Today, I have another manicure done for the What's Up Nails challenge. This time, chrome stamping was asked for technique.
I did try this couple of times before, but did not have much luck. My stamping was not clear, all was smudged, and top coat would spread the chrome powder all over the place. I have to admit, this time it worked.
There is few different ways to chrome stamp. Once I tried rubbing the powder on the image, scraping like mad, then picking up the image and stamp. Result was not bad, but it was too messy for my taste, and that was it for me.
Next way to chrome stamp is to rub the powder onto the stamper head, then using the black (preferably) stamping polish as usual, you pick up the image with the stamper covered with chrome powder, then simply stamp over the nail. It is really interesting how just the parts that came in contact with the stamping polish will be transferred with stamping polish being sandwiched between nail and chrome powder. This was also messy, and it clouded my favorite clear stamper head, so I never returned to this.
I own Moyra foil stamping polishes, that dry little bit slower than regular stamping polish, which allows you enough time to use the foil. I used this for the stamping, and then I was rubbing in the powder, which would smudge the image...
I revisited the last method, but instead of the rubbing, I actually used Madam Glam - Dirty Martini, chrome powder in air cushion nail pen.
So I started with A England - Elaine, deepest eggplant purple. After my base was fully dry, I used Moyra - FP.01, black foil stamping polish to pick up the image from Uber Chic - Lovely Leaves 5. After I stamped the image, I gently dabbed the chrome powder, then let it sit until my stamping polish was fully dry, then using the brush, I just dusted off the excess powder.
On my thumb, I directly applied top coat, and my image just about disappeared. On rest of the nails I applied Maniology - Smudge Free top coat over my chrome powder, and when it was dry, I applied fast drying top coat, and I was done. As you can see, only few random grains of powder transferred onto my base polish, which is the best result I had to date with this technique. Because of the air cushion pen, I did not have chrome powder all over the place, so this was another win.
I just may attempt this again sometime.
I love fern fronds images, and I could not resist those cute spirals. Can you tell that I am so ready for Spring?!
Have yourself a wonderful, easy weekend.
Cheers!