Don't miss: Survival Guide

How to Use Gold Foil Nail Art

Feb 2, 2012 / By Natalie Baker

post comment

Pin It

Overview

If you're sick of chips and smudged nails, it’s time to give foil manicures a go. Pronto! Like stickers, foil nail wraps adhere to your nails with zero drying time required. The clever little foil art can last for up to a week, and because they are simply stickers, you don’t need to worry about pesky smudging. Sure, you’d be forgiven for thinking you need the skills of an expert manicurist to apply gorgeous gold foils, but the latest drugstore nail wraps are super-easy to apply.

Remove any old nail polish with a cotton pad and nail polish remover. It may be tempting to just stick those nail foils over the top, but an uneven base means your foils won’t adhere to your nails properly. Remove traces of old polish to ensure smooth application and longer-lasting nail art.

Cut your nails with nail clippers. If you’ve neglected your talons recently and they are all different lengths, use clippers to cut them down to a similar length. Keep your nails a little longer than you would like, as you’ll need to gently file once you apply your foils.

Apply a coat of clear nail polish or base coat. This will protect your nails and give your foils a smooth base on which to cling. Allow the polish to thoroughly dry before you even think about grabbing your packet of gold nail foils.

Choose the nail foils that best match the size of your nails. Each pack contains several different sizes of foils so that you can select the best fit. Apply the curved side of the foil onto your nail and press down firmly to squeeze out any trapped air bubbles. Your foil will be longer than your nail, don’t freak! Use a nail file to file off the excess foil in a downward motion. Repeat this process on each nail.

Apply a high-shine topcoat over your foils. This will strengthen your nail art and help it to last longer. If want to give your gold foil art a bit of extra bling, apply a clear varnish with speckles of gold glitter over the top for a cool, custom design.

1.Nail polish remover

3.Nail clippers

5.Gold foil art wraps

7.High-shine topcoat

2.Cotton pads

4.Clear nail polish

6.Nail file

You can also apply nail foil wraps to your toe nails as a pretty pedicure. When sandal-season hits, apply foil nail wraps to your toe nails as a longer-lasting alternative to nail polish. Expect foil wraps on your hardworking hands to last up to a week or anywhere up to a month on your toes.