hi all!

i am actually a hairstylist but i've been venturing into nails the last few months and i am in LOVE!

are there certain types of materials you can encase in your acrylic? I wanted to go to the craft store and just try out different materials to be creative...

i did this set and put stars in the acrylic and the first time i did it, the stars almost turned rusty but the 2nd time it was great... (i hope this pic posts... LoL)

http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l9...s/S7300948.jpg

anyway... any materials i should STAY AWAY FROM in acrylic?

thanks!

Hi
Could you fill in your profile a bit more?

Are you trained to do nails? Or willing to train professionally? Otherwise hun I don't think anyone will answer as doing nails isn't something you just do.

If you are a licensed tech I'm sorry if I offend you asking this, and I'll be happy to give advise...

thank you so much NoLimitNails for the feedback! i am a licensed cosmetologist so i do have SOME (and i stress the word some.. LoL) training in it. they don't spend much time on that section tho. i didn't do the formal (400 hrs i think?) schooling to become a nail tech tho. i'd love to take some classes but i can't seem to find any in the Sacramento area... hope that answers your question and when i get back on tonite, i will def update my profile!

Thanks for not being offended.

Besides what I try to avoid when encasing is basically (as you have already tried) metallic glitters of poor quality as they "bleed", unless this is what you aim for..
Otherwise I think moist products should be avoided (although someone did encase a leave at some point).
Otherwise your imagination is your limit, only it should be flat enough to ensure your nail thickness (or thinness I suppose) and be something the acrylic can adhere to, try different things on you (or a trusted model) to see if it lasts.

Hope I was of any help!

As NoLimitNails says the reason why your stars went rusty looking is due to the bleeding of the art material as it makes contact with the monomer. This is due to the poorer quality of craft shop glitters opposed to bonafide nail art materials. Why not google nail art products and see if you come up with any where near you. Or seen as you are a hairdresser why not visit your salon suppiers and see what they have. Search the internet, youtube etc for tutorials.

There are plenty of things that you can embed, sequins, ribbons, skeleton leaves, gems, glitters, dried flowers, lace, fine netting, acrylic 3d flowers etc. really as already said, as long as the thing you are embedding is dry, your imagination is the limit.

Whatever you do though, always capp your design with clear powder and liquid otherwise using any coloured powder even the faintest of pink will mask your art work and potentially ruin your design.

anne xx