Modern nail art never ceases to delight us with unexpected and creative design ideas and chic materials for their high-quality execution. One of these original, wear-resistant and easy-to-use materials is mica, an imitation of the natural material of the same name. This inexpensive synthetic analogue of the famous rock is made from tiny shiny plastic particles.
Varieties of mica
Artificial mica comes in two main varieties: dry and liquid. The liquid variety is soft, pliable, and easy to create designs with shiny patterns and smooth lines. Liquid mica is perfect for covering the entire surface of the nail. Dry mica is small shiny particles, the size of which can be adjusted independently using nail clippers or scissors.
Mica in any version can be of various colors and shades, and in dry form it can be of different shapes and sizes.
Useful tips
- Dry mica is a capricious material. Before you start manicure, carefully inspect the plates. If you find large particles, cut them with scissors. You can do the same with small sparkles if you want a “beaded” design.
- Don't be afraid to add extra layers of topcoat to your extended nails; the mica will come out from under one final coat. Several coatings are the key to a long-lasting manicure. If you add another layer of mica after each topcoat, the design will become more voluminous and create a beautiful overlay effect.
- Does the color fade when polishing your nail? Do not worry! Polishing is needed to even out the layer. The color and brightness will return when you coat the plate with topcoat.
- When using a brush or spatula, remember to wet it with water from time to time to remove magnetization.
Manicure mica adds extra volume to your nails and deepens the color. The design is therefore in 3D format.
Liquid foil is suitable for natural nails because it applies more smoothly and does not require strong fixation.
Loose material is an ideal option for extended nails. With its help, you can bring any idea to life: from a simple French jacket to fancy monograms.
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Manicure design with mica: main trends
Mica in manicure design can be a self-sufficient element, or can be perfectly combined with other decorations and types of nail designs. For a simple and elegant everyday manicure, a laconic idea of choosing one color of gel polish for most nails and covering a few nails with shiny mica as decoration is perfect. Mica will perfectly complement more complex designs. Be sure to pay attention to the compatibility of the colors of the base coat and nail design elements. Let's talk in more detail about the most popular design ideas.
Security measures
It is very important to follow some safety rules when performing this procedure.
First of all, you should make sure that the tools are sterile, even if we are talking about your personal manicure devices. Care should be taken to ensure that the cutting surfaces are sharp and that the tools themselves are in good working order, as there is a risk of damage to the cuticle and skin in the nail area, which can lead to very disastrous consequences. You should handle scissors and other sharp and cutting manicure devices carefully.
If handled carelessly, you can easily get cut or pricked. Still, it will be better if each family member has his own manicure set for purely individual use. This is not only hygienic, but also one of the possible ways to protect your own health. During the procedure, you need to have hydrogen peroxide and a cotton pad with you so that in case of cuts you can immediately treat the wounds.
Manicure with golden and silver mica
Despite the fairly rich selection of colors and shades of shiny mica, golden and silver shades remain the most popular and universal. Mica in these tones is perfect for compatibility with complex nail designs. Noble gold and silver in manicure design goes well with women's jewelry and accessories. Golden and silver mica can easily be called classic elements of this design.
French manicure with mica
French using mica is an original and extremely attractive choice. The execution technology is similar to a regular French manicure: the main part of the nail plate is covered with gel polish of a light shade, close to the natural color, but the so-called smile is made with gel polish with elements of dry mica or completely decorated with mica. Unlike the classic French manicure, the smile of a French manicure can be in a variety of colors: from light pastel to rich dark shades. Also, all these creative options can be combined in one design, for example, a French manicure with a dark smile and shiny mica on most nails, and a full coverage of rich liquid or dry mica particles on a few.
"Aquarium"
This type of manicure can be attributed to a separate direction in nail art, thanks to which mica has become so popular. The proposed technique involves creating voluminous compositions and patterns on the nail plate using a variety of materials, for example, glitter, sequins, dried flowers, mica and other decorative elements, which are originally “hidden” under a “glass” top, which is a special coating that can create a unique 3D effect. The manicure looks as if the figures, patterns or compositions are hidden behind the glass of an aquarium filled with water. This is where the name of the design came from – “aquarium”.
