Manicure not only gives a woman’s hands a well-groomed look and attracts attention. It also reflects the personality and character of its owner. That is why many women prefer to cover their nails not just with plain gel polish, but to add all kinds of designs.
One of the easiest ways to diversify and add zest to your manicure is to use magnetic gel polish with a “Cat Eye” effect. Such gel polishes are presented in a wide color palette, there is nothing complicated in their application, which is why “Cat Eye” has been especially popular among the fair sex for several years.
In today’s article we will look at what is the main feature of “Cat Eye” gel polish, and how is it achieved? How and with what to apply it? And is it possible to do this at home?
What is cat's eye
Gel polish with this name externally imitates a cat's eye stone or chrysoberyl. Its feature is a long flare of light that moves across the surface at different viewing angles.
Outwardly, it resembles a cat’s eye, hence the name of both the stone and the effect in nail design. The highlight is also the most saturated in color compared to the rest of the nail.
Previously, one leading color was clearly visible in the coating. A light strip was drawn with a magnet along the entire length or width of the nail. In modern versions of gel polish, we see a combination of several color shades, which, when processed with a magnet, give a chameleon effect.
Also, cat eye gel polish received an additional definition - 3D - due to the volume that can be obtained with its help in manicure.
The possibilities of applying patterns and designs using magnets have expanded significantly. If earlier it was just a long strip of light shimmering with light, now with the help of several magnets of different shapes and sizes you can draw waves, spheres, flowers, stars, graphics.
How to remove a manicure
After 3-4 weeks, the manicure will need to be carefully removed.
Sequencing:
- File off the coating using a hard file and periodically sweeping with a brush.
- Divide a cotton sponge into 4 equal parts and moisten it with remover.
- Place on the nail and additionally wrap with foil in the form of a kind of compress.
- After 10 minutes, remove and remove any remaining polish using an orange wood stick.
- Apply nourishing oil to nails and cuticles and massage them intensively.
Types of gel polishes with volume effect
Volume is achieved through deep colored highlights on a dark base. Experiments with magnets make it possible to place flickering strips horizontally, vertically, diagonally, and draw patterns and spheres.
3D gel polish is characterized by depth and saturation of highlights, which give it a three-dimensional effect. They can be created either due to a perfectly smooth, self-leveling surface, or due to inclusions of shiny particles that refract light at different angles and create the necessary volume. The most popular version of 3D gel polish is cat eye. It comes in one or two shades of highlights.
The 3d effect can also be achieved using other textures:
- Cat eye gel polish
- Cat eye pigments
- Cat eye gel polish with chameleon effect. Can only be applied to a black substrate to achieve the desired effect;
- Top with cat eye effect. It can be applied to any color substrate;
- Classic gel polish with a 3D effect of pronounced highlights.
Review of magnetic gel polishes with cat eye effect:
Rating – review of magnetic gel polishes with volume effect
Cat eye pigments for a 3D effect
A voluminous effect can be achieved even without the presence of a special varnish, but only with the help of “cat’s eye” pigment.
This allows you to diversify designs with existing shades of gel polish or gel paint, giving them additional volume using a metal pigment formed into a highlight with a magnet.
To do this, you can mix the pigment with a base, top, regular gel polish, gel paint, and use it as a 3D gel polish on a dark base. Some artists apply loose cat eye pigment to a layer of gel polish, mix it here with a thin brush, and then paint highlights with a magnet. This mixing of materials on the surface of the nail saves time and makes it possible to proportionally place different pigments in different areas of the surface of the plate. We combine several options for highlights in one nail design.
Design options
The varnish looks most impressive and advantageous in green, malachite, plum and cherry tones, and you can also use shades of chestnut gold, burgundy and marsala.
Drip
It's very easy to do and looks nice. To get voluminous hemispheres, you need to make droplets using dots when applying the topcoat. This design looks best on selective nails, for example, the ring and middle ones.
