Tricks to Ensure a Dark Henna Stain

Written By Kushreet Kaur

Dream Girl Photoshoot*

"The darker your mehndi, the more your husband will love you.” This is a common saying in many South Asian cultures. However, there are many other tricks to ensuring a dark stain from natural henna.

1. Wash your hands BEFORE applying Henna

Before applying henna on your palms, wash your hands rigorously with soap and then dry them up using a hand towel.

After drying off, make sure not to apply moisturizer or lotion as it prevents your skin from absorbing the henna fully.

2. Leave your Henna on as long as possible

The process of getting henna done can sometimes be a long process. However, leaving your henna on for over four hours, at the least, can greatly increase the intensity of the stain. Some may even recommend leaving it on over night. 

3. Try Clove Smoke

The smoke produced from heated cloves has been an old and traditional ingredient in darkening henna stains. All you’ve got to do is:

  • Take a few cloves in an iron pan

  • Turn on the heat and place your hands over the pan.

  • Allow the your henna to dry over the stove.

4. Apply a generous amount of Lemon & Sugar

After your henna is fully dried off,

  • Make a mixture of lemon and sugar.

  • Apply it on your hands with the help of a cotton ball.

Apply the mixture no more than twice or it might start to yield the opposite results. 

5. Mefix Tape

Once your henna is dry. Use some mefix tape to cover it and keep it from flaking off before the four hours are up. The medical tape is a better alternative to plastic bags or gloves as those tend to cause sweating which smudges the design. 

6. Scrape off your Henna with Mustard Oil

Once it is time to remove the henna, do NOT wash it off. Instead scrape it off while simultaneously massaging oil into the stain. Some will even swear by Vics. 

7. Avoid washing your hands

After all is said and done, keep your hands from contacting water for at least 24 hours. During the first day, the stain is still premature so water could wash away some of the potential stain. 

Conclusion

Once you have completed this process you should be left with a rich and intense henna stain. The stain will fully mature after 48 hours of the initial application and will fade over the next two to three weeks.  

Dream Girl Photoshoot Details (instagrams):

Creative Director: @notyourmunni

Event Planner: @notyourmunni assisted by @sonimann_designs

Costumes: @nikkiscostumes

Jewelry: @sonimann_designs

Gajra: @reigningflowers

MUAH: @beauty_by_suman

Mehndi: @hennabykush

Photography: @reflectlight_photo

Model: @notyourmunni

Kushreet Kaur