If you love the beautiful intricate designs of henna tattoos, yet are just no good at applying the designs free hand, then Mihenna is your solution. Mihenna makes henna accessible for everyone with their super simple stencil stickers that come packed in a cute kit with everything you need to apply your design. They are your one stop shop for henna body art.
As many of you already know, applying intricate henna designs can take hours and tends to be an expensive past time. Which makes Mihenna the perfect solution as it is not only affordable, but simple to use without having to sit statue still for hours. Particularly if you only require a small design for festive celebrations or simply because you enjoy wearing henna.
Mihenna only use organic henna paste sourced from India that they hand roll into cones. Therefore you can rest assured that you won’t be in for any nasty surprises that cheap chemical pastes can leave. These cones can also be easily stored in the freezer for up to 3 months should you have any leftover paste after application. Therefore you can maximise the use of your Mihenna kit.
To achieve the best results it helps to have a friend apply the henna and you should carve some time out of your schedule to sit still during and after application. Allowing the paste to develop overnight will produce a darker stain and will last longer.
So Who Are Mihenna?
Mihenna is based in south Florida with connections throughout the world. Our sticker stencils find inspiration everywhere, and our organic henna paste is sourced from India. Global connection helps us stay true to the roots of henna as body art, which originated in South Asia, the Middle East, and Africa. Mihenna aims to continue this ancient tradition and modernize it for today’s women.
Jump onto their website www.mihenna.com and check them out.
Meet The Fabulous Face Behind Mihenna
“Hi! I’m Shalina Jaffer, founder of Mihenna. I am an Indian, first-generation American, and lover of all things henna!
Growing up in south Florida, my Indian parents continued the tradition of henna application for celebrations, rites of passage, and just pure fun. As I got older, I came to realize how much all my friends loved henna but felt it was still a product they were not comfortable with or able to mix on their own.
Through that realization, the concept of Mihenna was born – a kit that addressed a hole in the market of DIY body art and tattoos: bringing premium ingredients and gorgeous artwork to a realm lacking in quality and design aesthetics. Our goal at Mihenna is to give all women and men the opportunity to experience the joy that henna body art can bring.”
What Comes In A Mihenna Kit
There are an array of different kits available depending on the style of henna tattoos that you prefer. However each kit will still have the same essential items which include:
henna stencils
1x organic henna cone
1x roll on vial of coconut oil
3x applicator sticks
how to pamphlet
All this comes neatly packed in a cute box which also acts as a great storage box to store any remaining items. But just be sure to pop the henna cone in the fridge or freezer to keep it fresh. If you’re intending to use it within days the fridge is fine but if you’re saving it till the next wedding then use the freezer. Just be sure to keep it out of the heat as the paste won’t be as effective.
All the items in a Mihenna kit can also be purchased individually, however a Mihenna kit is the best value. It’s also a good starting point for anyone who is new to the whole process. You can purchase any of these items from their website at www.mihenna.com
How To Apply Your Henna Tattoo
It’s recommended to exfoliate the area gently prior to application for best results. This avoids the tattoo becoming patchy from dry skin flaking. For a darker stain select an area with thick skin to apply your tattoo, such as your hands or feet. The palm of your hands or the inside of your feet are the most effective areas. The stain doesn’t develop as dark when the skin is soft and thin such as your thighs or stomach.
You will need to ensure you have time to sit still to allow the paste to dry until it starts to crackle. I found this took perhaps about an hour, however it depends on how thickly the paste is applied and how large the tattoo is. Therefore I’d ensure you’re kid free for at least a few hours as it does take some time to apply the paste by yourself then allow it to dry. Just before you go to bed is the perfect time as you can leave it on overnight to allow the stain to develop.
I wore disposable gloves to ensure my hands were stain free as it can get messy if you’re not careful. But if you’re tattooing your hands then that’s obviously not possible. Cut your stencil to shape so that it fits snugly in place. For instance I applied mine to the feet so I cut around the mandala design and applied the circle shaped sticker to the top centre of my feet. If the stencil goes around a large area such as down the sides of your feet and the top, then cut a few slits in the sticker. This will avoid bubbling and make sure it sticks.
The henna cone can sometimes get lumps in it which blocks the opening, therefore you need to squeeze the paste out on a paper towel to dislodge it. So be sure to keep some paper towel or a cloth handy. I used a footstool to keep my feet at a visible height which made application easier.
