How to get a deep mehendi stain
Paste time, warmth and patience: the steps that decide whether your colour turns maroon or stays orange.
Your first mehendi: what to expect
For first-timers and children: how long it takes, how it feels and how to look after it.
If you have never had mehendi before, the first thing to know is that it does not hurt. The cone is pressed lightly and the paste feels cool and a little wet, like toothpaste on the skin. As it dries, it tightens slightly, which some people find ticklish.
Before we start, wash your hands with plain soap and dry them well. Skip lotion and oil that day, because henna stains best on clean, dry skin. If you have very sensitive skin, or this is a child’s first mehendi, ask us for a small dot on the inside of the arm first. We wait a few minutes and talk about what you would like.
A simple design takes 15 to 20 minutes. You will need to keep your hands still and flat while it dries, which takes another 20 to 30 minutes. For children, we suggest a small motif on the back of the hand rather than a full palm, so they can still hold things while it dries. We do mehendi for children from six years old, with a parent present.
Once it is dry, keep the paste on for as long as you can, ideally a few hours. Scrape it off, do not wash it, and keep water away for the rest of the day. The colour will be light orange at first and darken over the next day. It fades gently over one to two weeks as your skin renews, and there is nothing you need to do to remove it.