Mosaic
In addition to the main color, you need to use an additional color to achieve contrast. It must be applied after the base and dried, but do not remove the sticky layer. Then use iridescent varnish to draw any acute-angled shapes so that they are located close to one another. Finally, dry, remove the dispersion layer and apply topcoat.
Monograms
Graceful curled patterns are painted with a finishing coat using a thin brush after all stages of manicure, and then dried with ultraviolet light. You can also use acrylic paints; in this case, the drawing is done on dried shellac without stickiness, and then covered with a topcoat.
Magnets for cat eye effect
Depending on the magnet you choose, you can get different options for highlights in your nail design. The larger the area of the tool, the wider the grapple band. Thin magnets produce thin, neat stripes.
Depending on the shape, you can also select different versions of this tool. Usually the set comes with a medium-sized rectangular magnet, 3 cm in length. Round makes it possible to draw streamlined patterns, waves, spheres and semicircles. If your kit already contains several options for 3D cat eye polish, be sure to purchase magnet options of different shapes and sizes. They are as follows:
- Rectangular;
- Round;
- Magnetic point pen;
- Magnetic pen with 3-5 dots in a row at the end;
- Magnetic pen with balls at the end (for drawing flowers).
Life hacks from experienced craftsmen: you don’t have to buy magnets, but use those that you have in everyday life. Options:
- You can get magnets from old headphones;
- Remove them from the refrigerator and remove the stickers, leaving only the base for ease of use;
- A double magnet can be made by placing two round or small rectangular magnets on a pusher or any flat metal tool. Then you can move them or move them apart at different distances from each other, changing the pattern of the 3D varnish;
- Use the intercom key;
- Small round magnets-balls from a children's construction set, placed in a row, make it possible to draw thin stripes along the entire perimeter of the nail, or a “snake” pattern;
- A pen from a children's magnetic drawing board is used to create fine lines and monograms.
You can also get new effects in nail design by combining several round, ball or rectangular magnets, from 2 to 4. For example, rectangular ones are attached to each other with “adhesive” sides, joint to joint, or at right angles, if there are 4 pieces, and make it possible to draw stars with a different number of edges. If the magnets are small, “plant” them on a metal base to free your hands.
If you only have two thin small magnets, you can connect them together by attaching tips on the leg on different sides. The leg becomes a handle for this wider magnet and gives a wider flare.
Base for cat eye gel polishes
Gel polish with a volumetric effect can have a transparent, colored or translucent base, to which metallic colored particles are added. It is recommended to apply a dark undercoat for a deeper and richer effect. In some brands, the color base is so dense that no backing is required. For translucent or transparent options, it is better to use classic black or another dark shade that matches the palette of glitter varnish.
In professional lines, you can immediately purchase a ready-made set with a black base varnish, a 3D cat eye base layer and a transparent top. 1 or several different types of magnets are added to the same set, depending on the price.
Without a black backing, the three-dimensional effect will be almost invisible. In the case of a top coat, a volumetric highlight is created even on a light-colored substrate. This material can be used with any background color, the desired highlight will be obtained in any case.
Magnetic pens
This device will help create the thinnest lines possible. To obtain a pattern, you just need to hold the pen so that it is perpendicular to the surface. You should work slowly, without rushing. This is important to ensure that the drawing is as clear as possible.
Of course, if the master plans to create different designs, then it is best to purchase all of the above types of magnets.
Brands of gel polishes with volume effect
- Klio Professional cat eye – has a dense texture and applies well. In versions with a dark base, it does not require a substrate.
- Born Pretty Cat Eye Gel – has a liquid base, but is very magnetic. In light, translucent colors, a black base is required.
- TNL offers a wide range of magnetic varnishes. Walnut, emerald and lilac tones look very impressive.
- Pole is a translucent magnetic varnish with a dense texture and a wide range of colors. Requires a black backing to achieve a 3D highlight effect.
- Fox is a magnetic varnish on a transparent backing. One bottle combines glitter of several shades, which gives an even more “cosmic” glare effect.
- Rio Profi – varnishes on a transparent base with two-color magnetic pigments. Translucent.
