Craquelure on nails is a fairly common and popular technique in nail design. Today, there are many options for obtaining this expressive effect. Our article will help those who not only like to show off well-groomed and beautiful nails, but also strive to learn how to do a manicure on their own.
Among other alternatives, craquelure foil manicure stands apart. Frankly, the technology can hardly be called simple. Some skills and knowledge will be required, and accuracy should be on top. But the result in the form of exquisite shining nails will be a well-deserved reward for all the hard work. Study the materiel, use our advice, use high-quality materials - and you will get nails no worse than salon ones, which you will not be ashamed to show off to your girlfriends and colleagues. And don't be surprised by the increased attention!
What is craquelure?
This word of French origin came to the world of nail art from painting, or rather from restoration. So they call the web of cracks,appearing over time on ancient canvases. The cracking effect is the main feature of craquelure or crackle. Consider how to get it on your nails.
Craquelure nail designs don't have to look messy at all. After all, cracks can appear if the coating technology is violated. But they will definitely not be so beautiful and expressive. Our task is to obtain the effect of artificial aging. The play on contrasts will add expressiveness, when a base layer of a different color appears through the cobweb of the upper layer.
Various techniques of craquelure nail art
The easiest way to achieve the effect is to use a special varnish. Unfortunately, this tool is not suitable for gel manicure. The coating will last on the nails for only a few days. The technology also has its advantages: a relatively low price of varnish, a good choice of colors, ease of use. You just need to cover and apply ordinary varnish on the nail plates, let it dry completely, cover with Crackle varnish, wait for cracks to form and apply a layer of fixative on top. So the craquelure on the nails is ready.
Manicure foil is harder to use. It will require certain costs, time and skill. But this method is perfect for lovers of resistant gel coating. It is this technology that is the focus of our article.
Can nail foil be used with regular nail polish? It is possible, but it is more difficult, and the availability of alternatives calls into question the feasibility of using foil. But if verywant, you must try it.
Manicure foil and its features
Craquelure on the nails, the photo of which you see in this section, is made using a special shining material. It can be purchased in departments for nail art. The foil is usually sold in small rolls or packs.
There are many different ways to use it for nail art. Each master has a couple of his secrets. Application for craquelure manicure consists in gluing the foil, but not on the entire surface of the nail (as, for example, for a mirror manicure), but only on some of its sections. The gaps between them play the role of cracks through which the lower layer peeps through.
Required materials for gel manicure with foil
Perform hygienic preliminary procedures using any tool convenient for you. Someone manages with an ordinary set, someone needs equipment. Do as you please, but in any case, before applying the coating, tidy up your nails.
And to make craquelure on nails with gel polish, we need the following:
- file and buff for natural nails;
- degreaser;
- base (for example, Structure);
- lacquer that does not match the color of the foil;
- manicure foil;
- fixer (Brilliance or any equivalent);
- means for removing the sticky layer after the last drying (for example, Purify);
- orange stick;
- tweezers;
- manicure scissors.
Of course, a special lamp for drying gel polishes is a must. And for those who have just started learning how to work with this material, they definitely need a watch (if the lamp does not have a built-in timer).
Progress of work
To make the craquelure on the nails neat and beautiful, follow the technology. Read the instructions for varnish and other products (manufactured by different companies, they may require different drying times under the lamp). Prepare everything you need. Buff your nails to improve grip, degrease.
Apply a base on the nails from the little finger to the index finger of one hand, dry for 1 minute. Repeat with the fingers of the other hand. The last step is to cover and dry the nails of both thumbs. This scheme saves time and gives a good result. It is desirable to apply a decorative coating in the same order.
Paint your nails. One or two coats may be needed depending on the brand. Dry gradually, but do not remove the sticky layer - we need it!
Cut the foil into pieces a little larger than a fingernail. Apply, being careful not to achieve a perfectly even fit. Move the orange stick in a stroke-like manner. Tear off the foil sharply at the edge - it will remain only on the fragments to which it was pressed with a stick.
Coat with fixer, dry, wipe with detackifier.
You can apply a craquelure pattern on all nails, only on some of them or on regrown parts. Once you have mastered the technique, you will be able to experiment anddo, for example, a jacket with craquelure.
Foil manicure with regular polish
If you have neither a lamp nor a desire to work with gel polishes, you can get by with improvised materials. But in this case, glue is needed for the foil. Of course, you can "fish" the degree of drying, when the surface is no longer deformed, but still remains sticky, but it will be difficult to achieve a good result. Glue is sold in the same place as foil.
Cover the dried varnish with spots of glue, leaving "cracks" in the gaps. Glue the foil with a matte surface inside, tear off. To keep the craquelure on the nails longer, a very thin layer of fixative varnish can be applied over the foil.
Unusual way of craquelure foil manicure
Crackle lacquer and nail foil are not the only ways to achieve the effect. There is another unusual method to get the craquelure effect on the nails. For it, you will need ordinary foil (from a chocolate bar or for baking) and two varnishes of different colors.
Coat your nails with one polish and wait for it to dry. Apply a second and immediately press a crumpled piece of foil to the nail. Remove. Part of the varnish will remain on the foil, and part will lie in the form of cracks. To level the surface, after drying, apply a layer of clear varnish or fixer.
It is worth noting that the above methods give different results. Try them all to find the one that suits you best.
