Swarovski crystals; what's the best thing to adhere them to nails?

[nads6699]

Hi i have swarvoski crystal's on my big toes applied on friday with gelbond. They have no top coat etc.
Now they have started coming off?
Im acrylic (cnd) trained and have the shellax stuff but no lamp lol. What can i put on top??? i thought if i used a standard top coat it might take away some of the bling, but i cant offer this service if it doesnt last very long. Any ideas ladies please xx

 

[cherish_beauty]

i didnt think shellac worked without the lamp!! but as for cystal pedicure yu do need a uv topcoat or finishing gel to stop them coming off - or so i was told!!

 

[nads6699]

Sorry i meant i have the salon rack but not the lamp so cant use it!!

 

[spoilt]

hi im doing a brides finger in ss4 swarovski iv used ss5 and thats on set in gel , but in finding the clear swarovski is drownd by it in ss3 or 4 . what do u all use , she wants it to last through the honeymoon xx elisa

 

[lucysmam]

I've seen other people's threads about them & would quite like to try it out. I'm going out on Saturday so thought that would be the perfect opportunity to give it a whirl.

My questions are . . .

1, how do you stick the crystals?
2, how do I get them to stay on? (although this is not hugely important for me personally for one night but for future reference)
3, will rhinestones do the same job as they're all I have? (Am still getting to grips with acrylic so I only bought them to have a play with when my partner's on nights)
4, How long should something like this take to do & would you do a pedicure beforehand as normal or just the crystals?

TIA

 

[honeycure]

I'm not too sure what stone size has to do with your question, but you're using gel right?

If so, put a coat of gel, and put the stone on top and cure it. Then cover the stone with another coat of gel and cure again.

 

[honeycure]

If they used real swarovski crystals, it shouldn't dull under topcoat.

Honestly, they don't help much to keep the stones down though. I don't think gelbond is the best choice for gluing stones down. Applying with brush on glue makes them last forever

 

[EMMA AT ELITE]

I would love to try to do the cystal pedicure but not sure what products to use for long lasting results.
Can you geeks please tell me your step-by-step method of application & what products you use? :o x

 

[geeg]

1, how do you stick the crystals?
There are a variety of ways to do this. Some use Resin, some use adhesive, I've heard that some use Gel.

2, how do I get them to stay on? (although this is not hugely important for me personally for one night but for future reference)
Some apply a gel top coat over all the crystals and cure and some apply a top coat polish and let it dry (Both can dull the appearance of the crystals somewhat.

3, will rhinestones do the same job as they're all I have? (Am still getting to grips with acrylic so I only bought them to have a play with when my partner's on nights)
Rhinestones will not sparkle as much as the genuine crystals but will do for your night out.

4, How long should something like this take to do & would you do a pedicure beforehand as normal or just the crystals?
You always need to prepare the surface of the nails before doing anything to them. A full pedicure is not always necessary but certainly a cleanse of the feet and removal of cuticle and shaping is necessary if you are offering this as a service. As for time? You will have to try it out ... being super organized helps so that you can apply quickly and efficiently ... probably about 45 minutes for the whole job.

 

[Aphrodites]

flipping heck lol! Mine took me 2hours to do, but i did use teeny crystals :-S

 

[lucysmam]

Thanks geeg, I'll have a go later on & see. Don't think I'll be offering it just yet as a service, I'd rather be completely satisfied that my enhancements with acrylic are a good job first. But I'll try it out & make note of your reply for future reference should I offer it then.

My rhinestones will have to do for the time being since it's only experimental & if I do offer it as a service then I will invest in some proper crystals.

Thanks

 

[nailspirit]

Once you have finish filed your nails glue the swarovski on the nail. Put a tiny bit of adhesive and place the stone there. Wait for some minutes and cover the nail with topgel. You dont have to cover the stone...it gets a bit dull. This method keeps them on 3-4 weeks.

If you place the stones ontop of uncured gel then the gel under the stone most likely will not cure and therefore the result may not last so long. And if you put the gel over the stones then they loose their multidimensional sparkle:sad:.

Hope i understood your question right

 

[tigi]

i have sooo many swarovski crystals left over from my tiara making days! oh what a great idea! i cant wait to try it!

 

[Bonkers]

which swarovski crystals are the best for the crystal pedicure? anyone able to pm me where you order them from? i do only want genuine swarovski crystals due to my clientelle though thanks x

 

[shuntersue]

How would you take them off after a few weeks? Acetone?

 

[angel fingers]

If they used real swarovski crystals, it shouldn't dull under topcoat.

Honestly, they don't help much to keep the stones down though. I don't think gelbond is the best choice for gluing stones down. Applying with brush on glue makes them last forever

the quality of the stone is not going to help with the sparkle if you cover them with topcoat. all stones will dull if coated. swarovski being sparklier than other stones will have a better end result than a cheap alternative but topcoat will still dull the shine.

it is the facets on the stone that make it sparkle. if you coat it with anything you will dull the sharpness of cut and reduce the reflective quality.

swarovski crystals sparkle more than others because they have a higher quantity of lead in them and the have more facets and a more accurate cut than other stones.

when i use them i glue them down with nail adhesive, pressing them on tightly and then i take a tiny brush and use a no cleanse u.v gel topcoat to apply around them to form a slight 'collar' to grip around the edge of the stone but not cover over them. always use a no cleanse finishing gel because its impossible to properly wipe off inhibition around an intricate surface properly and any slight trace of it encourage dust to stick and dull your results.

 

[Beautification]

I'm going to try just using a gel top coat I think..Putting it on the toe placing the crystals on and then curing?
Saying that when i've used gel top coat on my toes before it's just cracked straight away..

 

[LayStar]

I totally agree with what Susan (angel fingers) has said, the sparkle of rhinestones is created by the facets. If you coat the stone in anything - polish, gel or l&p, you're 'de-sharpening' (if you can call it that!) the facets meaning the shine and sparkle of the stone will dull.
I always dab resin onto the nail (I favour The Edge's resin, plus using a nozzle really helps with the precision of applying it), pick up my stone with a manicure stick, place it directly onto the wet resin'd area, position it and if needed, a spritz of resin activator to stick the stones fast. This is all I ever do and my stones last WEEKS on me. I do not coat the stones in anything, I find the resin does the job of holding the stones on fantastically.

 

[shellposer]

Hi There

I like the idea of using the resin rather than an uncured gel but how do you remove the crystals
regards

Shelly

 

[LayStar]

Acetone will remove them quickly and easily!