How to Care for a Henna Design

Henna never looks exactly the same on every person, nor on different places of the body. Due to body chemistry, the types of henna used and how dry the skin is, henna may last longer or turn out darker on some skin. However, there are a number of ways that you can care for your henna design to ensure that it stays as long as humanly possible

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Sugar
• Lemon
• Cotton swabs
• Warm drinks
• Heater
• Toilet paper
• Cloth bandage
• Gloves
• Baking soda
• Peroxide
• Moisturizer

1. Leave the henna paste on your skin for as long as possible after application. While the minimum time is 5 hours, you will get far better results if you leave it on overnight.

2. Dampen the paste before it dries to help prevent it from flaking off of the skin. Mix 5 tbsp. of sugar and the juice from one lemon. Dip a cotton swab into the liquid and apply gently to the top of the design, wiping away any drips as you go.

3. Keep your body warm while allowing the henna design to soak into your skin, as henna tends to stain faster when you apply it to warm skin. Try drinking warm drinks and turning up the heat.

4. Care for your henna design when you are ready to go to bed by first wrapping it carefully with toilet paper and then covering with a cloth bandage.

5. Allow the henna paste to fall of naturally, avoiding getting the area wet for 24 hours, if at all possible. When you finally wash the area, wash as gently as possible and do not use soap or other skin care products over the design.

6. Wear gloves when washing dishes if you have a henna hand design, avoid soaking in water and do not use exfoliators of any kind until you are ready for your henna design to go.

7. Speed removal of your henna design by gently massaging the skin with baking soda and peroxide. Rinse with warm water and then apply moisturizer.