There is something absolutely delightful about bridal rituals, especially that of rubbing your palms together to remove dried mehndi designs  off your hands. The exotic patterns in rich hues of red, ranging from wine (burgundy brown) to bright orange, and every conceivable colour in between, peeping through the greenish black paste. And this ancient pre-wedding beauty ritual could have some science to back it. Besides being pretty and festive, application of cooling mehandi on the nerve endings (hands and feet) evidently helps calms the nerves. As a part of this beauty ritual, the reddish-brown natural dye is prepared by crushing dried leaves to fine powder and adding some lemon juice or black tea to deepen the pigment strength.

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Recently, with an increase in awareness, brides are going the extra mile to ensure that the mehandi paste is derived from natural ingredients, sans chemical dyes, even if it means a less saturated colour on their hands. And now that inspirations available at the press of a button, mehandi designs are no longer predictable. The one-design-fits-all concept is passé as the key lies in zeroing on a mehandi design that speaks to your inherent style. Just like your wedding outfit—whether dramatic or minimalistic—is a reflection of your personality, so are the patterns on your hands. If the wedding bells are around the corner for you, here’s our guide to help you pick out the right one for yourself.

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