Citric Acid Crystals for Henna and Cassia
If you don't have citrus juice on hand, this will get the job done!

Citric Acid

Henna and cassia wiill dye your hair most effectively when they are mixed with an acidic liquid. The acidic liquid keeps the hydrogen atoms intact on the corners of the quinone molecules so the color (lawsone or crysophanic acid) can bind to the keratin in your hair.  If these molecules are bound to your hair, the color will not fade or go peculiar.  In fact, the color will gradually deepen and look more natural.  Dilute lemon juice, orange juice, apple juice, and cranberry juice are all great for mixing.  If you don't have any of these handy .... use citric acid!

Add one 6g packet of Ancient Sunrise Citric Acid to 100g of  henna or cassia powder from mehandi.com. Add one additional packet for each additional 100g of henna or cassia.

Would you like to know the real chemistry of how henna works and why an acidic mix gives you the best results?
Read THIS: The Chemistry of Henna

Click shopping cart buttons below to order.  
  • We ship via Priority mail for larger items, and surface mail for samples.   
  • Shipping charges are approximate, based on weight. If you order several items, we'll refund any excess postage!
  • Additional shipping charges may be due for shipping outside of USA. If your your order doesn't include enough postage for the shipment, we'll send you a bill. When you pay the postage, we'll ship your order.
  • Ordering more than one item, or from outside the USA and want us to send you an invoice? Email your shopping list to Mehandi  and we'll send you a Paypal Invoice with the correct shipping amount.   Remember to tell us your paypal email address and correct shipping address!
  • If you are purchasing from us, please click here!

Add liquid

Add room temperature (NOT BOILING) liquid to your citric acid and henna or cassia powders. Continue to add liquid and stir until the powders are a paste about as thick as green mashed potatoes.

What liquid should you add?
  1. Add your favorite fragrant herb tea to your powders.  Boiling the water for tea will drive off the chlorine.
  2. Add distilled water or rain water to your powders. 
What should you not add?
  1. Do not use tap water in your henna mix.  Most tap water has chlorine, which is why you don't fill your fish bowl straight out of the tap.  If  tap water is going to kill your fish, its not going to do your henna any good, either.
  2. Do not add tea or coffee to your henna mix.  Caffeine is transdermal, and may give you the jitters.  Neither coffee nor tea will darken the color of the henna.
  3. DO NOT add boiling water to your henna or cassia.  Boiling will knock the hydrogen atoms off the corners of your quinone molecules and the dye results will fade and look brassy.
Ancient Sunrise ® Citric Acid

6g to mix in 100g of henna or cassia = $1.50  #2401

Multipack: Five 6g Ancient Sunrise ® Citric Acid: Use one packet per 100g of henna or cassia = $7.50  #2402
Buy the multipak of you purchase henna in bulk.  Use one multipack for each 500g of henna or cassia. 

 No juice?

Ready to mix henna and
 no juice in the house?

Citric Acid to the rescue!

Keep some on hand so you never have to run to the store at the last minute.