- Bluesky - economical options for gel polish with a voluminous effect. Wide range of colors. Requires additional black backing.
In almost every professional series of gel polishes you can find options with a cat eye effect. Follow the coating instructions as some brands may vary slightly.
How to apply cat eye gel polish
- Prepare your nails for applying varnish, do a trim or hardware manicure;
- Degrease the surfaces of the nail plates and cover them with a self-leveling base. Dry in a lamp;
- Apply black gel polish in one layer as a base, dry in a lamp;
- Apply cat eye gel polish and use a magnet to draw highlights or patterns;
- When the drawing is ready, dry it in a lamp;
- Cover your nails with a top coat with or without a sticky layer, dry it in a lamp and remove the dispersion if necessary.
If the first time you don’t get the cat-eye effect or pattern you want, you can even out the varnish with a brush and try again before it polymerizes in the lamp.
Required materials and tools
Before you start creating this manicure masterpiece, you need to make sure that everything you need is at hand.
The following materials and tools will be required:
- base and top coat;
- buff;
- primer;
- a special magnet in the form of a pen or spatula;
- degreasing agent;
- gel polish;
- LED or UV lamp;
- soft, lint-free wipes.
Varnish selection
A spring look will be perfectly complemented by a pink manicure with a pearlescent accent. Green gel polish looks noble and gorgeous on nails in tandem with rhinestones.
Red manicure does not lose its popularity among ladies; it is considered the most popular nail design. It is perfectly complemented by gold or silver designs, as well as rhinestones. The burgundy shade looks very modern and cool, which is suitable for a more formal look.
Particularly trendy colors this season include blue and light blue. Varnishes from turquoise, azure to deep sapphire will decorate both long and short nails.
When choosing a varnish for magnetic manicure, it is important to consider the following criteria:
- content of hypoallergenic components in the composition;
- rich color palette;
- correct texture - moderately liquid and not thick enough;
- the convenience of the brush, which should be sufficiently elastic, wide and elastic.
It is recommended to pay attention to the following brands that have proven themselves to be excellent.
Bluesky Shellac is rightfully considered a reference composition. According to the manufacturers, it contains no allergenic components. The Chinese product is presented in beautiful and rich shades that do not fade or distort for three weeks. The product applies easily and evenly to the nail plate without bleeding.
Lianail from a German manufacturer is characterized by high pigmentation and optimal density, thanks to which it is possible to obtain a uniform, beautiful coating when applying varnish in one layer. The palette contains 12 shades that combine perfectly with each other.
South Korean shellac TNL Magnet Effect has a low cost and excellent quality. Ideally combined with base and top coats from any manufacturer. Due to its moderate thickness, a single layer application will be sufficient.
Kodi Professional is a high-quality professional varnish with a liquid texture and good hiding power, that is, the ability to well cover the color of the base on which it is applied. The flat brush has medium hardness, so it covers the nail evenly. For the best effect, the product is applied in two layers.
Magnet selection
The beauty of the nail design depends on the quality and type of magnet used. The main criterion by which you need to choose a given item is the force of attraction: the higher it is, the more effective the result will be.
Professional magnets for manicure are available in the form of rectangles, handles, and also blades, which can have a one-sided or double-sided design.
The most common:
- vertical or horizontal lines;
- stars;
- crescents;
- circles;
- Christmas trees.
The principle of using the tool is simple: the plate (blade) is rotated from one side to the other, forming a given pattern.
A pen-shaped magnet is suitable for creating unique, complex and miniature designs.
Its main advantages are:
- maximum convenience and the ability to tilt in any direction to change the depth of the decor and intensity of magnetization;
- thin tip, thanks to which even the smallest patterns can be easily applied in any direction.
Using magnets, a galaxy effect, a kaleidoscope and many other interesting options are created. If you don’t have a professional tool, you can replace it with a pen for drawing on a children’s magnetic board. The effect will be similar. You can also use any flat and thin magnet - the main thing is that it is powerful enough.
