We have all had that moment when we set aside time to mix Ancient Sunrise® henna and/or cassia only to realize when we are about to start, that we are out of our powered fruit acid or liquid. Our brow starts to sweat, “Customer service is closed for the weekend. What do I do now?”
The good news is, you do not have to panic! There are other acids you most likely have around your home that can be used to dye release your henna and/or cassia paste. If you drink juice or have kids, you may have one of these on hand: apple juice, blueberry juice, cranberry juice, or orange juice. Bakers will typically have powdered cream of tartar or lemon juice on hand. Cooks will typically have apple cider vinegar or white vinegar on hand as well. Any one of these can be used for dye release.
Apple Juice – pH 3.4 (1)
- 100% juice can typically be found in the grocery store
- Make sure the apple juice isn’t too mild. Some juices advertised to toddlers may be too weak to properly dye release your plant powders
- Dye releases Henna and Cassia mixes faster than other fruit acids or juices (usually in 6 hours instead of 8 hours in 68°F – 72°F)
- Very gentle on the scalp
Cranberry Juice – pH 2.3 (1)
- 100% Juice preferred
- A juice cocktail will have more sugar and be sticky, but not unusable
- If you use Copperberry fruit acid, this will be the best substitution in a pinch
Blueberry Juice – pH 3.2 (2)
- 100% Juice is preferred
- A Blueberry/ Pomegranate blend will work nicely
- If you use Amla or Night Fall Rose fruit acid, this is the best substitution
Orange Juice – pH 3.7 (3)
- 100% Juice with no pulp or calcium added works the best
- If you use Kristalovino fruit acid, this will be the best substitution for you
Lemon Juice – pH 2.3 (1)
- You can use bottled lemon juice
- It does not have to be fresh-squeezed
- If you use Malluma Kristalovino or citric acid, this may be a good substitution
- If you have a sensitive scalp, this acid is not for you; use cream of tartar instead
- You can dilute the lemon juice with distilled water
- 50% lemon juice and 50% distilled water works nicely
Vinegar – pH 2.4 (1)
- Like lemon juice, white vinegar and apple cider vinegar can be watered down with distilled water
- If you use Malluma Kristalovino or citric acid, this may be a good substitution
- If you have a sensitive scalp, this acid is not for you; use cream of tartar instead
- Vinegar mixes tend to brown henna more when finished oxidizing
- This doesn’t mean you will get a brown color from henna. Your henna will not be as bright as using cranberry juice
- Vinegar can make henna/cassia paste smell unpleasant
Tip
To dilute white vinegar, apple cider vinegar, or lemon juice, simply add equal parts distilled water to your acidic liquid.
Read more in this blog article on Lemon Juice and ACV and why you may want to water them down for mixing a Henna paste: https://www.ancientsunrise.blog/lemon-juice-henna-mix/
For more information on fruit acids please see Chapter 6 in our Ancient Sunrise® Henna for Hair e-book: http://www.tapdancinglizard.com/AS_henna_for_hair/Chapter_6_Henna_and_Acidic_Mixes.pdf
In conclusion, there is usually an alternative fruit acid powder or liquid that can be used to dye release your henna and/or cassia paste.
If you have questions about a juice or powdered fruit acid, contact customer service: ☎️330-673-0600, 📧 helpdesk@mehandi.com, 💬 or chat with us on Mehandi.com.
Sources
- Cartwright-Jones, Catherine. “Chapter 6: Henna and Acidic Mixes.” Ancient Sunrise Henna for Hair, TapDancing Lizard, Copyright © 2015, pp. 6,14. https://www.mehandi.com
- Howard, Luke R.a; *; Brownmiller, Cindia; Mauromoustakos, Andy; Prior, Ronald L.a. ” Improved stability of blueberry juice anthocyanins by acidification and refrigeration.” https://content.iospress.com/articles/journal-of-berry-research/jbr133, Journal of Berry Research, vol. 6, no. 2, pp. 189-201, 2016, 10.3233/JBR-160133
- Reddy, Avanija DMD, MPH; Norris, Don F. DMD; Momeni, Stephanie S. MS, MBA; Waldo, Belinda DMD; Ruby, John D. DMD, Ph.D. “The pH of beverages in theUnited States.” https://www.ada.org/en/~/media/ADA/Public%20Programs/Files/JADA_The%20pH%20of%20beverages%20in%20the%20United%20States, 2016 American Dental Association, jada.ada.org
Liz • Ancient Sunrise® Specialist