Manicure with gel polish is becoming increasingly popular. Girls especially like gel polish in the style of precious stones, for example, cat's eye. But for such a manicure you need to purchase a special magnet; with its help you can make different patterns depending on how the magnet is programmed.
What polish is suitable for a cat eye manicure?
Manicure with cat eye polish looks very beautiful and bright, because the girl herself can create original patterns using a magnet. In this process, the selection of a magnet plays a big role, because a regular magnet is not suitable for such a manicure.
But a correctly selected varnish also plays an equally important role, because for a magnetic manicure you need exactly the varnish that contains metal particles. You need to know that regular varnish is not suitable for magnetic manicure, so you need to buy a special magnet and a special varnish.
In order to learn how to operate a magnet and understand how to use it, you can watch video lessons. A regular manicure using a magnet is done only with shellac or gel polish, the collection of which includes a series of precious stones.
How to do a manicure
A manicure is done in the traditional way, that is, you first need to wipe off the old nail polish, then file the nails and remove the cuticles. After the nails are cleaned of dirt and dust, you need to apply a base and dry it in an ultraviolet lamp. After the base has dried, you need to apply the first layer of magnetic varnish and dry it again with a lamp.
After all the nails have polymerized, you need to apply a second layer of varnish, but you need to apply the varnish to each nail separately, since the magnet has a good effect on wet varnishes. So, you need to bring a magnet to the applied second layer and hold it for 3-5 seconds to form a pattern. After this, each nail needs to be dried in a lamp and a top coat is applied on top. After the topcoat has dried in the lamp, you need to remove the sticky layer from the nails using a special napkin. And the manicure is ready.
Subtleties of working with a magnet for gel polish
Using a magnet, you can experiment by creating different patterns. To do this, you need to vary the distance of the magnet from the nails, its inclination and position. Thanks to such manipulations, the pattern on the nails can change. Using regular polish with metal particles, you need to do the same thing, only there is no need to polymerize your nails in a lamp. The main thing is that the applied varnish does not have time to dry; to do this, immediately after applying the second layer, you need to bring a magnet to the nail.
Which gel polish magnet to choose?
To understand which magnet is better to buy, you need to pay attention to its properties. Many girls say that an ordinary magnet can create patterns on their nails, but it is impossible to predict the result. That's why most manicure lovers buy special magnets.
Girls have a choice of magnets, for example, there is a special magnetic pen, which has the shape of an ordinary pen and acts on the varnish at a distance of 0.5 mm. There is also a regular magnet that can be held closer or further from the nail; the shape of the magnet can be round, square or oval. You can find out what pattern you will get after using a magnet by simply looking at the pictured pattern on the magnet.
To get a beautiful pattern on your nails, you must adhere to all the rules for performing a manicure and prepare your nails for each procedure. There is no need to save on buying varnish and a magnet, because the manicure may not look aesthetically pleasing, and low-quality varnish can have a bad effect on your nails.
Beautiful manicure at home? It’s easy, because now there is a special magnetic nail polish, with which you can create original patterns on your hands (photos are attached) without wasting effort and time. What is it, which company should I choose and how to use it? We will teach you everything!
How the varnish works
We all know from physics lessons that iron is attracted to a magnet. Scientists took advantage of this principle and introduced microscopic metal particles into the usual varnish composition. This is all the magic: a magnet of a certain shape, which is brought to a nail painted with a special varnish, deforms the iron particles into a certain pattern. Magnets can be found with a variety of designs: stars, stripes, waves, longitudinal lines. This is a good alternative to beads and other decorations that can fall off due to poor-quality manicure.
This is not a harmful varnish, it does not contain lead or any scary chemicals, everything is based on physics. Taking care of your nails this way is not at all dangerous.
But you need to know how to use it. So, we clean the nail: remove the remaining varnish, possibly seal the plate, and apply a thin layer of base coat. After that, we simply paint it with varnish (instructions are included).
Before applying magnetic colored varnish, make sure that all the necessary tools are at hand, because you need to act quickly. And now, while the nail polish is liquid, we bring the magnet to it, the distance should be as close as possible, but we do not touch the plate. We hold it until the intended pattern is obtained, then wait for it to dry. Applying this varnish is very similar to a simple manicure with varnish.
