget until after the fact, and it would require a ton of vaseline, which I would then have to remove.

[Dolly]

Another member recommended coconut oil to prevent the orange, and it works pretty well.....not sure how to remove the orange after the fact though....covering with makeup would probably be your best bet, I guess.....

[CrisDee]

I would try the coconut oil now. I've had success using oil to remove the henna-orange from my hairline and ears, but for some reason it doesn't seem to stick to my skin - good luck!

[hmmm]

When we 'tattoo' our hands using henna, we use coconut oil to make the colour darker :D

So no, I don't know of a way to remove it. Just wait for a couple of days. Hopefully makeup should cover it. The mix really shouldn't be that drippy though.

[masa_inn]

Oxiclean.
/ducks down/
When I hennaed for the 1st time I was as orange as a pumpkin (I'm talking about my whole face). I freaked out and tried everything I could think of, from rubbing alcohol to Oxi. Oxi worked.

[little_cherry]

Baking soda scrub followed by olive oil massage. Been there, done that.



When we 'tattoo' our hands using henna, we use coconut oil to make the colour darker :D

So no, I don't know of a way to remove it. Just wait for a couple of days. Hopefully makeup should cover it. The mix really shouldn't be that drippy though.
I coconut oil my hair before I henna...so yeah.

[Anje]

Exfoliate. Baking soda works well, but it's kinda harsh.

Lots of water in general should help. When you get henna tattoos, you're generally advised that they'll last longer if you minimize getting them wet. So conversely....

[kwaniesiam]

It's very harsh and not recommended, but pure acetone will take any stain off of your skin.

Next time try rubbing some coconut oil or vaseline or something around your ears and hairline before you henna to keep the stains away :)

[GRU]

Also, I wipe down my skin after I apply the henna, so any oopies are cleaned up and don't get a chance to stain.

Are you using something to prevent drips during the treatment? I've started using a terrycloth sweatband and it works wonderfully well for soaking up anything that might seep out from under my plastic covering.

You could always wipe off your skin after application, and then apply a line of petroleum jelly (Vaseline) or lip balm (Chapstick) around your hairline as a barrier against drips that may come through. You don't need to cover your entire face/neck with the barrier -- just the very edges, and just thick enough to create a sheen so the stain can't get through.

[marisa]

I usually use my OCM blend (castor, olive & grapeseed oils). That usually works.
I also have used "Ultrabland" face cleanser from Lush and that is very effective.
I think it is mostly peanut oil based.

Also I have used baby wipes and those work to an extent as well.

[RocketDog]

I had more problems with vaseline getting everywhere than I did with staining, to be honest. I have my technique down pat now and don't get many drippies on my face, most just on my shoulders or back and those I ignore 'til they fade. I did try using a thick conditioner instead of vaseline once and it seemed to work okay, so if you're prone to drippies it might be worth a try. Even when I did get staining on my face it seemed like a little exfoliating took care of it.

[purple_figtree]

Thanks so much to everyone who responded!

Scrubbing with baking soda and then olive oil and just the passage of a few days has removed most of the orange, thank goodness. I am going to have to work on being tidier when I henna, so I don't get it on my skin in the first place. I think I will try oiling around my hairline next time, I don't really want to have to get vaseline off.

Thanks again for all your help :)

[sibylla]

I put bodylotion (Nivea) on my ears,back of my neck and on my forhead before I henna.Afterwards I use cotton pads with body lotion to wipe of extra henna.I do it repeatedely so it also works as an exfoliator.I put some lotion on a pad to get rid of henna where I part my hair.

[Anje]

FWIW, I just climb into the shower and rinse off any henna that was slopped on my skin, after I bag up my hair. Look in the mirror and make sure it's off my face, too, then I lounge around until it's time to rinse out the henna.

I'm messy when I henna, though.

[coasiwo]

I usually use my OCM blend (castor, olive & grapeseed oils). That usually works.
I also have used "Ultrabland" face cleanser from Lush and that is very effective.
I think it is mostly peanut oil based.

Also I have used baby wipes and those work to an extent as well.

The deal with the baby wipes!