This summer, it’s been all about fantasy looks - mythical creatures, glitter, shine, and PINK! One of the looks that’s been taking the world of nails by storm is Unicorn Nails. It’s crazy popular, and for good reason - it looks amazing!
In this blog, we’ve compiled a list of products, tips and tricks to help you perfect this gorgeous, magical look for your clients!
Credit: Ramona Hales, Educator, Trendsetter’s Nail Studio
Luminaura
The key to the perfect Unicorn Nail is the amazing Luminaura by Social Claws! This crazy beautiful pigment turns any colour into a gorgeous, shimmery unicorn colour. And it’s taken the nail world by storm! Everyone wants it! Clients are even asking for it by name!
If you have Luminaura you know what I’m talking about. If you want to see for yourself, click here to pre-order for the next shipment!
With the Luminaura, you will need to make sure you are applying it over a tack-free layer - either a tack-free top gel, or a tack-free Gel Paint.
**UPDATE**: Ashley W. of Glittered Pony offered us this trick for getting your Luminaura or Holo pigments to stay put:
"A thin layer of Power Boost (from Elite Beauty Supplies) over Holographic or Luminaura or Chrome has been my saving grace over top. No chipping at all with any of my clients since using it. I use it right after my pigment and then go over it with a top coat".
Thanks for the great tip, Ashley!!
Photo credit: Glittered Pony Nails
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Top Gels
Some of our favourite tack-free top gels that we like to work with:
- Crystal Nails Top Shine Xtreme
- High shine and durable. This top gel offers of great flexibility as well. One of our favourite top gels from Crystal Nails.
- Crystal Nails Xtreme Cool Top Gel
- The newest top gel from Crystal Nails. Super high shine, tack free top gel with greater flexibility.
- Crystal Nails Super Shine Optic
- Tack Free Flexible Soak off gel top coat, perfect for natural nail gel manicures.
- Elite Beauty Supplies Crystal Gloss
- A flexible tack free top that can be soaked off as well
- A favourite Canadian company, made right in Saskatchewan!
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Gel Paints
We often use gel paints from Crystal Nails and Elite Beauty Supplies as a base for our Luminaura application. You can find them in the shop here
Gel paint lets us skip a step, and get to the fun stuff sooner! If you choose to use a gel paint as a base for your application, make sure it cures TACK FREE. If it doesn’t, you will need to cure a layer of your chosen top gel before application of Luminaura.
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Tips & Tricks for Application
Here are some of the tricks that we have found when using these fabulous pigments!
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We like to use a silicone tool to apply the Luminaura. You can also start with a brush or eye shadow applicator, but the silicone tool is the easiest way to get that really glassy look. If you are choosing an eyeshadow applicator type tool, we like the rubbery feeling ones, the ones that feel like a beauty blender - they seem to work the best.
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Gentle but firm pressure! This is very important! Be careful because if you are too aggressive, you may scratch the surface.
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Less is more. The pigments from Social Claws are amazing to work with, very little is needed to create the desired effect. Using the bit of pigment from the top of the pot is often enough to do more than one nail.
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Finding the perfect top gel/curing time combination might require some trial and error. Even the ones we like to work with, listed above, all cure differently depending on the lamp you are using. We suggest playing around with them to find the “sweet spot” for your lamp and top gel. If your Luminaura seems to be going on “gritty”, we suggest trying to cure it longer. If it isn’t sticking, or appears blotchy, try curing for a shorter time.
- If your clients are finding that it is chipping soon after application, there could be a few reasons. Sometimes clients just are too hard on their hands, but it’s also possible that the top gel is too rigid. If that’s the case, try these tweaks:
- File the perimeter to remove excess pigment from edges.
- Use an acid free primer around the edge of the nail before applying the top coat.
- Apply two layers of top gel
Credit: Fetish Nails
Hopefully these tips help you to create some amazing Unicorn Nails for your clients. If you try out this trend, post it on Instagram or Facebook and tag thePINKchair Nail Studio - we’d love to see what you create!
Talk to you soon!
Kellie, Hazel & Oscar
