Two Techniques to Have Fun With Foils

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Using transfer foil in nail art is not new, yet it has recently seen a resurgence on Instagram. As artistic techs get more inventive, they continue to create unique ways to utilize this eye-catching embellishment. After all, foil can provide instantly remarkable results that will easily woo your more adventurous clientele—and provide you with a quick upsell opportunity. The trick to using foil in visually arresting ways, says Los Angeles-based nail artist Yasmeen Sandoval (@sloteazzy), is being comfortable with the medium and your tools. Here, Sandoval shares two techniques for using nail art foil that are anything but basic.

Foil Strips

This design—inspired Merrick Fisher (@merricures)—uses transfer foil to create an effect similar to decoupage, but for nails!

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1. Prep the nail and apply one coat of gel base coat. Cure for 30 seconds. Then apply two coats of color, curing after each. Tip! Use a base color that matches your color of foil so you don’t have to worry about the natural nail peeking through.

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2. Apply one coat of base gel on top of the color. Then, while the base is still wet, apply the cut foil strips down the length of the nail, keeping them as close together as possible. Cure for one minute.

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3. Use a pair of tweezers to gently pull the foil off of the nail.

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4. Encapsulate the design with hard gel, being sure to coat all edges of the foil. Cure. Then, finish with a layer of gel top coat, cure for one minute, and wipe off the inhibition layer.

Watch this step-by-step in action in the video below!

Stamping with Foil

Enhance your stamping designs by embellishing them with a hint of holographic metallic transfer foil.

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1. Prep the nail and apply gel base coat. Cure for 30 seconds. Then, apply two coats of color, curing after each. Remove the inhibition layer.

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2. Apply black polish onto a stamping plate and pick up your desired design with a stamper. Working quickly, stamp the nail and then place the foil on top of the tacky nail polish. Tip! Wiping the back of the foil with alcohol makes transferring the foil easier.

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3. Press down firmly and then lift the foil off of the nail.

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4. Use a small brush to clean up the excess polish from around the nail. Then, seal the design with gel top coat, cure for one minute, and wipe off the inhibition layer.

What’s your favorite way to use transfer foil? Let us know in the comments below!

-by Dina Ciccarelli, photography by Jason Bennett

This article was originally published in the January 2018 issue of NAILPRO.

READ MORE:

How to Encapsulate Foil Strips for Holographic Nails

Profiles Nails Stick It Transfer Foil Gel Demo

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