Ask anyone, and they’ll tell you that mehendi is the essence of any Indian wedding. And while most of us enjoy drenching our hands and feet in swirls of designs, this satisfaction lasts for a couple of days—before dissipating into disappointment owing to all the chipping and flaking, and, consequently, the much-dreaded unravelling of the orange-ish tint under the design. That’s why we’ve rounded up a couple of hacks that lighten chipping-away henna naturally and safely. Read on.
Flake Off: 7 DIY Remedies To Remove Henna From Your Skin
Lemon
Lemon’s bleaching abilities can help remove henna from the skin. Just squeeze half a lemon all over your palms and feet, and rub it into your skin with the peel for a few minutes before washing it off. You can soak your hands in a salt-water bath as well. Just fill a bucket with enough water to immerse your hands or feet in, and thrown in four or five tablespoons of lemon (juice). You can repeat this twice a day.
Lemon + Baking Soda
Combine equal parts of lemon with baking soda-powder to make a thick paste, and apply it to your palms for about five minutes before washing it off. Since this method can dry your hands, make sure you’re moisturising them thoroughly.
Salt + Water
Add a cup of salt to a bowl of lukewarm water, and soak your hands and feet in it for about 20 minutes. Repeat this every alternate day to remove the stains effectively. Follow this up with moisturisation to reinstate your skin’s suppleness.
Toothpaste
The abrasives and ingredients in toothpaste can eliminate such stains easily. All you have to do is apply a layer of paste over the parts that are covered in mehendi, and let it sit for a couple of minutes before rubbing it off gently with a (damp) cloth. Repeat this every alternate day.
Olive Oil + Salt
Mix three tablespoons of olive oil with one tablespoon of salt, and apply the resulting concoction all over your hands and feet for about 20 minutes. Wash it off with (cold) water after, and repeat this hack twice or thrice every day to see results. Salt can exfoliate the skin, but avoid massaging it vigorously as it can hurt you if overdone.
Water + Loofah
Warm up some water, and transfer it to a bowl before soaking your hands in it. After a couple of minutes, scrub your hands (gently) with a loofah. Make sure the water isn’t too hot, and the loofah isn’t rough on the skin; and moisturise right after.
Face Exfoliator
If exfoliation is a part of your skincare routine, and you’re using a physical exfoliator to clean your skin, you can use it to scrub off some of your henna as well—thanks to the granules and beads in the formula. Do this for 5 minutes, and rinse it off with water.
Since most of these hacks will rob your skin of moisture, don’t forget to layer a moisturiser or cream onto your body right after to prevent drying and chipping.
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