If the theory is not entirely clear, we recommend watching a video on how to apply magnetic polish with a specific nail design. There are different patterns, and if you bought a magnet with stripes, you can experiment with it in order to obtain a new image. 3D varnishes look very nice. Often the instructions also come with pictures showing variant patterns with a specific magnet.
Video: Method of applying magnetic varnish
Which company is better to buy varnishes?
You can buy magnetic nail polish at any store specializing in manicure coatings; the price will directly depend on the company you choose. Let's talk a little about varnishes, their types, color trends and the companies that produce them.
To begin with, let’s highlight the most popular manufacturing companies and their pricing policy:
Now you need to look at the availability of these varnishes in certain cities. As usual, in large regional centers there is no problem with purchasing magnetic nail polish.
- In Moscow, Minsk, Nizhny Novgorod, Krasnoyarsk, Voronezh and St. Petersburg, many of the above brands even have official stores;
- In Ukraine (as well as in Moldova) all brands can be found in any big city: Kyiv, Lugansk, Crimea, and Donetsk;
- For those living in more remote towns (Volgograd, Novosibirsk, Izhevsk, Yekaterinburg, Novosibirsk) it is better to order these products on the Internet, since there are now dozens of resources that provide the opportunity to buy nail polish with a magnet.
You should not completely limit yourself to the information obtained on our resource; although we use reliable information, it can be changed by manufacturing companies without approval, so be sure to read the reviews about magnetic nail polishes on the forums. In many cities you can also find salons that provide magnetic manicures.
How to remove nail polish
We begin removing magnetic polish in the same way as biogel nail polish. We need to prepare:
- Foil;
- Acetone;
- A wooden stick (preferably orange);
- Sponge or cotton wool.
We degrease the nails and apply cotton wool soaked in acetone to them, hold it for several minutes, then remove it. Now use a stick to push the strips of varnish to the edge. We smear the nails with an aqueous solution with iodine. It would be a good idea to coat them with anti-fungal varnish, which has good restorative properties.
Magnetic manicure appeared relatively recently, but has already gained the trust of the fair half of the population. Thanks to special technology, girls can create patterns on their nails without having drawing skills. Fancy stripes, stars, waves - now all this has become possible. The resulting ornament directly depends on the type of magnet used. Many ladies prefer to combine magnetic varnish with other types of coating, thereby highlighting only the middle and ring fingers.
Features of magnetic nail polishes
Today, popular manufacturing companies produce a wide range of varnishes; every girl will find an option for herself.
- Most enamels have a complex color. This includes purple, gray-blue, bluish, sea, lilac-pink, brown-green, gold, bronze, silver shades.
- Particles called “metallic” are added to the coating. It is with their help that you can achieve a beautiful deep shade. The magnet attracts metal grains to the surface, creating an original ornament.
- Density is considered to be a positive feature of magnetic varnish. It is enough to apply 1 layer to cover the nail plate without showing through spots.
- This type of coating has a durable composition; it adheres perfectly to the nails, so no fixer (top varnish) is required. Magnetic enamel can be removed with the most common liquid without acetone, leaving no streaks behind.
- Leading manufacturers produce nail polish with a magnet already attached. However, in some lines you can find coatings without a magnet, in which case the device must be purchased separately.
- The pattern magnet is a platform on which the finger is placed on top. You can also find a magnet in the form of a plate, but it is not very convenient for use by beginners.
- If you are covering your nails with this varnish for the first time, give preference to the platform. Ease of application will allow you to create a beautiful pattern without smearing the varnish itself.
- The magnet is considered reusable, so there is no point in buying it with each new bottle of the composition. You can use the device with coatings from different companies, regardless of the shade and brand of the manufacturer.
- It is important to understand that the metal particles are designed specifically for the magnet. That is why they successfully rise to the top or “hang” in the core of the varnish. You should not try to create a pattern on varnishes that are not intended for this purpose.
- Magnetic polishes are especially popular among girls with long nails, but medium length nails are also suitable. Short nails will not be able to convey the entire design by cutting it off. You can visually change the shape and length of the plate by rotating the magnet in different directions.
- For example, if you draw stripes from the nail bed to the free edge, the plate will visually narrow and lengthen. In the case of horizontal stripes (from edge to edge of the nail fold), the surface will expand and the nails will look shorter.
Preparing nails for manicure
- Pre-prepare your nails. Make a hand bath based on salt, essential and natural oils or medicinal plants. Steam the skin for a quarter of an hour.
