First let me tell you what henna is.
Henna is made from the plant, Lawsonia inermis. The henna is finely ground
into a powder. A paste is mixed and used to “draw” designs onto the skin. The
paste stains the outermost layer of the skin and creates a red-brown stain. The
henna mix must be allowed to remain for 4 to 12 hours so that the stain can be
absorbed onto the skin.. Henna is not meant to be injected or placed underneath
the skin.
What happens after Henna is applied?
Once henna is applied, the dye is allowed to dry which may take anywhere
from 2-6 hours. Once the henna dries, the powder will start to fall off the
skin. Any residual powder can be removed by washing the skin with water.
Initially the dye is bright orange but will start to darken in the next 2-3
days.
Henna tattoos appear darkest on the thickest layers of
the skin, like the hands, feet and thighs. Steaming or warming the henna
pattern will darken the stain, either during the time the paste is still on the
skin or after the paste has been removed