Karwa Chauth is an annual festival celebrated by married women to pray for their husband's long life and prosperity. This year, it falls on October 20. On this day, women observe a nirjala vrat (fasting without water) from sunrise to moonrise. They also get red in beautiful traditional outfits, wear jewellery and bridal makeup, and apply mehendi on their hands.

A day before Karwa Chauth, marketplaces are packed with women getting their hands decorated with beautiful henna designs. The festival becomes extra special if the mehendi turns darker; as it is believed in Hindu traditions, the darker the colour of the mehndi, the deeper is the love. So, here are some dos and don'ts to follow to make your mehendi darker.

Dos and Don'ts of getting a darker mehendi

Apply mustard oil

An age-old technique utilised in Indian homes, applying mustard oil on your hands will help turn the henna dark. First, remove the mehendi from your hands and put a good amount of mustard oil. Then, rub it generously on both sides of your palms. Do this before going to sleep, and you will see a beautiful change in the morning.

Choose fresh henna

Using good quality and fresh henna produces darker stains. You will get better results by making a thick paste with fresh henna, lemon juice and a little sugar and applying it after letting it sit overnight for the dye to release.

Apply lemon and sugar

After your mehendi starts drying up, apply a solution of lemon and sugar using a cotton ball on your hands. Repeat the process after every few minutes. This will help darken the colour.

Apply a balm

Take any pain-relief balm and apply it to your hands once you have removed the dried mehendi. Make sure you apply it immediately after removing the dried henna. The heat from ointments/balms can help make mehendi darker in just a night.

Avoid soap or washing with water

After applying mehendi, do not wash your hands with water or soap as it will remove the colour and the henna will not get dark. Avoid using soap or water for at least a few hours, especially overnight.

Scrape it off gently

Once the mehendi has dried, scrape it off your hands gently or by rubbing the palms together. Avoid washing it right away.

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