I’m feeling lousy about things: my roots are showing (by less than 0.5mm and only visible if you’re standing on top of me, but still) and I have a zit (now no one will ever ask me to prom) and blah blah tiresome personal drama at work (never, ever trust anyone). To make myself feel better while doing nothing whatsoever to solve any of my many ongoing problems, I am doing some science – with plants!

I received a large shipment of henna from Henna Sooq, and am forcing myself to use it before I get more of the amazing IBHB stuff I tried last month. Everything in the HS shipment is new to me, as they were out of my usual henna – so I have no idea what to expect 10 hours from now when I remove my Saran Wrap Hat and rinse all the mud out of my hair.

The henna I used throughout 2012/13 was Jamila Henna Powder. When I ran out, I desperately ordered anything Henna Sooq had in stock in the hopes it might maintain my accidental ombre hair (it’s so on trend!). Last night I couldn’t decide on just one kind of plant powder to marinate in because none of them were quite right: they all have properties I like, but none are the simple “damn hell ass red” I’m used to. The only logical thing left to do, then, was to obviously use them all at once like some kind of henna dirty bomb.

I use tea in place of water in my henna, so I brewed up a batch of Lipton’s Spiced Cinnamon Chai. It smells great, and helps mask some of the earth stink. While the tea was steeping, I started mixing powders:

• 1/2 cup-ish of Moroccan Henna Powder
• 1/2 cup of Cassia Obovata,
• 4 generous tablespoons of Hibiscus Petal Powder
• A tablespoon of ground cloves because they smell good
• Two tablespoons of smelly apple cider vinegar

.. all mooshed together in the tea. It’s currently sitting on the counter for three hours to release the dye, and then it goes on my head. What will happen? I don’t know! That’s most of the fun of using henna; I never know what weird shade of orange-red-black my hair will be next. It does mean that the rest of my Sunday will be spent in jammies on the couch, but I’m quite alright with that: it’s been a fucking brutal two weeks, and I could use the quiet time. And a vacation. And some tequila.

To the science dome!