Once your henna paste is dry, I will seal it or cover it with paper medical tape to keep the design safe. For the best stain, leave the henna paste on your skin for a minimum of 6 hours. The longer you leave it on skin, darker the stain. Keep your hand as warm as possible while the paste is on.
Do not wash of the paste off, but pick or gently scrape it off with the help of vegetable oil or steam. You will see an orange stain. If properly cared for, the stain will deepen into a richer reddish-brown-burgundy tone over the next 48 hours.
Henna designs will last anywhere from 4 days to 4 weeks depending on the area that was hennaed & how well it’s maintained.

How to Maintain Your Henna

• Avoid contact with water as much as possible during the first 24 hours after paste removal, as water can interrupt the oxidization & darkening processes of your henna stain.
• Rub your henna with natural vegetable / nut oil before bathing to protect it from water. Pure canola, olive oil, sweet almond oil & pure shea butter all work well.
• Avoid using any petroleum based products such as regular commercial skin lotion, sunscreen, baby / mineral oil or Vaseline as they will contribute to the demise of your stain.
• Avoid excess rubbing of the area; the rubbing of clothing and shoes on the design will cause your henna design to fade more quickly. Avoid exfoliating, waxing or shaving over your henna as they remove layers of skin & fade your designs rapidly. Wearing gloves while cleaning, gardening & washing dishes will help a great deal.
• Bleaching or being in chlorinated pools or hot tubs & even excessive showering will fade the stain. Antioxidants such as vitamin E in lotions can also add to demise.

When tanning, remember that henna acts as a sun screen & the hennaed area will not tan. An interesting 'ghosting' effect may occur where un-hennaed skin will tan & the pattern will not.