How does magnetic effect nail polish?
All played with magnets as a kid and magnetic nails are pretty much the exact same thing. Tiny iron shavings are suspended in nail polish and when you hold a magnet near it when it’s still wet, the iron shavings react and move around in the polish, creating the cat eye nails effect. For more info on the physics of it check out this article.
1. Sally Hansen
Sally Hansen got in on the game about a year in with their Magnetic Nail Color line. They don’t carry them on the Sally Hansen site anymore. but you can still find them elsewhere online. Like a good drugstore polish. These are made to be convenient so there is a chunky false cap on top of the regular cap.
The magnet also has a cuticle guide–a small curved metal lip. That helps you rest the magnet over your nail. Right height without hitting your polish. The magnet creates the wavy pattern shown on the cap. Since the magnet is smaller, to make sure your entire nail is covered. Carefully rock the magnet left and right so the sides of your nails get some magnet-love too.
2. Magnetic 3D Cat Eye UV LED Gel Polish
There has a nice range of colors in each set from pinks to subtle silvers. There are four different color combination sets to choose from. Gellen isn’t 100% at definitely matching the colors in each set as advertised. So it might be a little bit more of a grab bag than you intended. But all the colors are great so it’s not a huge deal in my opinion.
If you’re brand new to gel nail polish. Gellen also has a series of sets with six metallic polishes. two magnet sticks, and a top and base coat–for the same price. So if you have space in your nail polish storage, that’s a deal to jump on. Try to use it.
3. Born Pretty magnetic effect nail polish
Born Pretty is known for their nail art supplies and they haven’t let us down here. Their magnetic polishes have great definitions. Respond well to magnets and are long-lasting. These definitely need to be layered over a black base in order to have the contrast really shine.
You can have cat-eye nails. But Born Pretty wants to raise that to magnetic polish that is also multi-chrome or multi-chrome with holographic glitter. These aren’t for the faint of heart. These are flashy polishes.
How to use this polish?
- Prepare your nails with BASE COAT and wait for them dry.
- Apply the black color coat and wait for it to dry then 2nd coat, wait for it dry.
- Apply 3D magnetic nail polish.
- Use the magnet stick close to the nail immediately for at least 30s. The closer distance more obvious effect. But keep away from the polish. The effect is decided on the line of the magnet stick and the direction in which you put it.
- Apply BORN PRETTY top coat and use the magnet stick close to the nail again for at least 30s.
4. Hirido Magnetic Nail Polish
Hirado magnetic polish is a little less metallic looking for the finish. It still has that gemstone shine and the bright metallic flash of the cat eye. This is another gel so it will need to cure under led lamps. They don’t specifically recommend a black base coat with this. Just two coats of polish but from looking at it. There are six polishes in each set and 10 sets to choose from. Each set isn’t that much different from the others. But the wide range of slight color theme changes does give you a little more control over the colors you’d like to get.