Applying the henna paste can be tedious but you shouldn’t rush it and just blob it on. I found the best way was to simply apply paste to each section of the stencil and spread with the tip of the cone as you apply. This ensures that you’ll have an even stain. You can use the spatulas included to spread the paste though I found that method had more chances of leakage around crevices or bubbles.
Once it is thoroughly applied you just have to sit still until the paste dries and you can see it crackle. Moving before it dries means you are more likely to have leakage especially if your stencil curves around a large area. Don’t remove it just yet as it should develop for at least a few hours.
Overnight is best, you just need to wrap it once the paste is dry. This can be done with cling wrap, medical tape or packing tape. I found that tape worked the best as it not only keeps the paste from falling off everywhere, but it rips it off when you remove it. As it can be difficult to scrape of the dried paste so using the tape makes it simple. Whilst the stain is developing it’s important not to get it wet.
If you don’t use tape, it’s suggested to use the coconut oil to rub off the dry paste and to preserve your freshly stained tattoo. Continue using the oil each day to extend the life of your tattoo. You should also avoid wetting your tattoo for a few hours or longer if possible. Which is another reason why it’s best to apply your tattoo before bed.
A popular trick that many artists use in India is to apply lemon juice whilst the stain is developing. Simply dab half a lemon onto your dry henna paste and allow it to continue developing. You don’t want to saturate the paste as it won’t stick as well. The acidity apparently interacts with the henna to develop a darker stain.
You will notice that the stain will appear orange in colour on the first day after removing the dry paste. The stain will continue to develop which is why keeping it dry for as long as possible afterwards helps. After 24 hours the stain will have developed into a dark brown colour.
Caring For Your Tattoo
Your henna tattoo should last one to two weeks depending on how well you care for it. Avoid scrubbing your tattoo in the shower and apply some coconut oil everyday to keep the skin moist. However you can use any oil you prefer if you’re allergic or run out of coconut oil.
My tattoos lasted two weeks and only faded slightly but weren’t patchy. At the end of two weeks I just scrubbed the entire tattoo off as there is nothing worse than a patchy faded henna stain.
How Was My Experience
I received two kits as unfortunately the henna cone was spoiled in the first kit I received for whatever the reason. After leaving the paste to develop for more than enough time on my hands and feet the tattoo wasn’t even visible it was that faint. So the lovely team at Mihenna sent a second kit which I didn’t have any issues with.
The second instance I used the stencils for Diwali as it was near approaching, therefore I thought it was the perfect opportunity to flaunt some henna tattoos. I applied the stencils on the tops of my feet. I didn’t allocate enough time to allow the paste to dry since I have a toddler to run around after. This meant the paste leaked as walking around caused the stencil to move. I also wrapped it in packing tape before the paste was crackle dry. Once the paste crackles it’s dry enough to move around or wrap.
These stencils are basically foolproof as despite me stuffing it up the end result wasn’t that bad. I learnt from my mistake and made sure that I had sufficient time to apply the paste and allow it to dry. Which was from memory approximately an hour or two to be on the safe side. As I again decided to apply the stencils to the tops of my feet. This time they turned out perfectly with no leaks and a nice deep stain. Just in time for a beach day the following day to show off my new tattoos. These lasted an entire week without fading or crackling, and by the second week they still looked great but had started to fade.
I removed them at the end of two weeks which was easy enough to do with an exfoliation. There’s nothing worse than a patchy faded worn out henna tattoo. They’re also uncomfortable as it tends to become dry and itchy. I remember from when I had my bridal henna which took weeks to completely scrub off much to my dismay as it looked horrible and was so itchy.
In Summary
* Make sure you have enough time to sit still
* Tough thicker skin will produce a darker stain such as hands & feet
* The longer the paste develops, the darker the stain will be
* Overnight produces the best results
* Use cling wrap, medical tape or packing tape to wrap your tattoo once the paste is completely dry, to avoid the paste coming off whilst developing
* Avoid wetting the tattoo whilst the paste develops and after removing paste as it is still developing
* Store your henna cone in the fridge if you intend using it within days or freeze the cone to keep for up to 3 months
Have you tried the Mihenna kits? What was your experience? Leave your comments below in the comments field as I’d love to hear your thoughts!