Henna as Part of Asian Culture and Souvenir
Using henna for coloring has been like tradition. Especially for the Female Muslims of India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Turkey, and even community from Africa Continent.
In addition to its beauty and self-satisfaction, coloring body-part with Henna is believed to be concerned with health. Foot and foot-sole which is colored with henna will not dried during winter, dry season or even during summer. If there’s a wound on skin surface that is hard to heal, it is allowed to use henna powder, and the wound will heal in a few days.
For muslims, wearing henna to color body part like palm, foot, or for coloring hair is allowed. This is because henna will not obstruct sacred water ( or called wudhu) that must be poured onto certain skin’ surface.
In Haj season like now, in sacred land Makkah, henna is sold galore in markets. Henna is sold in form of powder or paste to be used as souvenir after the Haj community going home to their homeland.
Strengthening The Color of Henna
To make hair shines more natural, some ingredients may be put and mixed together with henna to strengthen the color result. Some of them are :
(1) eggs
to get a more shiny hair, add 1 egg into henna paste before apply it on hair piece
(2) plain yoghurt
plain yoghurt is functioned as moisture. You may add 2 spoonful of plain yoghurt to henna paste. Yoghurt is very good to be used in dry and reclace hair.
(3) spices
For extra highlight and fragrant hair, you may add some spices powder into henna paste. 1/2 teaspoon of ginger powder, nutmeg or cinnamon will enrich the red and brownie color of hair, and make your hair grow fragrant.
(4) Vinegar
Goldie and chopper color of hair can be reached by adding 2 teaspoon of vinegar into the henna paste.
(5) Tea
In addition to water, you may mix tea into your henna paste. Use 3 teabags to strengthen the color. You may choose black tea or Ceylon tea for brown hair.
Hibiscus for herbs, beauty, and medication
- White Hibiscus
Hibiscus, or rosemallow, is a large genus of about 200–220 species of flowering plants that is in native to warm temperate, subtropical and tropical regions throughout the world. Many species are grown for their showy flowers or used as landscape shrubs.
Hibiscus is also a primary ingredient in many herbal teas and medication.
Not only that, Hibiscus has been so close to ancient cultures and society.
- One species of Hibiscus, known as Kenaf (Hibiscus cannabinus), is extensively used in paper making.
- Roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa) is used as a vegetable and to make herbal teas and jams (especially in the Caribbean). In Latin America, the drink is known as Jamaica and is quite popular. It is made from calyces of the roselle plant. In Egypt and Sudan, Roselle petals make a tea named after the plant, karkade.
- In Polynesia these fibers (fau, purau) are used for making grass skirts. They have also been known to be used to make wigs.
- In India, the Hibiscus is used as an offering to Goddess Kali and Lord Ganesha in Hindu worship.
