When you first remove the henna paste the stain will be an orange-yellow color. Watch your new mehndi change from yellow-orange to a deeper reddish-brown (depending on your skin) over the next 48 hours. The dye will oxidize and mature over 2 days, becoming darker and richer in color. You should avoid contact with water as much as possible for the first 24 hours. The henna dye molecule is hydrophobic and won't deepen fully if exposed to water.

Natural henna will always leave a stain in the range of orange/red/brown, however, the exact shade can vary. Darkness varies with each person's body chemistry, the area of body chosen, and the length of time the paste remained in contact with the skin.

Natural henna will never dye your skin purple, pink, blue, or black. Any henna that dyes your skin a color other than reddish-brown has chemicals added that are not clearly healthy or safe. Black henna may have chemicals added that can blister and scar the skin as well as cause long term damage to your body. Please use only safe and natural brown henna.

The longer the paste is in contact with your skin, the darker the color and the longer lasting it will be. It will last the longest, 1-3 weeks, on thicker, dry skin such as hands and feet, and will fade more quickly, 3-10 days, on thinner skinned areas such as arms, chest, and back. As your skin exfoliates and regenerates your mehndi will completely disappear.

To obtain the best possible stain apply the paste to hands and feet, keep the area very warm, and leave the paste on at least 6 hours.