Would you describe a typical day at work?
I work part time mostly. While doing bridals or Sangeet – it takes minimum of 3 hours up to 10 hours a day depending on the number of people and the design. I usually take a day’s break before doing a bride as working constantly is very exhausting.
Do you also take classes for mehendi and how does it feel teaching your craft to a batch of enthusiastic students?
Yes, I take classes for Mehendi for three levels, Basic, Intermediate and Advanced (Bridal Mehendi). I find every batch different and have had students from 18 yrs and to 53 years old so far. I am happy teaching this art and also delighted to see how much interest they show in learning this work.
As kids we have been told that dabbing your palms with a mehendi design with lime juice and sugar syrup can actually darken the effect of mehendi, is there any simple technique that can be used to let the beauty and brightness stay on longer?
There are a lot of misconceptions when it comes to mehendi, not many know the Do’s and Don’ts of it. Applying sugar and lemon will only seal the dried mehendi and prevent it from scraping off. If you apply too much, the colour tends to lighten.
The duration of mehendi staying on the skin also depends on how fast the exfoliation takes place. It lasts from 1 week up to 20 days at the maximum.
Below are the points to achieve good colour:
- Always buy a mehendi powder with a recent manufacture date and choose a body art mehendi and not the one used for hair.
- Mix the mehendi powder with 100% essential oils like Lavender, Tea Tree and Cajeput or eucalyptus oil.
- Never apply any oil on the skin before the application of mehendi design as this will never allow the paste to penetrate inside the skin.
- Mehendi has to be left on the skin for at least three to four hours for a dark stain. After the removal of the mehendi, apply coconut or olive oil and avoid any contact with the water for at least eight hours.
Aysha, where do you see yourself five years from now?
I would like to do what I am doing right now, but surely there will be a lot of improvement as I will be practicing a lot. I have also opened my mehendi training called AZ Henna Academy. I would like to expand my teaching across different cities in India. Apart from Mehendi, I am planning on teaching make up as well. In five years, I would like to see myself as a good bridal artist.
Aysha, the Indusladies team wishes you all the very best in all your future endeavours.
