I will admit that the first set or two were not nearly as well applied as the last several... and there are simple things that I need to share with you to help!
1) REALLY go at the cuticles. I have a heavy duty removing tool that I use to remove it from the entire nail. I always soak my hands in warm water before this step to soften the cuticle so it comes off easier. I've started using this Cuticle Remover Pen which I find awesome, especially on the one weird nail I have that's got a super thick cuticle. I clip around the base of my nail to get as much of it off as I can.
2) Wash your hands in a plain dish soap (like blue Dawn or the like). Plain dish soaps will remove the oil from your nails and hands.
3) OPTIONAL* Use a Strengthening Base Coat to prep the nail for application. This is not required, but for someone like me who has very soft nails, I feel its an important step & I also think it helps when it comes time to remove the wraps.
4) Gather all supplies. I like to have an orange stick, nail scissors, a file & buffer block, a rubber cuticle pusher, whatever cleanser I'm using, the wraps and my heater. You can find the other items in the Application Kit if you don't already have them. (You can definitely use a hair dryer to heat the wraps, I just found I was to clumsy with it and I love that the heater is pretty much silent so I can easily use it during naptime or after the kiddos have gone to bed!). In addition to these items I like to have a set of tweezers.
For the following steps, I repeat individually with each nail:
5) Clean the nail (I always do one at a time! I just find that when I clean them all first, I usually end up touching them again and have to wipe clean a second time. You need the nail to be as clean as possible to achieve an optimal seal with the wrap).
6) Select the wrap size that will be the closest fit. It is better to err on the side of small because the warp should not make contact with the skin around your nail bed. There are several sizes on each sheet so you shouldn't need trim them down. I then use the tweezers to lift the wrap from the sheet, cut it long enough to cover my nail and heat it until it curls slightly.
7) Apply the wrap to your nail as close to the edge as you can without it touching the skin. I use a rolling motion as I apply them from the bast to the end. I use my finger to press the wrap down the center and then I grab the rubber cuticle pusher and press down from the center out to the edges until the nail is smooth. Then its time to use the nail scissors to trim the wrap excess off. At this point, I repeat on all nails.
8) The last step is to file the excess off. Take the nail file and at a 90 degree angle to your nail, file straight down all around the tip of the nail until smooth. Here you may want to use the buffer block to get a super smooth tip.
There you have it! My very best tips for applying Jamberry nail wraps. I also have a small rice bag that I heat up at the very end of the process and use it to press the seal down at the tips. This is optional as well but I find it a great trick! And also, if you notice an edge lifting at any point, you can just heat the rice bag and seal it back down!
No comments:
Post a Comment