Beautiful nail designs with foil - it's easy!

The fashion for futuristic metallic nails is gaining momentum. To make such a manicure, you must definitely learn how to use nail foil. It comes in different types: sheet, transfer, thermo (minx), adhesive, liquid, crushed (in bulk). Usually it is applied to a base adhesive coating or special glue, and then secured with a topcoat. A fashionable manicure is worn a little less than usual, but how impressive it looks!

Foil for nail design

Many people associate metallic coating with future technologies, all kinds of equipment and cars. And only fashionistas know that metallic is one of the trends for the 2021–2022 season. The solution is relevant for both clothing and manicure. To create a fashionable nail design, a special thin foil is used. It is applied in a special way.

Girls sometimes ask: is it possible to use food foil? Unfortunately no. It does not have the necessary flexibility, thickness and structure. For nail design you need a special foil film. Fortunately, there are many varieties of it. Everyone can find material to suit their taste and budget.

Kinds

Foil for manicure is different from regular one. It is thinner, more elastic, and easy to use.

There are 7 main types of material:

1. Translated. The most popular type of nail foil. It is often sold rolled and packaged in jars. Metal sputtering is applied to the surface of a thin film. It is applied to the nail plate with a sticky coating applied and removed after a few seconds. The spraying remains on the nail, and the film becomes transparent. Most importantly, the design turns out beautiful and neat.



2. Minx thermal adhesives. Made from shrink film. The stickers are shaped like a nail and replace polish. Minx is applied without glue, using heat under a lamp. The remaining film is cut off. To remove a Minx manicure, just soak your hands in hot water for 10–15 minutes.



3. sheet foil used to create a “casting” design, and also cut out various decorative elements from it. The sheets do not have an adhesive backing and are attached with glue or sticky varnish.



4. Scotch tapes most often presented in the form of thin foil strips 1–3 mm thick. They are used to create geometric designs. They have a sticky layer and are therefore easy to use.



5. Foil in bulk. Ultra-thin foil is laid out on the glue. It is a little compressed and creates the effect of noble metal. They make aquarium design with it.



6. Sliders are ultra-thin films that are separated from the substrate after a short soaking. They are often presented in the form of patterns, but there are also foil stickers in the shape of the nail. They are sticky and easy to stick.



7. Liquid foil. This is a separate type of gel polish. The shiny mixture looks very thick, but spreads evenly and dries quickly. The wear life of this type of “metal” decor is the longest.

Decor options

Foil is a universal tool for creating festive nail designs. There are many decor options:

1. The nail plates can be completely covered with a shiny film. A sparkling manicure is suitable for an Egyptian themed or New Year's party.



2. Apply foil to 1–2 fingers. It is this type of decor that is in greatest demand. “Metallic” nails make the manicure special, eye-catching, but not blinding.



3. French and moon manicure. A classic of the genre in an original performance will appeal to creative individuals.



4. Stained glass manicure and “broken glass” design are also created using foil film. It turns out spectacular and festive.
   

   A design with a metallic effect looks best with rounded nails.

   

How to use nail foil?

Nail foil is very easy to use as a decorative element. You just need to know a few nuances:

1. It is applied to the varnish coating, with the exception of minx thermal film and liquid foil.
2. If there is no sticky layer on the foil film, you will need special glue: Jina, HONGYI, Rio Profi, Global Fashion. Or you can glue it to a sticky layer of gel polish. The result is approximately the same. Each girl chooses what is more convenient for her to work with.
3. The transfer foil must be ironed for an even print, paying special attention to the areas on the sides and at the cuticle. For smoothing, use an orange stick, an ear stick or a pusher with a rubber tip.
4. Fixation with glue is carried out after it dries a little and becomes transparent. Different companies have different drying times. On average they wait 2–3 minutes.
5. After applying the foil, a finishing coat must be applied.Otherwise, the decor will wear out very quickly.

