Henna and Jagua Before & Aftercare Instructions

Here are some before and aftercare instructions on how to prepare for and take care of your henna and jagua stains.

Before Henna/Jagua Care

- Before applying henna/jagua or before going to your henna/jagua appointment, wash the area where the henna/jagua will be thoroughly to get rid of any oils or lotions that may affect the staining process. It is best to shower beforehand so that you're not tempted to shower after you have gotten your henna done because you'll need to avoid water for a while after applying henna.

~ If you're getting jagua applied you do not need to shower beforehand. See Jagua Aftercare as you read on.

- Make sure you have done some research about henna or jagua beforehand so that you're not completely clueless about the differences and similarities of the two. They are both natural plant-based forms of body art but have different stain colors and aftercare instructions.

Henna Aftercare

- After applying henna (mehndi) to the skin, it is recommended that you leave the henna on for as long as possible. The longer you leave it on, the darker the stain will become. You should leave the henna on the skin for about 6 to 24 hours for best results. You can leave it on longer than 24 hours, however, it is not necessary.

- Avoid water! Yes, you read that right. For the absolute best results, avoid water on the henna area of the skin for the first 24 hours. We cannot stress this enough as water can affect the henna stain from achieving the mature stain which is a dark mahogany red stain.

~ Concerning Wudu (For Muslims; ablution, ritual purification with water before prayers): Before applying henna, shower and/or make your wudu. If you happen to break your wudu sometime after applying your henna, draw light cold water from the tap and gently make your wudu. Do not rub or scrub or use hot water and soap on the henna area. Gently pat the water on the skin with your hands. Pat dry with a clean towel afterwards.

- Keep warm so the henna sticks to the skin longer thus giving darker stains.

~ Try hanging out in the sun or placing henna area slightly over a heater or warm stove top (be careful!)

- After peeling or scraping the henna off the skin, apply a natural body balm or oil like coconut oil or olive oil to help with the henna staining process and to keep it from water damage. For a more easier way to remove the dried sticky henna, try applying the balm or oil on the skin then scrape off the henna with a butter knife . The oiliness will help to glide the henna off and will hurt less if the area has hair. Apply the oil/balm any time before you come into contact with water.

Jagua Aftercare

- Jagua can stain the skin extremely fast so after you have applied it to the skin it is best to make sure it dries completely before going about your normal day. If the jagua gel smears, it is highly possible that it will stain like that. It is recommended to leave the jagua gel on the skin for 2 to 4 hours (certain parts of the body require a longer wait time for it to stain a dark bluish/blackish color).

- When ready to remove the jagua from the skin, unlike henna, wash it off with cold water and soap. It is important to wash ALL of the jagua gel off the skin so it does not stain other parts of the body if you were to touch them.

~ If you have jagua on places other than your hands or arms, take a shower to remove it thoroughly. Be careful not to scrub too hard as scrubbing may alter the stain.

- After removing the jagua and you notice it's very light and pale in color, do not panic! Jagua needs at least 6 to 12 hours for the full blue/black stain to appear.