The most important thing to getting this to work is nail foil adhesive. The foil will not stick without this. I actually tried other things to get it to work....almost-dry topcoat, school glue, etc. None if it worked, at all!
When you order your nail foil, it will come in small plastic containers with the foil rolled up inside. The foil itself is fairly delicate. Scratching the back of it will remove part of the design, so be careful with it.
Before you apply your foil, choose a basecoat that closely matches the color of the foil. Sometimes during transfer to the nail, a small spot or two might not transfer but it wont be visible if the nail underneath is the same color. I learned this lesson the hard way. Usually, even with thin polishes or jellies, one coat will be enough.
Apply the foil adhesive just as you would polish. One coat is all you need. When it first goes on, it will have a hazy look to it. Be careful to only put it where you want the foil to stick, trying to avoid the cuticles. It will be slightly runny so wipe your brush on the bottle opening a couple of times before applying to nails. When the adhesive is ready, it will be completely clear like on my index finger here. It will still be tacky to the touch but that is exactly what you want.
The foil will come in strips like this one. Its usually about 2" wide and 60" long. Enough for alot of manis!
Its easiest to cut it into smaller pieces before you start.
Start by placing the foil over the nail, design side up, and lightly pressing it down.
Rub over the foil with a qtip, cotton ball, or anything else that will press it onto the nail all the way around, paying close attention to the edges around the cuticle and the very tip of your nail.
You will see the plastic backing start to pull off the nail. Once it does this, go ahead and gently pull the backing all the way off.
This is what the foil will look like after you've gotten them all done. You can see, if you place it right on the nail, theres very little waste so this stuff will go a long way.
If you do end up with a larger spot where the foil doesn't transfer, just reapply a drop or two of the adhesive over that spot, wait on it to turn clear then stick the foil onto that spot and rub gently. It should stick just as if you were doing the whole nail. There is a special topcoat available for foils but I dont have it. I change my manis so often that it didnt make sense to buy it. It can be found wherever you buy the foils and adhesive. I have tried to use regular topcoats but this will definitely ruin the foil. It causes it to crinkle and dull.
Good luck with all your future manicures and mail art and just let me know if you have any questions :)
Oooh. I dont own any foil but i like the concept.
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