- Using an orange stylus, push the cuticle to the base of the nail, cut it off with thin nail scissors or tongs. You can also use a special liquid if you have it on hand.
- Next, give your nails the same length and shape, and file the free edge with a glass file. Ladies who have uneven nails should use a polishing buff. Give the surface a matte and rough finish, eliminating defects.
- Wipe your nails with nail polish remover without acetone or a special degreaser. After this, wait 10 minutes for the product to evaporate from the plate structure. Apply the first protective layer - the base for the varnish, and dry.
- If your nails are not naturally smooth, use a “smoothing” base (base). It will fill the gaps, which will allow you to apply the base coat as efficiently as possible. It is important to understand that the more thoroughly the preparation is carried out, the better the final result will be.
Of course, the application of magnetic varnish differs from the technique of using other coatings. The procedure requires attention to detail, a steady hand and perseverance. You will spend more time, but the result is worth the effort and time.
- In a stagnant bottle, magnetized particles settle to the bottom of the bottle. Therefore, the tube needs to be turned over and rolled between your palms for 1-2 minutes. Do not shake the bottle under any circumstances, otherwise bubbles will form, which will ruin all your efforts.
- After preparing your nails, start applying the composition. Cover the plates one at a time, starting with the little finger. Remove the brush from the bottle and wipe off excess from the back. Place the brush in the middle of the nail, lightly push the polish towards the cuticle, drawing a semicircle.
- Next, go down to the base of the nail, do not allow the polish to flow onto the side cavities. Seal the tip of the nail by brushing along the edge. There is no need to apply several layers of varnish; one is enough. This is what distinguishes magnetic coating from all others.
- After applying the composition to the little finger, start creating the ornament. Don’t hesitate, the pattern is drawn exclusively on a fresh surface. Bring the magnet as close to the plate as possible, but do not touch the nail so as not to smear the polish.
- Keep the magnet strictly parallel, no need to twist or tilt it. Wait 60-80 seconds, then remove the accessory. You will see a beautiful pattern, after 3 seconds the saturation will partially go away.
- After treating your little finger, start applying polish to your ring finger. The technology is identical to the previous one. If you use a magnetic platform, your finger is placed on it. The exposure time remains the same 1-1.5 minutes. Remove the nail carefully so as not to smudge the polish.
- Magnetic coating does not require a final layer. For this reason, do not use a special dryer, top varnish, gloss, fixative, etc. Such compositions will make the drawing cloudy and dull, and all efforts will be in vain.
- If during the manicure process you accidentally smeared the polish and as a result it remained on your finger, act carefully. Soak a cotton swab or manicure pencil in liquid without acetone and remove excess. Manipulations are carried out strictly after the creation of the drawing.
The technology of using magnetic nail polish is not difficult if you follow the step-by-step instructions. Prepare the cuticle and plate in advance, give your nails a shape. Roll the bottle of coating between your palms, then spread over the surface of the nail in one layer. Keep the magnet parallel to ensure an even pattern. Experiment with shades and create your ideal look.
Video: how to use magnetic varnishes
Once at work, I saw an employee have a simple but beautiful manicure - against a dark background there were even, seemingly slightly blurred stripes. It would seem that there could be something unusual here! But I couldn’t figure out how these stripes were made. You can clearly see that these are not painted stripes, since it is impossible to shade nail polish this way. It is clear that these are not stickers. Still not understanding how miraculously this manicure was done, I asked. The answer discouraged me - it's a magnetic manicure!
I, a lover of nail art, then first heard about magnetic varnish.
From the name it is clear that when creating a magnetic manicure, magnets must be used.
In general terms, the principle is this: nail polish contains metal particles that, under the influence of magnets, are arranged in a certain order according to the laws of physics. And this order is determined by the pattern applied to the magnet.
Magnetic manicure is done like this:
Step one. Prepare your nails by manicuring and applying base coat.
Step two. Apply magnetic polish to one nail.
Step three. Bring the magnet almost close to the nail - but without touching - and hold for ten seconds.
Step four. Do the same with the rest of your nails.
Everything is very simple! However, there are some nuances that you need to pay attention to:
- if the magnetic varnish is a little liquid, then it can be applied in two layers. Let the first layer dry completely, and carry out “magnetic manipulation” with the second layer;
- do not apply colorless varnish and fixative to magnetic manicure, as they will smear the design;
- one magnet is suitable for magnetic varnishes from different manufacturers;
- carefully hold the magnet over the varnish; if varnish gets on it, it may stop “working”;
- magnetic varnish is beautiful on nails even without magnetization, it can be used as a regular varnish.
