How to glue decorative rhinestones on nails: selection of materials and instructions

When going to a party, corporate event or wanting to diversify their manicure, women prefer designs with rhinestones. Imitation of precious stones looks stylish and expensive, especially if done carefully and tastefully. The correct placement of rhinestones on the nails will make the manicure elegant, and errors in the configuration of decorative elements can ruin even the most beautiful design. How to work with stones that imitate precious ones, what are the features of their use on various surfaces - this and much more in the article below.

Types of rhinestones for nails

Rhinestones for nails are a decorative element that imitates precious stones. The cosmetics industry today offers nail art masters and their clients many types of products made from different materials, different configurations, colors, and textures.

Based on the material from which the pebbles are made, they are classified as follows:

• plastic. Inexpensive, easy to use. Disadvantages: unpresentable appearance, fragility to wear;
• glass. They shimmer better than those described above, but cost a little more;
• zirconium. Decor made from cubic zirconium (not to be confused with natural stone - zircon). Expensive, they look as impressive as possible due to their reflective properties: many facets of the stone allow the manicure to shine;
• faceted artificial crystal. The most famous jewelry made using this technique are Swarovski Kristal Pixie crystals. Crystal chips will decorate a monochromatic, colorless design and will become an effective addition to the gradient;
• natural rock crystal. The most expensive material, used for inlaying marigolds in elite salons, decorates the manicures of show business stars and high-ranking persons.

Comment! Choosing the most expensive product is not always clearly beneficial.

In the case of artificial and natural crystal chips, no one will distinguish a natural creation on the nails from a well-cut synthetic analogue.

Nail pebbles are heterogeneous in shape, which affects the ease of working with decorative elements and the practicality of wearing. The decor is available in the following configurations:

• round form. Classic broths are a component of Kristal Pixie crystal chips from Swarovski;
• flat-round. Visually they resemble half of a small ball: the convex side shines with small edges, the flat side allows you to firmly attach the pebble to the nail plate;
• fully faceted. Small elements, tightly seated by the master on the adhesive material.

In addition to the types described above, there are marigold stones that have the outline of a rhombus, square, circle, polygon, etc. in a planar projection. Many craftsmen consider cone-shaped stones that repeat the shape of a peak with a pointed tip to be the most effective.

Comment! A beautiful arrangement of rhinestones on nails is determined by the artistic abilities and taste of the artist, the shape, size, and material used to make the decor.

What it is

For several years in a row, these tiny jewelry have been a wonderful addition to any woman. Rhinestones on nails look equally good in a gentle romantic look, in a Gothic style or with a strict office look. Small stones can elevate any design and give it a special shine.

Rhinestones can be made from glass, crystal, plastic, ceramics and acrylic. They imitate a filigree processed gemstone, the edges of which shimmer in the light. The price for them can start from 50 rubles and end in several thousand. The famous rhinestones from Swarowski have a huge range of colors and sparkle luxuriously on ladies' fingers. Colored rhinestones have one primary color, while transparent ones take on the shade of the substrate applied to the fingers. Other crystals coated on the top surface create an iridescent glow and change their hue when exposed to sunlight.

Varieties

The variety of rhinestone shapes is sometimes amazing and knows no bounds. There are hundreds of varieties of small nail accessories. For you, we have collected the most popular representatives of nail decor:

One jar of Pixie crystals is enough to cover 20-25 nails in an even layer.

Secrets of specialists

We have put together a few tips for you that will help make your nails with rhinestones perfect:

• Large rhinestones visually reduce the length of the nail and are not suitable for short nails;
• You shouldn’t create the effect of a Christmas tree and glue everything on your nails at once; it’s enough to encrust one finger with dense rhinestones or decorate each nail with several small things;
• translucent crystals can be used on colored substrates, creating a new design each time;
• colored glass should match the chosen color of your nails;
• 1 large rhinestone on one hand is enough;
• The best quality ones are glass and crystal jewelry.

Sizes of rhinestones for nails

Lines of stones from different manufacturers offer decor of various sizes.

Swarovski crystals have the widest possible range of decoration diameters: from 0.8 mm to 9 mm, but the latter are usually used not by nail studio artists, but by textile decorators.

