In early 2019, I became inspired to start adding geeky and gamer nail art to my nails. I'm not very good at painting nails myself, so I have been seeing a nail artist twice a month for manicures. At each visit I show up with another crazy request!
What are nail decals?
Think stickers (but cute ones) for your nails! The nail decal sets in the photo above have sticky backing and a transparent background so it doesn't take away from your nail color. These nail decals are so simple to use - you just peel and stick!
I decided to try Totoro-themed nails for my first time using the decals. My nail artist likes anime and has been getting into our geeky nail sessions, so I asked her to pick out which ones to use.
How do they hold up?
I got a regular gel manicure, about 3 coats of a green color polish, on my nails first. Then we chose two nails on each hand to put the decals on. Once the decals were on, we followed up with two coats of clear gel polish.
Right before my two week polish change, I'm happy to say the decals were still mostly on! After my nail appointment, I had made the decision to stress test these decals so I did not hold back with my nails. My husband and I are redoing our addition, so I was mudding walls, sanding walls and painting with the decals on.
Tips and tricks?
I learned quite a bit about decals and am excited to test my new knowledge at my next appointment.
Choose decals that fit your nails: I have small hands, which means small nails. A few of the Totoro decals we chose were probably a bit too big for my nails, which resulted in some lifting and tearing throughout the two weeks I wore them.
Don't skimp on the clear coat: To put it simply, you're putting stickers on your nails that need to be able to withstand everyday use and extreme conditions (like hot water during showers). At my next appointment I'm going to ask for one more clear gel coat because I ended up clear coating the decals a third time on my own at home.
Placement is key: Where you actually put the decal on your nail can have a big impact. My ring finger nails had decals that said "Totoro" placed closely to the edge of my nails. Those decals showed more wear and tear than the others because those parts of the nails saw more daily abuse.
Where can I find nail decals?
I got my decals from Cutie Pop Nail Shop. There's a huge selection of decals and nail wraps in this store. These nail art options are easy to use and they won't break the bank.
Cutie Pop Nail Shop is all about empowering people to be able to express themselves in their own way. I picked out anime and gaming nail decals, but there are so many more options! You can find plants, cartoons, animals, shapes, fun colors and much more. I didn't touch on nail wraps in this post, but the shop offers a wide selection of nail wraps, which cover your entire nail in place of regular nail polish.
If Cutie Pop Nail Shop's decals and wraps are of interest to you, please give them a follow on Instagram.
Convention Coverage: Live in Los Angeles or visiting for Anime Expo July 4-7, 2019? Cutie Pop Nail Shop has a booth booked for live demos and nail art sales (Annex-A9).
Nail series
If you visit my Instagram highlight, I'm chronicling my geeky and gamer nail art throughout the year. I'll also update this blog with more fun nail art options!
Disclaimer: The lovely folks at Cutie Pop Nail Shop provided me with three sheets of nail decals and one set of nail wraps. All photos and opinions are my own.