Magnets for magnetic manicure
Some manufacturers of magnetic varnishes place a magnet on the bottle itself, which is of course quite convenient. But, since not all varnishes have magnets, they are sold separately.
On sale there are just magnets with a pattern, but there are entire magnetic installations.
A magnet for magnetic manicure is a small plate on which a pattern is applied. It is very comfortable to hold in your hand, and it is inexpensive - on average 100 rubles.
Magnetic installation is a device for magnetic manicure. With its help, the result is the same, but working with it is much more convenient. The magnetic installation has a backing for the finger and the magnet itself on the handle. The finger is placed on the substrate, the magnet is lowered. You don't need to hold it with your hands - this way you definitely won't lean the magnet against the varnish. A magnetic installation costs an average of 150 rubles.
Whatever the magnet is - on varnish, on a plate or in an installation, the choice of designs, unfortunately, is not yet large. There are stripes (straight, diagonal), waves and a star.
By the way, very cheap magnets are sold on Ebay - a couple of dollars for a set of three magnets. They work the same way as magnets from regular stores.
Now I’ll tell you a little about the companies that produce these varnishes.
Nails Inc
It is believed that Nails Inc was the first company to come up with magnetic polishes. This company offers only 3 shades - purple, gold and silver. In Russia, these varnishes can be purchased, for example, at the Sephora store, costing about 600 rubles.
Lancome
Although it is believed that Nails Inc were the pioneers of magnetic polishes, the world-famous luxury company Lancome released magnetic polish several years ago. There were only two shades - brown and gray-blue; and one drawing - an asterisk. The cost of such varnish is more than 1,500 rubles. It can still be found in some stores.
Chanel
Another magnetic “luxury” nail polish is produced by Chanel. The choice of colors is small - only three colors, the magnet is located on the cap of the varnish. The cost of varnish is on average 1800 rubles.
Dance Legend
Dance Legend has perhaps one of the largest palettes of magnetic varnishes - 12 colors.
Dance Legend specializes in nail polishes, which is probably why their polishes are of very good quality.
Magnetic varnishes are thick, one layer is enough. Magnets are sold separately.
The cost of varnishes is on average 200 rubles.
Pupa
Pupa magnetic polishes are sold in a set with two magnets in beautiful packaging. There are 9 shades of varnish to choose from. The magnets in all sets are the same - horizontal and diagonal stripes. In my opinion, this is a very good, stylish gift. The cost of such a set is about 300 rubles.
There are also cheaper magnetic varnishes from the Ruby Rose company on sale, and there are magnetic varnishes of unknown origin on the Ebay website.
As you can see, you can do a beautiful, unusual manicure yourself - a magnetic manicure is easy to do. True, a magnetic manicure takes a little more time than simply painting your nails with polish.
The beauty industry is constantly evolving, bringing new trends from other areas of knowledge, which allows women to always look fashionable, beautiful, elegant and original.
Manicure is no longer just about filed and well-groomed nails painted with varnish. Today it is a separate discipline in the field of beauty and aesthetics, which is constantly developing and supplemented with new techniques and motifs. All these new items are happily picked up by modern fashionistas to look stylish and fashionable. One of the ways to create an original manicure with gel polish is a manicure using a magnet. This manicure is called cat's eye or precious stones.
What is a manicure using a magnet?
A manicure using a magnet is created with a special gel polish that contains metal particles. If you apply a magnet to such a gel polish coating, the metal particles on the nail will collect, forming a pattern, a shiny shade that resembles a cat's eye.
There are many shades of cat's eyes: green, yellow, lilac, blue and others; the cat's eye effect can be seen in the photo.
Magnetic manicure is also called “cat eye”
Applying cat eye manicure
To create a cat eye cover, you need to do the following:
- Prepare the nail plate. First you need to completely remove the old varnish, then polish the nail, apply a thin layer of primer;
- Apply gel polish for the base. It doesn't have to be magnetic varnish. The base helps to create interesting designs on the nail;
HELP: Experts advise using dark gel polish for the base. Thanks to the dark pigment, magnetic patterns are clearer.
