Custom nail art stickers are fast becoming a popular manicure trend especially since we are more social media-inclined these days. Besides the glam that they exude, these stickers are also a very safe style of manicure. There are diverse designs to choose from if you don’t want to create original designs.

You can either purchase custom nail stickers from physical stores or online stores like Zigpac. Alternatively, you can make your stickers and apply them from the comfort of your home. Making these stickers isn’t as difficult as you may consider it to be. Read on to find out how to make and apply your custom nail decals.

How to Create Custom Nail Stickers

Have you been thinking of getting on the “custom nail polish strips” trend but you can’t seem to get it right? The stickers are probably too pricey at the manicure store and you haven’t figured out how to create yours. No need to worry, we will show you what to do in this section.

Here’s what you need to create your nail stickers:

  • Already painted nails.
  • Nail polish topcoat
  • Cutting mat
  • Weeding spatula or tweezers (optional)
  • Transparent vinyl transfer tape
  • Squeegee
  • Weeding tools
  • Permanent adhesive-backed vinyl
  • Cutting machine
  • Ruler

Once you have everything you need, let’s get to how to make your nail stickers.

Stage 1: Design

Before anything else, you need to get the size of your stickers. To do this, you must measure your nails using your ruler. This action gives you a picture of how long the stickers should be. Here’s a list of sizes you can use:

  • Small sticker (fingernail): 0.15 inches by 0.15 inches
  • Large sticker (fingernail): 0.4 inches by 0.4 inches
  • Small sticker (toenail): 0.2 inches by 0.2 inches
  • Large sticker (toenail): 0.5 inches by 0.35 inches

With this out of the way, it is time to design your stickers. You can either draw original designs or surf the net for some and print them out.

Stage 2: Cut and Weed

For best results, we suggest that you make use of a machine to cut the stickers out. You can either use Cricut or Silhouette Cameo. With Cricut, you can stick to the vinyl setting while the auto blade works perfectly for the Cameo. If the auto blade is absent, you can make use of the Premium blade, just make sure you choose speed 2. This way, the machine doesn’t tear the vinyl.

After cutting the design, it is time to weed them out. To carry out this action, you need your weeding tools. If you have a lightbox, it makes the process easier and helps you to catch the very minute details.

When you are done weeding, you can cut each design out from your vinyl sheet then apply a transfer tape. Ensure that the tape sticks by using the squeegee. Here’s a simple trick to help, apply more pressure for smaller details.

Stage 3: Application

For most people, this is the most fun part of the process. Here, you apply your custom nail decals. If the decals are chunky, getting them to stick is pretty easy. However, you may need help to apply stickers with smaller details.

Ensure that you apply pressure to the sticker using a spatula or squeegee so that it sticks properly. When you are sure that it has stuck, you can peel off the transfer tape. What if the sticker isn’t where you would like it to be? You can peel it off but we don’t recommend applying the same sticker as its adhesive wouldn’t hold properly.

Custom Nail Art Stickers Application Tips

Do you now see that making custom nail stickers is pretty easy? While the application process is fun, it is possible to make a mess of it. Are you wondering why your custom nail art stickers don’t last long? It may be because you are getting the application process wrong. Here are a few tips to help you out:

  • Ensure that your nails are clean and properly dry before you apply the stickers. This is very important whether you are placing the stickers on bare or polished nails. Don’t place stickers over nail polish that isn’t dry.
  • Never touch the sticky part of your nail stickers with your fingers. Doing this reduces their adhesiveness. Instead of your fingers, make use of tweezers.
  • Be gentle with the process. When placing nail stickers on your nails, be as gentle as a breeze. Don’t apply pressure until you are sure of their position.
  • When applying your nail stickers, start smoothing them from the center and move towards the edges. With this, you can get rid of air bubbles that may get trapped beneath the sticker. A silicone tool is very helpful as it has a soft surface that helps to apply pressure without creating wrinkles, creases, or bubbles.
  • Trim sticker edges after application. This is necessary to ensure that it follows the nail shape and fits perfectly.
  • After applying your nail stickers, cover it with two coats of nail polish topcoat. Doing this helps to seal the stickers and protect them from weather elements. As such, they will maintain their smoothness and last longer.
  • Always apply clear nail polish or base to your nails before you place your stickers on bare nails. This is very important since your nails also produce natural oils. Without polish, it will be difficult for the stickers to adhere properly.

Benefits of Custom Nail Stickers

In rounding up this post, we will state some benefits of using custom nail stickers. If you ever doubted using these stickers, here are few reasons why you should change your mind:

  • Adds a professional touch to your nails.
  • Applying these nails is faster than regular manicure methods.
  • You can glue the sticker to bare nails or other artificial coatings.
  • They are quite resistant to weather elements thus they maintain their color.
  • Nail stickers protect your nails from damage.
  • There is no risk of a chemical attack as you have with regular coating.

If you don’t have the time to make your custom nail stickers, you can shop for yours at Zigpac. Contact our operators to create custom designs and get the stickers in the quickest time possible.