Henna Aftercare!

After your design...

Let the paste dry and don't smear it! This could take 30-45 minutes or longer; large/thickly filled areas will take longer, especially in humid weather.
Leave the dry paste on for as long as possible-- as many hours as you can! The longer you keep the paste on, the darker your design will get, and the longer it will last.

Optional: mix a little sugar into some lemon juice, and periodically dab a little onto your design using a cotton ball, and let it re-dry.

Let the paste crumble off on its own. We don't especially recommend wearing it to bed, as paste crumbles can end up in the laundry and stain the sheets!
Once the paste is gone, moisturize!
When the paste first crumbles away, your design will be a pumpkin-orange color. This color will darken over the next 24-36 hours into a nice, rich auburn (red-brown).
Before showering, apply a body lotion to cover your design. Before bathing, swimming, or simmering in the hot tub, apply a lip balm to cover your design.
Moisturize daily to prolong the life of your design!
Avoid scrubbing, shaving, or exfoliating the area while you have your design.

Before you're painted, if possible:

Scrub/exfoliate the area to be painted for 1-2 days prior to receiving henna
Skip the lotion, moisturizer, and/or other body products (including sunscreen, bug spray, etc.), especially on the day you'll be painted