- Apply magnetic varnish;
IMPORTANT: In order to “wake up” the metal particles, the gel polish must be shaken by rolling in your palms before use. Do not shake under any circumstances.
- Create a drawing using a magnet;
- Apply sealer.
The design on the nails is created using a magnet
Applying a fixer is an important step when creating a cat eye manicure. The design tends to dissipate over time, but thanks to the fixative it will last longer. To make a cat-eye manicure last longer, it is best for its owner to do housework with gloves on, try not to scratch the surface with the nail, and avoid getting acetone on it. In addition, in the first days after applying gel polish, try to avoid getting hot water or steam on your nails.
What you need to know about magnets
The first thing you need to know in order to create a cat eye manicure with gel polish is that there must be a magnet specifically for the gel polish and specifically to create the cat eye effect. This means that neither a regular magnet nor a magnet for regular varnish will fit into it.
A certain magnet only fits a certain gel polish
Some other points can be highlighted:
- You can use magnets for gel polish from different manufacturers. Manufacturers themselves, in order to increase sales, tend to say that the effect is only possible when using a magnet from their production, but this is not so;
- Magnets come in different types. There are magnets in the form of a ballpoint pen, magnets in the form of a bar or in the form of a bar on a holder, and a round magnet for gel polish. Also, magnets from some manufacturers are sold already with a pattern;
- The drawing is best done immediately after applying the coating, that is, before the nails are placed in the lamp for polymerization. It will take more than 10 seconds for the drawing to develop;
The magnet must be used immediately on a wet surface.
- To develop the design, the magnet must be located at a distance of 5 mm above the nail. It is prohibited to apply a magnet to the nail plate;
- Magnetic gel polishes from different manufacturers react differently to the magnet: some leave a clearer pattern, some take longer to react to the magnet. Therefore, before starting to use a magnet on someone’s hand, it is best for the master to look at the principle of operation of the varnish on the tip;
- The magnetic pattern is easy to adjust on a fresh coating. As the magnet moves, the pattern also changes.
Design ideas for cat eye manicure
Below are some options and techniques for drawing. In order to apply gel polish correctly, you can watch the video and photo. Sometimes craftsmen discover interesting motifs of a cat's eye unexpectedly.
Pen drawing
A magnet made in the form of a ballpoint pen is good because it makes thin and neat lines. In order for the drawing to be clear, the lines should be drawn slowly, and the pen itself should be kept strictly perpendicular to the nail plate. In addition, it is convenient to use.
To create small drawings, it is better to use a magnet in the form of a pen.
Drawing options:
- Peas. Bring the magnet to the surface of the gel polish and hold for several seconds. Then repeat the same at another point. The result should be circles or peas with a cat's eye effect;
- Floral motifs. Use a pen to draw round spirals in different places on the nail. The end result will be drawings that look like roses;
- Arrows. Draw arrows from one edge of the nail to the other. You can apply several such arrows.
Drawing with magnets using bars
This refers to magnets in the form of bars that can be connected to each other.
The drawing options are as follows:
- Star. It is obtained by connecting 2 magnets. It is important to place the magnet in the middle of the nail plate where the magnets connect. There is also a star option with 4 magnets. In this case, it turns out to be more complex;
- Zigzag. To do this you will need 2 magnets. They do not need to be connected, but, on the contrary, turned to each other with the side that gives resistance. Place the magnets on opposite edges below and above, perpendicular to the nail. This arrangement of magnets should form a smooth zigzag;
- Arcs. To do this, the magnets must be held parallel to each other with the non-magnetic side.
Options for drawings with one magnet
Using one flat magnet you can create the following designs:
- Straight line. With the cat's eye effect it looks very stylish and original. To create a line, you need to place the magnet parallel to the nail. You can apply the magnet either in the center, on the side or diagonally. It all depends on the desire where it is better to place the line;
- Cat's French. Created by applying a magnet along the edge of the nail;
- Gradient. To create it, you need to hold the magnet perpendicular to the nail. After a few seconds, the darker color will move forward, and the lighter color will remain at the base of the nail;
- Reverse French. If you apply a magnet not to the tip of the nail, but from its base to the edge, then the result will be a manicure with a hole.
Also, interesting designs with a cat's eye effect are obtained using a round magnet. It allows you to create smoother lines and make the drawing multi-layered.
Manicure with a cat eye effect is a real find of our days. It allows a woman to stand out without being banal.