A high-quality “metal” design retains its presentable appearance for 14–17 days. The homemade version does not last as long - 3-5 days. If you want to prolong its existence, you need to do household chores with gloves. You can also cover your nails with a fixative on the 3-4th day.

When using transfer foil, wait a while before applying the finishing layer, otherwise it may shrink and crack. It also cracks when pressed repeatedly, for example, when they try to print the spray several times. You need to work with the material carefully.

Fixation with glue

Before using the glue, the nails are covered with the main color of the varnish. You need to wait until the base is completely dry. Only then is the adhesive composition applied in a thin layer to the surface of the nail plate. The foil is glued at the moment when the glue changes its color.

How to properly glue transfer foil:

1. Get your nails done. Use a nail file to give each nail the desired shape.
2. Polish the nail plates with a buff with an abrasive level of 300 grit.
3. Use a degreaser and then apply the base.
4. Place your nails under a lamp to dry the gel polish.
5. Remove the sticky layer from the gel polish with a special napkin.
6. Apply a base color coat.
7. Dry the gel polish and remove the sticky layer.
8. Apply a thin layer of glue to your nails. Apply it to the entire surface or to individual areas, depending on the design you plan.
9. Wait a few minutes until the glue becomes clear.
10. Place the foil with the matte side on the nail and smooth it with a rubber pusher or a cotton swab.
11. After 15-20 seconds, quickly remove the foil.
12. After 2-3 minutes, apply the topcoat.

When using sheet foil, decorative elements are first prepared. To create the “broken glass” effect, the foil film is randomly cut, and then the “shards” are laid out with tweezers on the nail surface coated with glue.

Some types of glue are dried under a lamp. HONGYI glue is suitable for use without a lamp. It holds not only foil, but also rhinestones perfectly. Dries within 5 minutes.

Foil for gel polish without glue

If you don’t have glue on hand or don’t want to spend extra money on it, you can make a beautiful design with adhesive-based foil. It is glued to the dried gel polish with the sticky layer removed. Sheet and transfer films, on the other hand, are applied to an adhesive layer.

How to properly use transfer foil without glue?

1. Get a manicure and then buff and degrease your nails.
2. Apply base and dry.
3. Cover your nails with the main color of gel polish and place under the lamp for 2 minutes.
4. You need to apply the foil to your nails immediately, without removing the sticky layer.
5. Level the film with an orange or cotton swab.
6. Remove it quickly.
7. After waiting 2 minutes, apply the finish.
8. Dry your nails under the lamp and remove the sticky layer.

Foil always adheres well to special glue. But you need to get used to using it without glue. It may print poorly and fall off. Dense and textured layers are not glued to gel polish.

Fixation with regular varnish

To make a manicure with foil, you don’t need to have a lamp - you can glue it to regular nail polish. Sliders and adhesive tapes are torn off from the protective layer, glued to already dry nails and immediately covered with a fixative. You can also use transfer foil, but you need to take into account that it is difficult to print the entire design on regular varnish.But chaotic prints and patterns come out quite well.

How to use transfer foil?

1. Get your nails done.
2. Polish the nail plate and degrease.
3. Apply nail polish and wait until it hardens but is still sticky.
4. Place the matte side of the foil on the varnish and straighten it out.
5. Remove it by moving away from the nail bed.
6. After 5-10 minutes, cover your nails with 1-2 coats of clear sealer.

Experts advise choosing a type of foil with “gasoline” stains for home application. It is translucent, shimmers in different colors, and thanks to this, defects are not noticeable.

Is it possible to replace the foil?

Mirror and metallic manicure is usually performed using foil film. But if for some reason you cannot purchase the material, you can resort to other methods.

As an alternative, use:

1. glitter – pieces of foil ranging in size from 0.1 to 1 mm;
2. glitter polish;
3. liquid or dry mica;
4. mirror rub.

Foil enhances any manicure design. It gives it shine and originality. Nails with metal inserts look well-groomed and expensive, despite the low cost of the material and ease of application. The main thing is to be careful in your work, and the rest is a matter of technique.