Quick & Easy Tips To Make Your Mehndi Darker

You may have heard this saying/myth enough times - “The darker your mehndi, the more your husband will love you.” While you may or may not believe this but somehow really interested in having your mehndi dark and pretty. After all, it plays an equally important role in enhancing your overall look. 

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You have selected the best design out of hundred designs and booked the henna artist looking at their work and reviews but not many know once that design is on your palms, what is the guarantee that it will give you the desired shade of mehndi you want. 

If you want to know the tips to make your mehndi dark and long-lasting, continue reading to find the natural hacks that will help give you a darker shade of mehndi. 

Significance of Mehndi 

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Applying mehndi or henna is one of the favorite rituals of the wedding and is said to bring prosperity to newlyweds. It is also considered to be auspicious for events like Karvachauth and similar festivals. While everyone wants their mehndi to be deep and dark in color, a lot of it depends on the quality of the mehndi your vendor is using. Apart from this, you can also use natural ways that may help you to darken your mehndi using kitchen ingredients. 

Tips To Make Your Mehndi Darker

1. Wash your hands before applying Mehnndi

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Before applying henna on your palms, make sure you wash your hands and dry them properly so that the henna will get absorbed nicely. 

How to do?

• Wash your hands rigorously with soap.
• Dry them up using a hand towel.

2. No cream or moisturizer

Source: De Green Henna

After drying your hands, make sure you do not use any cream or moisturizer, so there are no added layers on your skin, and mehndi can be completely absorbed into your skin, resulting in a naturally darker color. 

3. Apply eucalyptus oil

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Apply this essential oil to your hands and feet before applying henna. Not only does it smell good, but the oil also helps to darken the mehndi color naturally. 

How to do?

• Take a few drops of eucalyptus oil on your palms.
• Rub them against each other.

4. Let your mehndi dry naturally

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Allow your henna to dry naturally. Don't move your hands often or use a blow dryer as it can smudge your design. 

Also Read: Latest & Trending Mehndi Designs For This Festive Season

5. Let your mehndi stay for longer

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We know you are probably tired after getting mehndi done for hours and can't wait to scrape it off as soon as it is dried a little, but we suggest you keep the mehndi on as long as you can, preferably overnight. 

Once it’s dried, you can wear gloves or socks so the mehndi stays on and doesn't leave crumbs in bed. Leaving it overnight gives you the desired dark color. 

6. Try Clove Smoke

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A tried and tested formula that works great in darkening the color of your mehndi is the smoke produced from heated cloves. It is believed that the smoke from heated cloves helps darken the mehndi color.

How to do?

• Take a few cloves in a flat pan and roast them
• Place your hands over the pan as soon as the smoke starts to come in (once you have scraped the mehndi off)
• Do this a couple of times
• Repeat this twice or thrice and see the results.

Also Read: 28 Gorgeous Back Hand Mehndi Designs That Stole Our Hearts

7. Lemon and Sugar Mix

Another widely followed home remedy to darken your mehndi color is the traditional lemon and sugar mixture. This helps to stick mehndi on your skin longer and doesn’t fall off. 

How to do?

• Boil some water with sugar in it. Add lemon drops to it.
• Dab it on your hands with the help of a cotton ball once your mehndi is all dried
• Your hands may feel a little sticky with the mixture but the results are worth it
• Try and apply this mixture at least thrice on your mehndi.

8. Use A Cling Wrap

Source: De Green House

Wrapping your mehndi-adorned hands with a cling wrap traps the heat to intensify and darken the mehndi color. 

How to do?

• Once your henna is dried, wrap it up with a cling wrap
• You can also use gloves and socks to wrap up your henna designs.

9. Balms to the rescue 

This is a tried and tested home remedy which seems to have great results. Once your mehndi is dried and you have removed it, applying a balm can help darken your mehndi naturally. 

How to do?

• Once your mehndi is dried, scrape it off by rubbing both your hands against each other.
• Take a good amount of Vicks or similar balm in your hands and rub it on your hands just like you apply lotion. 
• Leave it overnight

10. Mustard Oil for better results

Other than balms, you can also apply mustard oil or any other pickle oil on your hands to darken the color of your mehndi.

How to do?

Apply a few drops of mustard oil and rub your palms together. 

11. Sugar

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Adding sugar to the mehndi mixture while the vendor is making it can result in a darker shade and also makes it last longer. 

12. Tea or coffee mix

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You can add some tea or coffee soaked in water to the mehndi mixture before applying it. It is believed that the dark brown and black color mixed with mehndi liquid gives it a beautiful deep color. 

13. Lime powder

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It is also recommended to apply a thin layer of lime powder soaked in water to have a darker mehndi color. 

Note: This works only if haven't washed your hands already.

14. Stay away from water

Source: The Lotus Project 

Now that you have tried all the natural ways to get a deep, dark mehndi color, another thing that you must do is - avoid washing your hands, at least for a day. Water prevents the henna color penetrate deep into your skin, so avoid using water. 

15. No waxing or shaving

Keep all waxing, pedicure, and manicure appointments before getting your mehndi done. If you have to, then you must do it at least 2-3 days later, otherwise, you will the top layer of the mehndi will be scrapped and you won't be able to get a darker shade. 

Dos And Don’ts To Make Your Mehndi Color Last Longer

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Dos

• Make sure there is no lotion or moisturizer applied before you apply the mehndi
• Leave the mehndi on for at least 7-8 hours to get a deeper shade
• Put Vaseline on your nails before applying mehndi, especially if you have got a manicure
• Apply mehndi at least 2 days before your wedding/event to get the best shade
• If you are getting married in winter, put mehndi in the morning as cold helps in getting intense shade
• Dip your hands in cold water after washing your mehndi off. It helps close the skin pores that may help in sealing the mehndi color for a longer duration
• Once your henna is dried, massage your hands with oil and let it soak. This gives dark and strong color
• Wear gloves or cover your hands and feet when going as sun exposure may lighten the mehndi color

Dont's

• Keep the henna on your hands for as long as possible, preferable overnight
• While taking it off, do not wash your hands with soap, it may fade the color. Use cold water to remove henna
• Do not overuse the sugar and lemon mixture, it will fade your mehndi color

Also Read: Thoughtful & Trendy Karva Chauth Jewelry Gift Ideas For Your Wife