Prep And Aftercare For Dark Henna Stains

Mar 31

To get the darkest and longest-lasting stains, half of that depends on quality of the product and the other half depends on your prep & aftercare.

We’ve got the product quality covered, so the rest is up to you!

PREP AFTERCARE

1) BEFORE YOU START

If you only follow ONE prep tip, do this:

Make sure your skin is clean! Wash with soap & water, or wipe the area down with rubbing alcohol or witch hazel. No lotions, oils, self tanner, makeup etc.

More Pro Tips:

REMOVE HAIR where you want the design, if you’re comfortable with it. Even little invisible hairs can prevent the henna/jagua from making full contact with your skin, which leads to uneven stains.
SPRAY TANS & MANICURES should be done at least 24 hrs before or after the henna/jagua.
DRESS FOR THE DESIGN. Plan to leave the area uncovered for 6-12 hours and dress accordingly. For example, if you want a shoulder piece wear a sleeveless/strapless top.
ARRANGE FOR HELP if you want designs on your palms or feet. You might need someone else to drive for you, help you to the restroom, get food etc.
If you exfoliate regularly, STOP exfoliating about 3 days before your session.

IMPORTANT: If you bought jagua to do on yourself/others:

Have a q-tip + rubbing alcohol or witch hazel handy to clean up mistakes. Our jagua is ultra fresh and extremely potent! It starts staining immediately. Wiping it off with a dry cloth or plain water won’t prevent staining! Even if it looks like you removed it, it will magically appear the next day. :)

If you booked an appointment with me:

I usually try to get pics/video, so keep that in mind if it helps you decide what to wear / nails done etc.
Bring an umbrella for getting back to your car, just in case!

2) Aftercare

If you only follow ONE aftercare tip, do this:

Leave the dried henna / jagua on your skin for 6+ hours. The longer it’s on, the darker and longer-lasting the stain will be! To help with this, I recommend applying Finishing Spray or covering with Mefix or Aftercare Wrap.

If you come for an appointment with me, I’ll apply finishing spray (Mefix & wrap are available for purchase)

If you’re doing jagua, this is also a MUST:

Cover the stained area the first two nights! Jagua can transfer to other parts of the body (yours or someone else’s) if it’s in contact for a prolonged time, like when you’re sleeping even if you’ve washed with soap and water. So, wear long sleeves, cover with a wrap or sock, etc. After the first two nights you don’t need to worry about this anymore.

- LEAVE THE GEL ON for 2-8 hours, then wash off with soap and warm water.
- DON’T shower/bathe while the gel is still on your skin, it can smear or drip.
- AVOID direct sun, very hot water (hot tubs, extra hot showers/baths) and harsh chemicals (i.e. cleansers, chlorine) for 24 hrs after removing the gel. Since it’s a tropical fruit, jagua can be a bit irritating and these things can enhance the irritation. Water is OK! Just not super hot.
And once again, because this can’t be said enough:
- COVER the area overnight the first 2 nights with a sock, long sleeves or similar. Jagua stains can transfer to other parts of your body, even after washing!! After the first couple of nights, you don’t have to worry about wrapping anymore.
- STAY WARM while the paste is on. Henna loves warm skin and it will really help it darken! In colder months, sit near a space heater or use a heating pad. It really makes a difference!
- LEAVE THE DRIED PASTE ON for 6-12 hours. You can sleep with it on overnight, too. If you do, wrap it in something breathable such as Mefix tape, aftercare wrap or even toilet paper with a sock over it.
  - DON’T use Saran / cling wrap. It's not breathable and can encourage sweating. Sweat = runny henna!
  - DON’T try to shower/bathe while the paste is still on your skin. It can smear or drip.
- AFTER 6-12 HRS, gently pick/scrape off. No water! You can rub a little vegetable oil into it and let sit a few minutes to soften. Then use a dry washcloth to remove.
- AVOID WATER on the fresh stain for 24 hours after removing the paste.
And once again, because this can’t be said enough:
- If you got jagua-henna, COVER the area overnight the first 2 nights with a sock, long sleeves or similar. Jagua stains can transfer to other parts of your body, even after washing!! After the first couple of nights, you don’t have to worry about this anymore.