Have you heard this myth about mehndi? The darker it is, the more your husband loves you! Jokes aside, with the Karwa Chauth season back in the bay, women are thronging markets to get their palms adorned by henna or mehndi designs. And who even likes pale mehndi? Ladies, if you are searching for natural ways to darken mehndi at home to ensure you get the most attractive colour possible, your search can end here.
On the day of Karwa Chauth, all married Hindu women observe Nirjala fast for the long life of their husband and open the fast after seeing the moon at night. This year, Karwa Chauth will be celebrated on October 13. A unique aspect of this day is that ladies do solah shringar, or sixteen embellishments. Mehndi is a part of it.
How to make mehndi darker and long lasting?
Applying mehndi is considered auspicious. It plays a significant role in various Indian festivities as well as wedding customs. It is believed that the darker the mehndi, the more you are loved and adored by your husband. These days, in the marketplace, many mehndi vendors use chemical-based henna which can guarantee a darker shade of henna but may also impact your skin.
Instead, you can learn how to make henna at home, and then use natural home remedies to darken mehendi.
First let’s know the benefits of applying mehndi:
Mehndi has a cooling effect, so it helps to keep your body and mind calm and cool. According to the online journal of National Center of Biotechnology Information, henna has antiseptic properties, which can prove to be helpful in healing many skin conditions. In addition, it also has healing properties and helps in maintaining good blood circulation.
6 home remedies that will help to darken the colour of your mehndi:
1. Henna oil
Apply henna oil to the hands before applying mehndi. This highlights the mehndi’s colour. You must have also seen many mehndi applyers using it before applying mehndi. So make sure you apply it. It will make mehndi look bright and beautiful!
Also, read: Karwa Chauth: Get an instant glow with these 5 anti-ageing peels
2. Use 2 cloves
Once you remove the mehndi, take a small sized saucepan and heat at least 8–10 pieces of cloves until smoke begins to emerge. Now keep your hand above the pan at a distance and be careful so that the hand does not get burnt. Allowing your hands to come into contact with the smoke before removing it can darker the colour of it. Repeat this process at least four times to get a nice deep colour.
3. Lemon and sugar
Take a bowl, add some lemon juice, some sugar, and stir everything together. Do not use water to make it smooth as it can reduce the effect. After that, take a cotton ball, soak it in the mixture, and lightly dab it on the mehndi once your mehndi is dry.
Make sure that your dry mehndi does not come out from the cotton. So, do not rub the cotton ball too fast. Otherwise dry mehndi can come out from it. This mixture helps the mehndi to last longer, giving it a deeper colour.
4. Mustard oil
Many people have mustard oil in their house. All you have to do is once you remove the mehndi, apply mustard oil. It helps to darken the colour of mehndi. It is believed that the effect of mustard oil is hot, due to which the colour of mehndi becomes darker.
5. Tea or coffee powder
You can also use tea or coffee water instead of plain water to prepare the mehndi. Both tea and coffee contain natural pigments that will help you darken the colour of the mehndi.
Also, read: Mehendi is auspicious for Karwa Chauth, but is it safe for your skin? It’s time to weigh in!
6. Pickle oil
Mango sour pickle oil can also prove to be very beneficial in deepening the colour of mehndi as it contains extracts of all spices. After removing the mehndi, rub this oil in your hand. Avoid putting your hands in water for as long as possible.
Happy Karwa Chauth!