For henna powder to release the dye you will have to make a paste of the henna powder with water or lemon juice. There are a number of things that can be added to the henna powder to make a paste that will stain your skin or hair the color you desire. Most people follow a trial and error method and finally come up with a recipe that suits their needs. Given below is a basic henna paste recipe, you can try it out and add to it to suit your needs. To make henna paste or mehendi

* 1 cup boiling water
* 2 tablespoons black tea or coffee
* 3 tablespoons of sifted henna powder (make sure you sift the powder before making a paste)
* 1 teaspoon eucalyptus oil

Lemon-Sugar Glaze

* Strained juice of ½ lemon
* 1 teaspoon sugar

Boil the water and add the tea or coffee powder and make a decoction. Let this decoction soak for a few hours. Strain the decoction to remove any particles of tea or coffee. Place the henna powder into a plastic or glass bowl and add eucalyptus oil. Now slowly add the tea/coffee decoction a little at a time and stir the mixture. Use the spoon to press the powder and water together. Make a smooth paste of the henna powder. Allow the paste to stand for 6 to 12 hours. The longer you allow the paste to stand the smoother the mixture will become. Now apply this paste in any design you want and wait till the mehndi is dry, but not cracking. Take a cotton ball and dab a little lemon-sugar glaze to keep the henna moist. Keep the henna on for as long as you want.

After you remove the henna paste design from your skin, try not to wet the area for as long as possible. It is best to leave henna overnight. Using lemon-sugar glaze will ensure that the mehndi stays overnight. The less you wash the colored area of your skin the longer the design will last. If the colored skin is constantly touching water then the color will fade quickly. Applying lotions or creams will cause the design to loose color. A henna tattoo cannot be removed; it will have to fade off on its own. The color may last on your skin for two or three weeks or longer.