The use of iridescent plates of mica or a smaller type of this decor - sand, is an ideal choice, the radiance and shine of which is only enhanced under a coating that imitates glass.
Mica can be beautifully complemented with designs, stones and three-dimensional details. The coating hides all unevenness in a very original way and helps create the effect of a complex, multi-layered design.
Matte manicure with mica
The combination of glossy and matte textures, contrasting colors in manicure, and various types of designs is always a spectacular and sophisticated option for nail design. Matte manicure using shiny mica is a win-win, beautiful manicure design. You should pay attention to the compatibility of the shining shades of mica and the tone of the selected base varnish. An ideal pair with golden mica would be black, red, burgundy, brown, green, and purple. For silver mica, matte nail polish in black, gray, red, white, blue, and pink is perfect.
Mica honeycomb design
A manicure with a shining mica honeycomb is extremely beautiful and original. This design can be easily brought to life using shiny mica of the correct shape. For example, mica of a hexagonal shape, a color that matches the main varnish, is laid out in the correct order on the entire surface of the nail plate of one, several or all fingers. It is important to note that shiny, non-plastic mica is a very rich element of nail decoration, so it is necessary to use this spectacular and fashionable nail design in moderation and with taste.
Choosing a nail file, which one is used for what
Files vary depending on the grit. Grits measure the amount of abrasive applied to 1 square centimeter of a file:
The coarsest file is 80 grit. It is used to reduce the length of artificial nails;
From 100 to 150 – to give shape to artificial nails;
From 180 to 240 – for working with natural nails;
From 400 to 2000 – polishers.
It would be a big mistake to use the wrong saw. In stores you can see nail files without a grit mark. You shouldn't buy them. These can be rough files that will only “soak” the nail and it will crumble and flake.
It is wrong to cut the edge of a nail with scissors; there are files or clippers for this. He, like a guillotine, cuts the edge at the right angle.
| Caution: Nails in their structure resemble a honeycomb. If you cut the honeycomb with scissors, the edge will break and a lot of honey will leak out. If you cut with a knife, a few drops will come out. The same goes for nails. If you cut with scissors, the edge of the nail will be broken. This is not visible to the naked eye, but the destruction produced can be observed through a microscope. |
The nail file moves in one direction. Then the edge of the nail does not become frayed. You cannot use a file on wet nails. Nails absorb a lot of water and become flexible. They follow the file and it’s impossible to make a good cut. Moreover, you can break off the edge of the nail. Therefore, use a file only on dry nails.
The polisher also works on dry nails. This is a tool for the final stage of the manicure procedure.
Nail design with mica “broken glass”
This design fully justifies its original name: a mosaic pattern of individual mica particles is very similar to broken glass. Beautiful and shiny, arranged pieces of mica can decorate all nails or decorate two or more nails. Using manicure tweezers, apply pieces of shiny mica to the base polish in a chaotic order, reminiscent of shards of broken glass, cover with topcoat and dry. A simple and effective design is ready!
Abstraction in design with mica
Abstract design in the nail industry is always a limitless space for the creativity of creative manicurists. Using multi-colored glitter mica pieces of various sizes and shapes, you can create countless unique and imaginative designs on your well-groomed nails. Dark or dark blue with small silver mica circles will evoke associations with cosmic distances and the starry night sky. Green shining mica in the form of droplets on an emerald base polish will remind you of green summer grass and morning dew shimmering in the rays of the sun.
By the way, the original abstraction made with sparkling mica is an excellent option for any holiday manicure, including New Year’s: shiny highlights of mica in shades traditional for New Year’s holidays will perfectly complement the festive image and will certainly improve your mood!
A manicure using spectacular shiny mica in design is one of the magnificent finds of the modern nail industry, which is distinguished by its magnificent appearance, convenience and ease of use.
A huge number of magnificent and varied ideas for decorating manicures using mica provides us with an excellent opportunity to choose an interesting and attractive design to suit our taste, mood and pocket.
