Transfer foil is one the most easy yet beautiful nail art techniques to create quick fun nail art.
But chances are if you’re watching this video you may be really struggling with it.
Hey there, welcome back! If you are new here… Welcome, my name is Paola, and I am happy to be hosting for Kokoist USA again. And if you’re new to Kokoist products, and wondering how they classify… Kokoist gel is soak-off gel made in Japan.
Back to today’s topic.
First, what is a transfer foil? A transfer foil is a thin sheet of plastic medium used for nail art with typically a reflective backing, that when pressed to a surface with adhesive, transfers on to it.
Now, when transfer foil first debuted it was applied with glue. And frankly, me and glue have never eva’ meshed, so I didn’t even bother learning this application method. But when gel became THE way for application, I was game!
First things first, when doing transfer foil art, you must have the right products.
And those are, a good transfer foil and a good foil.
And well, thankfully Kokoist offers both!
Kokoist foil transfer gel is called Foil Tack and it comes in a pot… Yay! Where are my potted gel lovers? Cure it for 30-60 secs before applying your foil.
Alright so the cat is out of the bag, the new way to achieve a successful foil transfer is by using foil gel, but that is only partially the secret.
Secret #1 for a good transfer every time!
Do not attempt to apply your foil on the entire nail, but rather create designs or even blocking patterns on the nail plate to transfer foil only in certain areas.
If you select pieces of the nail where you would want the foil, vs choosing to do it on the entire nail, you will hardly struggle with a good transfer.
And here’s the thing. There are beautiful transfer foils out there, with gorgeous patterns, and I’ve been so suckered into buying the cutest ones possible.
But you run into a couple of problems when trying to get a full transfer.
First, can you even get a full transfer? Yes, with Kokoist’s Foil Tack Gel, you can. BUT, unless the natural nails are flat, you will struggle trying to curve the foil onto the curvature of the nail, and will inevitably break the pattern.
And the second problem you’ll run into, is the conflict that gel has with a glossy surface. Gel does not adhere to a shiny surface for too long, and so you will deal with the problem of lifting a few days later.
But listen, I’m for you, and let’s just say you absolutely want a full transfer over the entire nail.
Ok. Fine. I have two game changing tips for you:
#1 Use a color underneath, before applying your foil gel that matches the foil you will be
using, in case you do end up with some patches, they will not be super visible.
#2 Do not cap the edge of the nail with foil gel, this will cause chipping and lifting.
So again, the first secret to a good solid transfer each time, is to create a pattern on the nail or black out an area you will want your foil to go on.
Secret #2 for a good transfer every time!
Do not continuously tap over the foil gel with your foil.
If you don’t hardly get any foil to transfer on the nail from the first press, something is wrong.
The foil gel is not cured properly, or you have contaminated it by touching the surface of it, or you’ve handled the backing of the foil paper too much. Don’t forget that our fingers naturally have oils and moisture on them.
So if you continue to just tap & press the foil on to the foil gel, you’ll end up with a crackled foil look.
And well, just like crackle polish wasn’t a hit (remember that?), neither is crackle foil, so let’s avoid that look by not breaking our foil by over tapping it on to the surface of the Foil Tack Gel.
Press once, with firm solid pressure, and gently peel back the paper.
If shtuff ain’t happening, here’s the remaining part to this secret, grab your alcohol solution and a lint-free towelette, and scrub the foil gel. The let the alcohol evaporate a few seconds, DO NOT REAPPLY FOIL GEL, and start playing again!
I know! Crazy right? Yes, the stickiness will still there.
Alright well I hope these two secrets for foil transfer were game changing for you!
Remember secret number one is to apply it selectively, and secret number two is to not over-work the surface. And just in case you do, wipe the surface and start over again w/o the need of re-applying Foil Tack Gel.
Alright, so now I want to know! Where transfer foils was something that you also struggled with? Let us know down in the comments section.
Thank you for joining us this week, and we’ll see you in the next!
