Natural Henna
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Every girl dreams of a dark and a beautiful mehndi design on her special day. Here are few tips for beautiful dark colour
1. DO Ask about the ingredients in the henna paste so as to prevent allergic reactions if any. Different artists may use different ingredients in their pastes.
2. DO All tedious chores & get all of your work out of the way - application of henna is very time consuming & once applied your aim is to preserve it. 3. DO Exfoliate properly. - Body scrubs & spa treatments - natural henna only stains the dead skin cells of the top most layers of the epidermis, more specifically, the stratum corneum. You want the henna to stain a fresh layer of skin so that it lasts longer. Chemicals at the spa or salon will interfere with the staining process of henna. - Waxing, shaving, hair removal - these procedures help to exfoliate dead skin & must be done at least one day before the application of henna. 4. DO Eat, use the necessary facilities & dress comfortably before getting your henna done. You do not want to disturb your henna art work for some time. Brides are usually advised to keep the henna paste on for an average of 6-12 hours if possible, (in some cultures, brides sleep with their henna overnight). 5. DO NOT Apply sanitizers, lotions, oils (such as baby oil, coconut oil, etc.), and petroleum based products (sunscreen, vaseline, vapor rubs, etc.), BEFORE and during the application of henna.
1. DO Keep the henna paste on as long as possible to ensure proper dye saturation. After all, you want the best color stain possible! 2. DO NOT Pick off the henna pieces when it starts to flake off bit by bit - let it do so naturally. If there are still pieces of henna on your skin, the staining process is not yet complete. 3. DO Apply to the dried decorated area a mixture of lime or lemon juice with sugar or honey & apply with a sponge, cotton ball or spray applicator. Both the acidity of the juice & the stickiness of the sugar will help to achieve maximum dye saturation, while keeping the design intact as long as possible. Application of the mixture may be repeated approximately 2-3 times. 4. DO Keep the stained area(s) warm - heat aids in color darkening. You can speed up the oxidization process by gently steaming the area(s) where artwork have been done. 5. DO NOT Wash the area [immediately after the paste flakes off], with any water or detergents, nor use sanitizers, petroleum based products, or oils. These may prevent proper oxidization of the henna on your skin in the first 24 to 48 hours. 6. DO Use rubber or latex gloves, or any protective covering on the stained area(s) to help preserve the design while sleeping, bathing or otherwise. After the full stain has manifested, [usually after 48 hours], you may use coconut oil or olive oil to create a barrier between your skin & water, so as to protect the design & prevent your skin from drying out. 7. DO Have patience - henna stains differently on everyone. The staining process of henna is a gradual one; the full colour never comes in instantly. |
Henna Before Care