The average size of rhinestones for gel polish, which are most popular among visitors to nail studios, is about 3 mm. The arrangement of small decorative particles is easy to vary; large ones are usually placed in the center of the plate.

Attention! Large decor visually makes the nail smaller and draws attention to the shortcomings in the structure of the plate. Small pebbles are suitable for those with marigolds of any length.

Decoration selection

Rhinestones are decorations in the form of sparkling stones that imitate precious crystals. These stones, used for nail decoration, can be of different sizes, shapes, and colors. For example, in the form of hearts, droplets, dots, squares, stars. Hologram (shimmering with all colors), with color effects and transparent stones are very popular.

The color is usually chosen to be contrasting or to match the applied base. Colorless rhinestones, as well as beige shades, are recognized as universal. Large pebbles are chosen for the base, and small ones are used to place accents or decorate the design. Moreover, large ones are more suitable for long nails, and small ones look equally good on long and short ones.

Such a “precious” manicure will look ideal only on well-groomed hands and is more suitable for a holiday or special occasion. Therefore, manicures are often complemented with the famous expensive rhinestones of Daniel Swarovski. They are made of rock crystal, have a round shape and a special cut. Thanks to her, real Swarovski rhinestones shine like diamonds and diamonds. Well, a modest option, for example, for an office, allows the use of a couple of ordinary tiny stones.

Rhinestones have a flat bottom surface that allows you to glue the stones to your nails. Usually they are used separately, without involving elements of other decor. For example, they glue large rhinestones onto one nail, and decorate everything with small ones. But often experienced masters suggest supplementing the manicure with broths, since the technology for applying broths and rhinestones is very similar. You can fix them correctly and firmly on your nails only with the help of special glue for rhinestones or, following the technology, you can immediately apply them to gel polish (shellac). Then the broths with rhinestones will last a long time.

How to glue rhinestones on nails

Laying out rhinestones on nails requires that the artist has the materials to secure them. Depending on what the specialist is working with: natural or strengthened, extended nails, the means by which the nail expert attaches the pebbles vary:

• Manicure glue - pebbles are placed on this product when working with natural nails and regular varnish. Two-component adhesive takes longer to dry, but if the decorative element is placed incorrectly, it can be moved. One-component (“superglue”) dries instantly, making it impossible to correct the design if the pebble is placed incorrectly on the nail.
• Base and top coat. The properties of the base and top ensure adhesion of the products to the nail surface and decorative coating. It is advisable and convenient to use compositions for the purpose of gluing decor: you can change the arrangement of elements on the nail plate as much as you like. Rubber-based products are considered preferable for nail inlay: they are quite viscous and can hold large stones.
• Gel. It is used to secure large elements because it has a viscous texture. If rhinestones are laid out on the entire nail, no gel is used: the stones “sink” in a large amount of a high-molecular composition.

The most common mistakes

Not everyone likes the design with rhinestones, but the reason for this is often mistakes when performing a manicure:

• in style, when the decor itself is chosen incorrectly;
• during the gluing process, if due to errors the result does not correspond to the desired one;
• with the wrong choice of stones and base for their fixation;
• wearing a manicure, which leads to the rhinestones quickly peeling off.

In style

Rhinestones lose their attractiveness and make a manicure look ridiculous if:

• Use several large stones at once. The design looks bulky and visually weighs down your hands. If you are laying out a composition of rhinestones, you should take only 1 large one and a scattering of medium and small ones.
• When choosing decor, do not take into account the color of the gel polish. Only white, silver or golden stones can be called universal for any shade. Colors must match the tone of the coating.
• Use large rhinestones on short nails or create complex designs with them. This visually makes the plates massive and shortens the fingers.
• In addition to a manicure with rhinestones, wear a lot of rings and bracelets on your hands, especially with inserts. This makes the whole look vulgar.
• Glue rhinestones onto stained glass gel or cat's eye. These types of coatings are very bright; the addition of rhinestones will also make the image provocative, with an excess of shine.
• A mature woman should stick cheap plastic pebbles. It looks inappropriate, like “from someone else’s shoulder.”

