Henna Aftercare- Do's and don'ts to get the best results

Getting your henna applied is only the beginning, to get the best stains, you must follow good aftercare. When you book with The Henna Peacock, we include full aftercare information and products so that you have everything you need to get great results.

After your design has been applied, the paste usually takes about 15-20 minutes to dry in warm weather. It is important to keep the paste on the skin, even after it has dried. The longer the paste stays on the skin, the better and longer that the dye can sink into your skin. We recommend leaving the paste on for at least 5 hours, although 12 hours is best (longer than that won't make a difference). At our boutique, you are welcome to stay while your design dries (we also have a handy drier that helps), so that we can then apply a spritz of our henna sealant spray (rose water, sugar, and rose essential oil). This helps the paste stick to your skin easier for longer.

Stay warm- Henna loves heat, so in the winter and on cold days, a hot water bottle to rest your hands on can make the difference between a great stain and an average stain.

When you do eventually remove the paste, scrape it off with your nails or the edge of a spoon. For any stubborn bits, we recommend using coconut oil, ghee, or any other oil you would cook with (other oils are not as good for the henna) over the paste and letting it soak for 5 minutes, and the stubborn bits should flake off easily. Wipe off any excess oil with a towel. Do not wash the paste off your hands, as this can affect the resulting stain.

Natural henna stains start off orange- do not be alarmed by this, as it will start to deepen and darken over the next 24-48 hours, as the fresh stain is exposed to air. You can apply a small amount of lavender essential oil (either neat, or dialuted in a base oil- coconut, grapeseed, jojoba, and olive oil all work well for this- add 3-4 drops of lavender essential oil to a teaspoon of base oil) during this time to help bring out the stain even more.

Avoid excessive water exposure- Henna doesn't like water, while the paste is on and in the first 48 hours after paste removal, your stain will be developing. By exposing your fresh design to a lot of water too quickly, it can stop the stain from fully developing and leave you with a weak stain. You can still wash- We offer our vegan friendly henna balm with our services, that you can apply to the adorned area before having a bath or shower. It creates a natural barrier to protect your design from the effects of the water.

You can also use your aftercare balm as a moisturiser, lip balm, over healed scars and stretch marks, and on dry skin. It was created to be as good for the skin as it is for keeping your design at it's best.

Enjoy your henna design. On average, henna lasts about 5-10 days, depending on placement, your individual skin type, medication you are on, the time of the month (some women stain best during ovulation and worst during menstruation, some women find the opposite, and others do not find much of a difference- you may want to keep a note of this when you book so that you can find out when the best time for you is) as well as numerous other factors. Skin care products can also make a stain fade quicker, so it's best to avoid exfoliants, moisturizers and other creams and lotions over your design.