Mehndi is a kind of body decoration that is estimated to be around 5,000 or more years old. It seems to have popped up in several places around the world around the same time, and has become part of many cultures, including those of India, the Middle East, and Africa. People of many faiths embrace mehndi, often as part of wedding preparations, and for pregnancy and childbirth.
While mehndi does last a long time, anywhere from a week to 40 days, it is not permanent, and it's not a tattoo. It doesn't hurt to have it applied, and there are no needles involved. A special paste is made from henna and other natural ingredients, and this is applied to your skin. We leave it on to dry, seal it, and leave it there for awhile, from a couple of hours to all day or overnight- it's up to you. When the dried paste is removed, the design remains, and over the next day or three, the pattern will oxidize and finish darkening. The stain can range in color from oranges to reds, browns to burgundies, and can turn almost black- it depends on where on the body it was applied, your body chemistry, and other factors. Mehndi stains best on clean, dry skin- it's also helpful if you can avoid moisturizing the area where you want it applied for a few days prior to having the work done. It "sticks" better if you don't wash or get the design wet for at least the first 12 hours after you remove the henna paste- this will allow the color to develop to its maximum. Finally, your mehndi pattern will stay around longer if you don't exfoliate the area.
If you'd like to try mehndi, and you live in the Boise/Treasure Valley area, make an appointment with us! If you'd like to have your hands or feet done, or you live further away, it may be best to have us come to you, for your own convenience.
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