How Long to Keep Mehndi On (and How Long It Lasts)

Keep natural mehndi paste on for at least 6 hours, ideally 8 to 12 hours or overnight. The longer it stays on, the deeper the stain.

How long for how dark

Paste on for	What you get
1 to 2 hours	a light orange stain that fades quickly
4 to 6 hours	a good festival colour
8 to 12 hours, or overnight	the darkest stain, best for weddings

Paste that has dried and cracked is still working, as long as it stays on the skin. If it starts flaking off, dab on a little lemon juice mixed with sugar, or wrap the design loosely with tissue and tape.

When the colour is darkest

The stain is orange when the paste comes off. It darkens to brown or deep maroon over the next 24 to 48 hours, so for an event, apply it one or two days before:

Weddings: two days before for the darkest colour on the day. The bridal guide has the full timeline.
Karwa Chauth, Eid, Teej: the evening before.

The timing planner works out the dates for you.

How long mehndi lasts

Palms and soles: about 2 to 3 weeks, because the skin there is thickest.
Back of the hand and the arms: about 1 to 2 weeks.
It fades faster with frequent washing, hand sanitiser, chlorine and scrubbing.

Removing it early

You can't remove a mehndi stain instantly: the dye is in the top layer of skin and fades as that layer renews. To speed it up, soak your hands in warm salty water, then exfoliate gently. Don't scrub hard enough to hurt your skin.