Nail Stamping Crazy

Thanks once again to the internet, I found another idea. Pick up a set of "press on" fake/artificial nails, and paint them. Put them on when you want a quick change of nails. Then you can take them off whenever you are done.  Here's the first set I got: For more shape options, here are some others I've gotten: -  Stiletto shaped  (clear) - " Long, Pointy " (not clear) -  Almond shaped (clear) - Coffin shaped (clear) I don't usually prefer coffin shaped nails on my fingers, but some nail designs just need a certain shape! So it's fun to try a variety of styles. Also, if you put a black or white base coat on the clear nails, it will paint the next coat of color quite well. Think of it like a primer. Choose a dark or light primer color based on the polish color(s) you intend to go with. I am using breathable nail adhesive tabs, like these: If you want to glue them on, here's a link to the KDS glue that I like using. It lasts several days. You can

If you have a design on your plate that you want to make multicolor on your nail, you're going to make a decal.  First start off just like you always would. Put some polish on the plate, scrape with your scraping plate, then pick it up with the stamper. Flip the stamper around to look at the design and make sure you're happy with it.  Once it dries just a little bit you are going to apply a bit of top coat directly on top of that stamp design, while it is still on the stamperhead. Use your special no streak top coat for this. You don't need a lot, just enough to thinly cover that design and protect it from the next paint. The reason is because applying wet paint over another layer of paint that was previously dry will re-wet it, causing the first color to bleed into the new one, streaking it. This ruins your work! No one wants streaking. The above step is not always critically necessary, and perhaps after you have learned the basics you can skip it, but I believe it will he

So your nails are ready for stamping. Here we go! :D By the way....there is one thing they don't tell you, in an obvious manner: you need to peel the blue protective tape off the plate before using it. Just FYI! Have your stamper out and ready. Do not touch it with your fingers as it will get greasy and dirty. If you've touched it or something is on it then tap it on the tape several times to get the stuff off. Stamp it onto masking tape or lint roller to clean it off. If it becomes terribly dirty you can wash it gently in a little liquid dish soap and water to clean it off. Don't dry it with a paper towel or anything that would leave residue on it. Just let it air dry.  First, you painted your nails. So if you were just going to stamp a single design on, meaning not doing a decal or so much, just wait until the polish is close to dry. (Wait one to two minutes depending on how thick your coat was.) Now you're ready to stamp. Have your scraping tool ready.  1 - Take your

Now it's time to paint your nails.  Side note: Because of my B vitamin deficiency, I have to use a special oxygen based (also called water soluable, or water permeable) nail polish for my base coat. If I don't my nails cannot breathe well and they are very uncomfortable, especially after I take the polish off. They ache as though they were starved for oxygen, because they were! As long as I use this base coat first, all is well for me. One of the companies I used to buy this special type of polish from, Julep, is now out of business. However thanks to the internet I found Orly who has a polish called breathable one step manicure. Thankfully it works just as well! There are other brands that are more naturally based that I might be able to recommend after trying some of them, but for now I am using these and do not have the problems I used to have.  (If you aren't sure about a brand, you might look for ones that are certified Halal. Just because a polish claims to be breatha

Now, to get started.  First I choose the plates I want to use this time. I will flip through my books and pull out all the plates that match the theme or idea I have in mind currently, and lay them out to peruse. I also pull out the colors of nail polish that I want to use for my base nail color and my coordinating stamping colors.  Get out supplies. A stamper, a scraper, acetone, cotton balls, something to hold the cotton balls with.  Because I like to make maximum use of my cotton, I tend to pull the ball in half and place it in the clothespin to get ready. I also like using the special spill proof pump for my acetone because it's easy to dispense while you're working.  As I mentioned before I like to put a couple of paper towels down under my plates so that when I'm scraping the excess polish is easier to clean up later. (Little tip learned. Take care not to soak the towels with acetone while cleaning plates and then let your stamper head touch the towels as it will dull

Supplies: First, you're going to need some base polish for your nails. Note that there are different kinds of polish. Gel is special and requires more equipment - everything else should be easy and good for starters. (Check out this page for more! I was browsing polish, wondering what in the world Crelly was.) I think of gel based polishes that need UV curing to be more advanced. Nail polish that is quick-dry is also great for beginners to use for base polish. You're also going to need some stamping polish . Sometimes regular polish works for stamping, but when you first starting out I recommend that you just go ahead and buy some stamping polish. It dries much faster and makes the process easier to learn and be successful at. Maniology's black, white, and silver are GREAT for successful practice! Next you're going to need to get yourself some  top coat . A no-smear/ water-based/smudge free clear coat is what you're going to need to cover and protect the stamped a

A lot of people enjoy going to the salon for a manicure because it makes you feel pampered. Your hands also feel like they have been taken good care of because someone who knows what they're supposed to do has done all of those things for you. So, now that you are doing your mani at home, what to do?  I've never really been one for going to the salon for a mani or pedi, although I have had it done before. The nice thing about doing this at home for yourself is you're saving a lot of money.  Here in the US they usually will soak your hands and/or feet to soften up the cuticles. Then you can scrape, push, cut and remove that old, dead cuticle skin. (In a video on the Maniology website, I learned that is actually illegal in Hawaii to cut your cuticles!) I've also learned that you can permanently damage your nails' growth ability if you are too hard on (what we might mistakenly call) the cuticle. We need to take care of the living part of the skin, which is called the e