How to Make a Mehndi Cone at Home (Paste and Cone)

A cone you roll yourself, filled with fresh natural paste, gives finer lines and a better stain than most ready-made cones. It takes about ten minutes, plus time for the paste to rest.

What you need

Henna powder: body-art quality, finely sifted. 20 g fills two or three cones.
Lemon juice, or water if your skin is sensitive.
Sugar: about a teaspoon. It makes the paste smooth and helps it stick.
An essential oil for henna: eucalyptus, tea tree or lavender, a teaspoon for 20 g. It helps the colour develop. Skip it for young children.
Cone sheets: cellophane or thin plastic sheets, about 15 × 20 cm, from a craft or mehndi shop.
Tape, scissors, and a small zip bag for filling.

Make the paste

Mix the powder, sugar and oil, then add lemon juice a little at a time, stirring until the paste is as thick as toothpaste: smooth, and it falls slowly from the spoon.
Let it rest, covered, in a warm place. The paste is ready when a darker orange-brown liquid shows on the surface: usually 6 to 12 hours, faster in a warm room.
Stir it again and add a few drops of lemon juice if it has thickened. It should pull into a soft string from the spoon.

Roll the cone

Hold the sheet with one corner pointing towards you.
Roll it from one side into a tight cone, so the point at the bottom is closed and sharp.
Tape the outer edge firmly along its length.

Fill and cut

Spoon the paste into the corner of a zip bag, snip a small hole, and squeeze it into the cone until it is a third to half full.
Fold the top over twice, and tape it shut.
Cut the very tip of the cone. Start with the smallest cut you can make: a smaller hole gives finer lines, and you can always cut a little more.
Test it on paper. Squeeze gently from the top; the line should flow evenly without blobs.

Store it

Fresh paste keeps for a day or two at room temperature and about a week in the fridge. Frozen, it keeps for months: freeze extra cones the day you make them, and thaw one at room temperature for 20 minutes before use.

Ready-made cones

If you buy cones, choose ones that list their ingredients, and avoid any that promise a black or instant stain. They usually contain chemical dyes. See is black henna safe.