A. Srinivasan’s Guide To Making Your Mehndi Last Longer

Indian weddings are known for being long, detailed and joyous celebrations that last for days, and a mehndi ceremony holds immense significance during this time. Adorning hands and feet with intricate patterns is an age-old South Asian tradition practised during weddings and festivals.

Today, henna or mehndi has taken on several forms and evolved. From people wanting glitter patterns over their palms to getting alta and white, skin-friendly ink in henna patterns, mehndi has become a much more experimental ordeal. Yet, the tradition and sentimental value remain the same.

This is why, when it comes to making the right choices in having your mehndi last longer and what kind of motifs to choose from this festive season, we’ve chatted with celebrity mehndi artist A. Srinivasan on how to get the most out of your mehndi. Read on to know more…

How To Make Your Mehndi Last Longer

A. Srinivasan, who’s worked with celebrities such as Parineeti Chopra, Sonam Kapoor, and Alia Bhatt, reminds us that it really is the small things that matter when it comes to beauty. He has three golden tips that you can follow to make your mehndi last longer.

1) Scrub your skin before applying it and keep it dry while it sets.
2) Use a lemon-sugar mix to deepen the colour.
3) After removing, keep your hands warm, and use natural oils to moisturise. 
4) Avoid water, chlorine, and harsh soaps.

What Kind Of Mehndi Powder To Use

“Henna comes in reddish-brown (natural), blue-black, white, and black colours. And, Alta is commonly used on feet, you can experiment and use it for mehndi-like designs, but it won’t last as long as henna,” says A. Srinivasan. According to him, the key is to “always use pure, chemical-free henna powder for a safe and long-lasting stain” and “avoid black henna because it contains chemicals”.

What Kind Of Mehndi Designs To Choose This Season

The celebrity mehndi artist shares that experimenting with basic elements of mehndi designs and combining them in unique ways can produce some great patterns. “These designs look beautiful, stylish, and modern,” he says. Here are some motifs that you can keep in mind while giving your brief to mehndi artists this Summer…

Simple Vines

Portrait Mehndi Designs

Bold Arabic Patterns

Mandalas

Mix Styles And Combine Indian And Arabic Art

So, are you ready to experiment with mehndi?