Happy February! Valentine's Day is just around the corner, making it the perfect time for nails inspired by love–think reds, pinks, hearts, and all things romantic. One design that has been taking over social media is the viral cat eye heart nails (also known as magnetic heart nails). This trending design features a shimmery heart that expands and shrinks as you move your fingers and is created using a paperclip, a magnet, and cat eye or magnetic gel. It’s no wonder these cat eye hearts have become such a highly desired look. They’re a subtle yet striking detail! In this blog post, we share how you can achieve this eye-catching design.
Things You’ll Need
1.25” paper clip
long nose pliers
wire cutters
cylinder magnet
cat eye gel
flash cure light
Preparing the Paper Clip
Use a 1.25 inch metal paper clip.
Use the pliers to straighten out the paper clip into a long wire. Be sure to straighten out the wire as much as possible.
Hold the wire at the center with the long nose pliers. Bend both ends of the wire towards each other to create a U-shape, making sure the two wire ends are as equal in length as possible. If needed, use the pliers to straighten the wire ends.
Use the pliers to grip the U-shape base. Twist the wire ends together about four to six times to create a Y-shape at the end. A longer length of twists will work better for long nails.
Use the wire cutters to cut off excess length, making sure the remaining wire ends are equal in length. The longer the wire ends are, the bigger the heart shape will be. Shorter end lengths will create a smaller size heart.
At the base where the twisted wires meet, bend the base of the twist to create a 90 degree angle.
Place the base of the twisted wire on the end of the cylinder magnet.
Preparing the Nail
Only cat eye gel (aka magnetic gel) can be used to create this heart design. You can use cat eye gel with larger magnetic particles or cat eye gel with finer magnetic particles. Finer particles will create a more defined heart design while larger magnetic particles will give off a more sparkly effect.
Prep the nails.
Apply a coat of base gel. Cure for 60 seconds.
Apply one layer of the desired cat eye gel polish. Use the cylinder magnet to attract the magnetic particles away from the surface by holding the magnet below the nail, underneath the finger. Cure for 60 seconds.
Apply a second layer of cat eye gel. Bring the magnetic particles to the surface of the nail by holding the magnet for a few seconds on each side of the nail and at the free edge of the nail. Do not cure.
Creating the Heart Design
After applying the second layer of cat eye gel and bringing the particles to the surface of the nail, hold the Y-shaped end of the twisted wire as close to the nail surface as possible without touching the gel or about five millimeters above the nail for four to five seconds as the magnet repels the magnetic particles to form a heart shape.
Once the desired heart shape is created, flash cure the design for ten seconds using the flash cure light to prevent the magnetic particles from shifting.
Cure the nail in the nail lamp for 60 seconds.
It is best to create the heart design on one nail at a time, alternating between hands while each nail cures.
Once the heart design is completed on all nails, apply top gel. Cure for 60 seconds.
Tips
It is best to test out the prepared paper clip and magnet on a nail tip to make sure it works properly in creating the desired heart design prior to working on clients or yourself.
If your prepared paper clip wire is not creating a heart design, try adjusting the position of the nail so the Y-part of the paperclip is parallel and close to the nail without touching it.
Make sure that you are using a strong enough magnet such as Sweetie’s Jumbo Rod Magnet or Blanc Blanc Cylinder Magnet that comes with the Melting Tinkerbell Hologram Magnetic Gel Collection. Remember to hold the paper clip above the nail long enough to create the heart design.
Whether you’re celebrating Valentine’s Day or simply enjoying the season of romance, the cat eye heart nail design offers an alluring way to embrace the moment. With just a few tools and some creative technique, you can create a lovely nail look. We hope this guide inspires you to give cat eye heart nails a try, adding a touch of romantic sparkle to your nails.
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