Care

Don't touch the design directly after it's applied. Henna paste is moist when applied. After application, you need to keep that body part away from any obstructions—clothing, hair, environmental factors—so that it doesn't smear the design. The paste usually dries within 5-10 minutes, but err on the side of caution. It will take approximately half an hour before the henna paste is dry enough that you don't have to worry about smudging it.

Leave the henna paste on your skin for as long as possible. (sleep with it if possible) The longer the paste stays on the skin, the darker the stain will be. Let the paste dry on your skin for at least 6 hours, and consider leaving it on overnight. Don't wash it off; don't rub it off; don't accidentally brush it against anything.

Use sugar and lemon juice. (optional) Once the henna paste starts to dry, coat it with a mixture of sugar and lemon juice. Leave it to soak in for a few hours, or even overnight. This will keep the paste moist for longer, making the resulting stain even darker. Fill a small bowl with lemon juice, then mix with sugar until the solution is sticky and syrupy. Use a cotton ball to blot the sugar-lemon-juice onto the dry henna.

• • The lemon sugar helps moisturize the henna. It also serves to seal the henna and protect the design. The acidity of the lemon can also help highlight the color of the henna.

  • Be careful not to over-saturate the henna; you just want it very slightly damp. If you use too much moisture, the dye may smear and drip – especially at first.

  • If you leave the sugar-and-lemon-juice solution on your skin overnight, it's important to wrap or otherwise protect your skin from rubbing and smearing.

Try to keep your skin warm and moist. The warmer the body temperature, the faster the henna will stain. If you are cold, try drinking something hot before you start. Gently steaming the paste-coated area also helps impart warmth and moisture.

Wrap up the design. The henna paste will flake and crumble as it dries, so consider covering up the inked area to keep the crumbs from spilling everywhere. Wrapping also helps make the stain darker by conserving heat and moisture. You can wrap the area with an elastic bandage, paper medical tape or toilet paper. Try covering the wrap with a sock to make it more secure.

• Try laying a piece of toilet paper over the design, then wrapping the area with an elastic bandage. If you want to use plastic wrap, be sure to wrap with toilet paper first to soak up any perspiration and to prevent smudges.

• Know that henna stains textiles like clothing, sheets, and towels. If you leave the paste on overnight, wrapping may protect your sheets.

• Some claim that wrapping is the only way to care for a henna design, but others say that you only need to wrap your ink if you've gotten extensive work done.

Wash off any dry henna flakes. Use room-temperature water and mild soap. Dab the stain with a gentle cloth. If you rub the design at this early stage, it might begin to fade more quickly.

After a few hours...

Scrape off the dry henna paste after 6-24 hours. Use any clean, dull scraping tool: a toothpick, a fingernail, a file, or the blunt side of a knife. Rinse your skin with room-temperature water once you've cleared most of the henna paste. Avoid using soap on the fresh henna.^[3]

• When your skin is clean, pat it dry. Then, gently moisturize the design with oil or lotion.

Keep the henna area away from soap and water for 24 hours. Try not to get the area wet for at least 6-12 hours after paste removal, although the effect will be even stronger if you wait a full 24 hours. Water can interrupt the oxidization and darkening processes of your henna stain.

Watch the color deepen. Once you've exposed your skin and cleaned off the dried henna paste, you'll be able to watch the ink mature into its fullest form. Your design should begin in a shade of orange ranging from bright neon to the color of a pumpkin. Over the next 48 hours, the stain will deepen into a rich, red-brown color. The markings will end up somewhere between orange-brown, maroon, and chocolate brown. Your design will be at its darkest within a day or two of its application.^[4]

• The final color hinges on your skin type and your body chemistry. The ink usually looks darker on hands and feet.