Tips For How To Apply Color Street Nail

    

Color Street nails in Safari Chic

    Hello everyone! Today I want to share some of the tips and tricks I've picked up since I've started using Color Street Nail strips. What are Color Street Nails? These are strips made of real nail polish that adhere to the nail plate. They come in tons of different styles, colors, and designs and they have a variety of shapes and sizes as well. I love these strips because they're so cute and so easy to use and they last! Plus, the company donates to a different cause every month and I just really enjoy them so lets jump right into it!

1.) Prep Your Nails

    First things first, we need to prep the nail. This will consist of removing any previous polish, gently buffing and filing and pushing back the cuticle. Then I wash my hands and dry really well, focusing on cleaning and drying the nail plate well. This ensures the nail strips have a clean surface to adhere to. Make sure the nails are completely dry before applying. You could also use a primer like OPI's bond aid if you have very soft oily nails to make sure they are dry and free of any oil for the best adhesion, but this isn't absolutely necessary.

2.) Gather Your Supplies

    You're going to need a nail file, an orange wood stick, a pair of scissors, tweezers and a pack of whichever Color Street nails you decide to use. 

3.) Wipe The Nails

    When you open your pack of nails you will notice a small file and an alcohol wipe. The first thing I do is wipe my nails with the alcohol pad to remove any dirt, dust and oil that may hinder the adhesion of the strip to the nail. Make sure to get around the edges and under the nail as well. Let this dry completely before applying. 

4.) Pick Your Size

    After opening the pack I take whatever strip I think looks closes to the size of my nail starting with the pinkies. I hold the strip to the edge of one side of the nail and lay it across to see if it reaches the other side. If it overlaps the skin, I choose a smaller strip, if it doesn't reach you may need a larger strip. If you feel like you are in between sizes you can either use a smaller strip and gently stretch it to the other side or you can use a slightly larger strip and trim off the excess with a pair of manicure or eyebrow scissors. 

5.) Cut Strips In Half

    If your nails aren't too long you can actually cut the strips in half to get more uses out of them. Once you determine which size strip fits your nail you can peel of the plastic cover and cut the strip in half. I do this before applying while the strips are still on the backing to avoid ruining the strip. 

6.) Apply The Strip

    Now that you've cut your strip in half you can peel it off the backing and apply. I like to do this by holding it on the corner edge either with my finger or a pair of tweezers. This keeps the oils from my fingers off the strip so as not to hinder the adhesive. If you touch the entire sticky part of the strip before applying you risk weakening the adhesive and they wont last as long. I then gently line it up with my cuticle and press the middle down, that way if I have to stretch it to fit or trim a little off I can do that. 

    You'll want to make sure you don't apply these to the skin as they are meant to be applied to the nail plate. They won't seal to the nail properly if attached to the skin and this will cause them to lift or peel off. Also, if you do need to stretch the strip, do it gently because they can and will rip if you pull too much, and if you have to cut off excess around the sides do so before you attach the strip to the entire nail plate. 

7.) File Off Excess

    Once you have your nail strip in place how you like it you just need to stretch it over the edge of your nail and the gently file in a downward motion to remove the excess hanging over the free edge. For me this ensures better adhesion to the tip of my nail rather than just ripping it off, which doesn't seem to last as well for me. This is a good time to use the nail file provided in the pack.

8.) Gently Press Around Edges

    The next thing I do is to take an orange wood stick and gently press the edges of the nail strip near the cuticle down onto my nail using the flat edge. This just helps to make sure the strip is adhered to your nail and not your skin, creating a seal that keeps out water and dirt. This helps the nails to adhere better and last longer.

9.) Repeat

    Go back and repeat steps 4-8 until you've finished all the nails, starting with the pinkies and working your way towards the thumb. 

10.) Keep Your Nails Dry

    You won't want to get your nails wet with water, oil or lotion for at least 30 minutes after you apply the strips, but longer is better. If you tend to have more oily nails or polish and gel typically don't last well for you, you may need to wait 24 hours before getting your nails wet if possible. This just ensures that the strips adhere well to the nail plate.

    So these are my tips for applying Color Street nail strips. They are so fun, so easy, and they last really well. Another plus for me is how easy they are to remove. You can just use regular nail polish remover and gently work them off, unlike gels or acrylics that have to soak for a while. This means my nails stay healthier because I don't have to work so hard to remove them. Also, because you get so many in a pack, you have enough(if you use them sparingly) to do your fingers and toes! And if you're lucky enough to still have some left over I like to reseal the pack by heating up a flat iron and heat sealing the edge of the packet shut so I can use them again later.

    Let me know in the comments if you learned anything from this or if you know any other tips and tricks! I love sharing with you guys and I would love to hear your thoughts, and as always thank you so much for reading!