Easy or not?
Hello, again! So, if you are even a tiny bit interested in nail wraps, here are some of my thoughts. They are cute. Will they ever be my go-to for nail dressings? Probably not, because I *really* like polish. But, I do like them! I'm not the best nail artist out there, nor do I want to devote the time to doing anything really intricate, so I appreciate all the designs that are available. I have found that if I am careful when applying, they will last a long time, and don't chip the way polish does. What do I mean "careful"? I don't mean the process takes a long time. I mean if you pay attention to the process, like making sure they are laid flat on your nail and not touching any skin/cuticle. That actually isn't very difficult to do for most people.. the wraps are pretty flexible and just a little pressure from a rubber cuticle pusher works for me. For those with super curvy nails, though, application may be more challenging. You may have to use a few methods to get them to lay flat (baggie, baseball). But, if you get it down they should last at least a week, which I think is great if you don't have a whole lot of time to change your manicure several times a week. I will probably always prefer nail polish, but I do think the nail wraps are so cute, and can be so convenient.. did I mention they don't chip?! It's a buzz kill for sure when I've just finished painting and then notice a smudge on a nail. aaauuugh! I'm sure you know what I'm talking about. :)
So, the nail wraps come in several different finishes. The very first one I tried was glossy and my first experience applying them was a little stressful! I didn't have the mini-heater, so I just used my hair dryer. Let me tell you.. the mini-heater is SO worth getting. It has definitely made my Jamberry experience more positive!
Other finishes are: glossy, metallic, satin, sparkle, luster, and matte (see some on my previous post!). There are also wraps with a clear portion, so you could layer those over another wrap, over polish, or just on your bare nail. The finishes that seem to work the best for me are metallic and matte, but I do really like sparkle and luster finishes. No matter what I do, though, the sparkle wraps hardly ever stay on my nails longer than 2 or 3 days. Not cool! I have tried the baggie method, more heat, more pressure.. nothing. Sparkle and me are not friends.
I guess it COULD be that I am pretty obsessive about applying nail oil. I have a feeling that is the biggest issue.. that the oil seeps underneath the wraps near my cuticle line, causing the adhesive bond not to stay sticky. This is a problem because then they'll get caught in things, including my hair.. and ouch!
But, recently I tried applying my wraps (any finish) over a layer of base coat. Right now I'm using Zoya Naked Base. This seems to be the thing that will help me conquer the sparkles! I will try out a mani soon using mostly or all sparkle finish wraps and report back. But for now, here is a mani I wore for a whole week! These are both metallic finish wraps. Isn't Minnie cute?! I really like the turquoise and silver combination.. to me it looks like something you could create using striping tape (but I don't have the patience or the skill to get such clean lines!).
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| Day 1 |
I forgot to photograph my Cinderella hand on Day 1, but here are both hands on Day 7. What do you think?
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| Day 7 |
From a distance you can't really see much of the growth at the cuticle line, but it sure does drive me nuts! That's why even though my wraps may look fine, I'll still change them out no later than day 6 or day 7.. the growth gap! I'm really happy with the results using the base coat and hope it works as well on the sparkle finish wraps. Heck.. even if I can get 5 days out of sparkle wraps to get me through the work week I'll take it as a win!
Jamberry has videos on their website for application and removal, so please watch those, and maybe also some from YouTube.
OK, fine, Vanessa, I may try these, but how do you get them OFF?!
When you're
ready to remove the wraps, that's easy, too! For the love all that is
good, do NOT just yank them off because that's a surefire way to damage
your nail. What I do is lift a tiny bit of the edge of the wrap. Then I take either a clean up brush or Q-tip dipped in nail polish remover and gently slide underneath. Get more remover as needed and soon your wrap will slide right off. Works
like a charm.. and no nail damage! There are other removal methods using oil, so check those out, too.
New mani time?
I
hardly EVER slap on new wraps or polish after removing anything from my
nail. Instead, I will take a half day or day to treat my nails to some
oil. My nails (thankfully) aren't damaged, and I'd like to keep them
healthy. So, I spend this in-between time oiling
(I have a post about it!). After about a day of this treatment then
it's time for either new wraps or polish.
Well.. what do you think? If you ever want to try any, I can put you in touch with a consultant since I don't sell these.. I just happen to have lots of them (come on.. they are really cute!). Let me know in the comments what you think or if you have any questions! Keep reading to the end for more tips.. otherwise, see you next time (probably with polish!).
XO,
Vanessa
Vanessa's super easy directions for nail wraps:
1. Select your
wraps. They come on a clear backing, so it's easy to find the one that
will fit your nails. You might have to trim them a little on the sides
so they fit properly and that is OK. That's where your nail scissors
come in. It's better to err on the side of too small than too big
because the nail wraps will NOT work very well if they are touching your
skin or cuticle. I'm able to use one wrap for 2 nails since my nails
are pretty short. You probably can, too, unless your nails are very
long.
2. Set up your work station: wraps, heat source (I
like the Jamberry mini nail heater, but a hair dryer will work, too),
scissors, clippers, orange stick or other cuticle pusher, nail files.
Cut the wraps you plan to use in half.
3. Push back cuticles
gently (remove excess if needed before you apply wraps!). Make sure
your nail is clean and dry. Use a basecoat if your nailbed is a little
oily or if you like to apply nail oil frequently or underneath the free
edge.
4. Take half of your desired wrap by the edge that will
eventually be filed off (do not touch the part that will be on your
nail) and center it on your nail lightly (no heat yet!!). Make sure
it's where you want it to be. Apply indirect heat (trust me.. the mini
heater is so nice for this) to the center of your wrap, and then apply
firm pressure using your finger or a rubber cuticle pusher. Apply
indirect heat to one side of the wrap, pressure, then the other side,
pressure. That's the 1-2-3 method and you can probably find a YouTube
video that shows it better than I can explain! ha ha!
5.
Continue working in that manner for all fingers (no filing yet!). Once
you've finished the last finger on that hand, then go back to the first
finger. It should be cool now and now it's OK to file off the excess. I
file down at a slight angle instead of 90 degrees because I use my
hands for everything. Filing at an angle helps since it won't be right
at the edge of your nail, for all of my friends who use their hands like
I do.. tools!
6. Do your other hand.
7. To remove, lift
a little bit of the side edge of the wrap. Then, slip a brush or
q-trip soaked in remover underneath and gently work the wrap off. Use
more remover if needed (but you shouldn't need much).
8. Remove
any left over residue with polish remover and wash your hands. Apply
lotion and/or nail oil to undo some of the drying from the remover.
