Let's start with some basics.

  
Henna is a natural plant (a bush) that when
ground very fine and made into a paste stains
your skin, leaving a temporary tattoo. Henna
used in this artistic form is called mehndi,
though most people still refer to the art of
mehndi as simply, henna.

Henna has been around for thousands of

years in Africa, the Middle East, and the
Indian sub-continent.  Originally used in the
desert to help cool the body, henna became
an important part of the culture.  From
coming-of-age rights to wedding ceremonies,
henna is simply a part of life for much of the
world.

There are many factors that will effect

the color and longevity of your henna
tattoo.  Some of these factors are; the henna
itself, the henna additives (neveruse henna
that has chemical additives, especially PPD, also known as black henna), your
body chemistry, how oily or dry your skin is, the part of the body you henna, how
well you prepare your skin, how long you leave the henna on your skin, and
whether you seal your henna design or not.  Sounds complicated doesn't it?  It
doesn't have to be, because I am going to give you all the answers that I can, in
easy-to-understand terms.

If you are brand new to henna, I recommend using pre-made paste.  I know
many professional henna artists feel that you should always mix your own fresh
paste, but in my experience pre-mixed paste works just fine, is easier to use, and
doesn't make as big of a mess (especially for beginners).  Make sure you are
using natural henna without any chemical additives.  Only use henna that lists
the ingredients.

Henna takes best on the palms of the hand and the soles of the feet, because
these are the driest areas of your body with nice thick skin.  Though the color will
be darkest in these areas, it tends to fade quickly too as they are exposed to so
much more than other parts of the body.  I suggest starting off with a henna
design on the hand.  Henna both sides of the hand so that you can see the
difference in color and in how long the design lasts on two different types of skin.

Prepare Your Work Area

Make sure you have a comfortable place to sit and gather all your henna items
together.  
Be sure to include...

 plenty of paper towels

 a damp washcloth (that will get stained)
 toothpicks (great for removing mistakes for feathering your design)
 Q-Tips

 ...in addition to your henna products.  Don't wear nice clothes.  Remember
henna is a stain and will stain your clothes, the couch, the rug, or anything else it
gets on.

Prepare Your Henna

I have found a few simple things will help you get the most from your pre-mixed
henna paste.  First make sure it is completely mixed.  During shipping the henna
will sometimes separate, resulting in too thick henna, watery henna, and/or a
poor stain.  It is very important to knead your cone or tube completely re-mixing
the henna.  

I also like to add a bit of lavender oil and lemon juice to my henna.  I just learned
a new trick that I love!  Add a touch of table sugar to your henna and mix it in.  It
will make your henna very silky and will allow it to stay moist longer.

Tip:  Knead your henna well, than transfer it to a Jacquard applicator

bottle (Jody from Beachcombers introduced me to this, and it is a life-
saver!).  This little "magic bottle" as I call it, makes applying henna a
breeze.  The trick is to keep it filled.  If it starts to become empty, you will
have to squeeze to hard and your hand will cramp.  Here is a full set of
applicator bottles that they offer. 
Update!!!!! Check out these new Moroccan applicator bottles with
stainless steel tips!  Oh my gosh, they are even better than the Jac
bottles!  The henna just slides right through the tip and they are super
easy to use.  The tips switch out even easier than the Jac bottle tips, AND
they offer both 1/2 oz bottles & 1 oz bottles.  Thanks again, Jody!  They
are my new favorite applicators.

Prepare Your Hand

Wash in hot soapy water.  Do not use a lotion based soap, use something that
will strip the oil from your hand. I find that dish soap works very well.  After you
have dried your hand clean it with rubbing alcohol or astringent (Sea Breeze,
Which Hazel), this will really help your color to take.

Apply Your Henna Paste

Create your henna design.  Instructions should be included with your henna
paste.  Thicker lines in your design will leave longer-lasting darker color.  Thin
delicate designs will leave lighter color and will fade more quickly, so you may
want to start off with nice thick heavy designs.  The more delicate designs dry
too fast, and the color doesn't get a chance to penetrate very far into the skin.

After applying your henna tattoo design you can just let it dry and flake it off and
be finished, or if you want better color that lasts longer, you can seal your
design.  If you let it dry and flake it off, leave the henna on for as long as
possible.  Try for at least 2 hours.  After you flake off the dried henna, DO NOT
WASH OR WET your hand.  Apply mehndi oil over the complete design.  Your
henna tattoo color will darken over the next day or two. Here are some tips
for helping your henna tattoo last longer.

Seal Your Henna Tattoo Design

This is the only way to get really good dark color.  There are many different ways
to seal your henna, but they all do basically the same thing.  They protect your
henna and keep it moist longer so that the henna dye has a chance to seep into
the skin and leave a deeper stain.  All sealant methods should be done when the
henna is set (dry to the touch) but before it is completely dry and flaking off.

Lemon and Sugar Sealant

This is my favorite.  It is easy and cheap (just don't use it outside because
it attracts insects - don't ask how I know!).  Mix equal parts lemon juice
and sugar together.  The easiest way is to heat it on the stovetop and then
let it cool down.  Very carefully apply the cooled mixture over your henna
design (a Q-Tip or a cotton ball work well).  Be very careful that you don't
disturb the henna tattoo and that your mixture is not too watery as it will
make the design run.
 
Now you have to apply heat.  Use a blow dryer to dry the sealant
completely.  To darken the color further, use a candle or a blow dryer and
apply as much heat as you can stand for as long as you can stand for
about 2 hours in intervals of about 20-30 minutes apart.  It's amazing how
much darker this can make your henna tattoo.
 
When you are ready, gently scrap off the dried henna using your finger
nail or a butter knife.  Very gently rub off the sugar lemon mixture using
henna oil or olive oil.  Apply a layer of mehndi oil.  Avoid washing your
hand for as long as possible.
 
Liquid Latex Sealant
This is more expensive and requires a trip to the store, but it doesn't
attract bugs if you are outside. Some people are allergic to latex, so those
 people should not use this method.  Carefully apply liquid latex to your
henna with a Q-Tip or brush.  Blow dry it until completely dry.
 
When you are ready, peel the liquid latex off (it may rip out some hair) and
add mehndi oil over your design.

There are many other sealant methods, but these are the ones I've used.  After
you have sealed your henna you can put lightweight cotton gloves (or old socks)
on to protect the seal and allow you to go about your day.  You can also sleep
with these on (make sure they are not so heavy that you sweat).

You can expect a henna tattoo that has not been sealed to last between 5-10
days.  A henna tattoo that has been sealed should last 1-3 weeks.  Of course the
time that it lasts will depend on how you care for your tattoo and your body
chemistry.

Now some tips to protect your new henna tattoo and make it last as long as
possible.

 Avoid cleaning chemicals and chlorine. Use rubber gloves when cleaning
and if you swim, expect your henna tattoo to fade.
 Apply mehndi oil over your henna tattoo before getting it wet or bathing.
 Don't exfoliate the area and don't use exfoliating soaps or lotions.
 NEW TIP!  If you swim, spray your tattoo with spray bandage sealer.  This
can really help your henna tattoo last!