Rhinestones, chains, studs, charms – you name it! Here are the best way to attach those embellishments to your clients’ nails:
Top Coat
Apply two coats of nail polish and let them dry completely. Then, apply a fairly thick layer of top coat and attach the embellishments to the nails. Follow with another layer of top coat over the rhinestones and all.
Pro: It’s by far the simplest and fastest way of attaching rhinestones and studs to the nail.
Con: It’s the least permanent option; your client may lose stones as early as the next day.
Nail Glue or Resin
Apply a small dot of glue to your polished nail and adhere your embellishment. Hold it in place with an orangewood stick or tweezers so it doesn’t slip around on the nail while you wait for the glue to dry. Try a quick-dry glue. Apply top coat over the entire nail for extra stick.
Pro: It will give your stones some staying power.
Con: It can be difficult to work with and many glues lose their sticking strength as the product gets old.
Gel Polish
After curing your second coat of gel polish, attach the embellishment to the nail. Try UV/LED Gel. The gel has a sticky layer, which will help keep your studs from slipping. Apply gel top coat over the entire nail, making sure to use your brush to get the gel in and around the embellishments as well as on top of them. Cure the nail and repeat with another coat.
Pro: It’s one of the best ways to ensure embellishments stay put for any length of time, and works well for larger charms and chains.
Con: It’s difficult to switch around your pieces once you’ve cured, so make sure they’re perfectly in line before putting them under the lamp!
This article was originally published by Nailpro in 2014.
