Showing posts with label Foils. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Foils. Show all posts

Monday, August 30, 2010

Nail foils tutorial

I'm not feeling motivated to do any proper work or revision so I'm here presenting you with a nail foils tutorial instead. Like I've explained before, nail foils are like a cheaper alternative to Minx. However, it doesn't last for more than 24 hours because it can be scratched off easily. So it is best to apply it right before an event. It doesn't take long at all because there's no waiting time.

Alright, let's get started. Always start with clean nails. Arrh! Bare nails! The horror. But this is what the nail foil adhesive looks like. You need to apply this to your nails before placing the foils. Any brand will do. Most online shops sell generic no-brands with your foils for half price.

I always recommend using basecoat. It is a good habit to have because most darker nail polishes will stain your nails and that is not an attractive look. So apply basecoat!
I wish I had another hand then I wouldn't need to use the stupid timer while balancing the camera on a tissue box. Quite sad. Anyways, after the basecoat has dried, apply a layer of the nail foil adhesive. It is iridescent when wet. Dries clear.
Yuck, fingers. The instructions that come with the adhesive will tell you to wait 1-2 minutes for the adhesive to become tacky before applying the foils. They are WRONG. You have to wait a lot longer than that, more like 5 minutes. I find that the foils apply better this way as the adhesive is most tacky. In the meantime, you can cut up the foil strip into pieces as it comes in a roll.
Don't worry about cutting the foil into your nail shape or anything. The foil only sticks to where the foil adhesive is applied. Mess free and idiot proof. All you have to do is place the foil with the right side up and press. If the adhesive is the right tackiness, the foil should lift itself off as you're pressing.
It may look ugly upclose, use the unused areas to fix up any bits that you've made. Just repeat the process mentioned above for the bald spots. I don't see the point to apply a base polish when the foil is opaque.
You are left with the option of applying topcoat. Personally, I don't recommend it. Any topcoat will wrinkle up the foil (no idea why) and it doesn't extend the wear of the foil, so why ruin the effect? You could try special nail foil topcoat but apparently, they're not much better either. You'll see why.
Sorry for not cleaning up the edges and things. I'm planning to remove this tonight anyway. The foils are so reflective that you can see my reflection. I also did a scratch test. The scratch is much larger on the nail with topcoat using the same amount of force.

The foils can be easily removed with nail polish remover (no acetone required) or by soaking in warm water. So easy.
Yucky looking cottonbud. Looks like someone's sparkly booger. Yum. On a much nicer note, check out the result! Such bling-ness! Such mirror-esque finish! I can even see my own reflection.
Woaw fat fingers, Maybe I shouldn't have blurred it so much. Oh wells.You're more than welcome to bug me if you want to know more about such a wonderful product and where you can get it. But you'd need to be able to either use internet banking or have Paypal.

Saturday, August 21, 2010

Big shout out to Troll

This post is dedicated to my beloved Jenny for having such an awesome party last night. I thought I'd better do this before I forget because I'm so absent-minded these days. Here's an uber dodgy photo of my half successful attempt at foils because I tried so hard to capture the mirror-like reflective surface so I apologise for the blurry photo.
Peach Burst nail foil
 Nail foils are kind of like Minx imitations. They have the same reflectiveness and pre-printed designs but foils are so much more affordable. But the down side is that foils last for one day max and do not apply perfectly because you're trying to fit a piece of flat 'paper' to the curvature of your nail. Plus top coat just makes the foil wrinkle like crazy. Other than that, foils are a great alternative to Minx for poor souls such as myself who are looking for the same blinged effect and it is quick enough to do just before an event. I had to stick on flowers on the tips because the glue didn't dry properly so yuckiness happened. Warm tones honestly don't match the yellowness of my skin.