In progress

Mistakes in the process of gluing rhinestones will lead to the fragility of the decor and can immediately ruin the appearance of your hands:

• Fixation of stones literally at the end of the nail. This area is too mobile, the rhinestones will cling to everything and may become damaged or crack, so you should make an indent of 1-1.5 mm from the edge.
• Gluing the decor close to the cuticle. Over time, you will have to move it away with an orange stick; pebbles can interfere with this, they are easy to scratch.
• An attempt to glue additional decor between the already attached rhinestones. This will disrupt their fixation and may ruin the entire composition.
• An attempt to press on the pebbles transferred to the nail with a finger, and not with auxiliary tools. Sebum and sweat will prevent the decor from adhering well to the coating.
• Applying finishing agent to the surface of stones. This will attach them more firmly, but the decor will fade.
• Incorrect application of top at the end of the job. It is correct to first coat the areas between and around the rhinestones, and lastly, at the cuticle. Otherwise, the product will flow under the skin and the nail architecture will be damaged.

When choosing a material

In order for the manicure to last longer and maintain a presentable appearance, it is important to choose the right rhinestones and the compositions involved in the design:

• For wearing for 3 weeks, it is better to take glass stones or Swarovski. Plastic ones will fly off faster and may fade.
• Large and medium rhinestones need to be inspected to make sure there are no defects. If there are cracks or chips, this does not contribute to long-term wearing of the design.
• The top and base used as a base for decoration should be thick. Liquid formulations can cause elements on the nails to float.
• The quality of the gel polish also matters. If it does not dry well, curls or cracks during polymerization, coating defects will lead to peeling of the inlay elements.
• If you cannot work quickly with rhinestones, it is better to choose a top coat, a base with acrylic powder, or a strengthening gel over glue. The first product may dry out while the pebbles are being placed on it, and then their fixation will be unreliable.

In care

Manicure care also affects its quality and durability; the following mistakes are possible:

• the use of large rhinestones when working intensively with your hands;
• trying to pick something with your nails;
• performing household chores that involve using water and household chemicals without wearing gloves;
• self-careful filing of nails.

To prevent the decor from separating from the coating, while wearing it, you should coat the areas next to the rhinestones with topcoat 1-2 times and polymerize it.

Rhinestones can make your nail design even more attractive and stylish. But they can easily ruin a brilliant manicure or the most beautiful color of nail polish. Measurement is very important here, as well as the sequence of actions when fixing the decor. If it is correct, it will hold out until correction.

What is the best glue for rhinestones on nails?

The choice of adhesive depends on the type of stones. Nail art masters recommend attaching large pebbles with one-component superglue: it will quickly adhere to the surfaces, allowing you to avoid moving the decorative element. In this case, the exact location of the rhinestone is thought out in advance, since it will not be possible to adjust the design.

By gluing many small pebbles, forming a pattern, drawing, or inscription from them, they use a two-component adhesive, which allows you to change the location of the decor.

Comment! If the decorative stones are translucent, then the glue for rhinestones on nails must be transparent, without color.

Using household glue

It’s not always possible to have a special glue on hand intended for manicure, so fashionistas are trying to replace it with household options. It is worthwhile to figure out whether such actions are permissible.

Super glue

The use of super glue is acceptable, but working with it is accompanied by difficulties. This adhesive is not able to fill large irregularities. It is used only for fixing flat elements.

It dries very quickly and requires maximum care. Correcting the error is problematic.

Glue moment

It is not recommended to use Moment glue. It does not harm the plates and is able to provide proper adhesion, but there is a risk of damaging the decorative elements themselves, especially plastic decorations.

How to take rhinestones for nails

Coating nails with gel polish with rhinestones and inlaying natural nails requires the presence of a manicure tool capable of carefully picking up one or more crystals:

• thin tweezers;
• orange stick;
• toothpick;
• moderately sharpened wax pencil;
• thin brush.

Comment! When performing an inlay manicure, wooden utensils and a brush must be wetted - dipped in water for a few seconds.

How to beautifully put rhinestones on your nails

Creating rhinestone designs on your nails requires concentration and skill. Nail art masters recommend that beginners first hone their skills on training tips or any substrate.

Using a thin brush dipped in an adhesive (glue, gel, top, base), draw the outline of the desired design. After this, pebbles are “placed” on the marked lines and points.

Simple designs are laid out on nails with rhinestones - geometry, abstraction, chaotic arrangement, for example, with Swarovski crystals or more elaborate patterns and complex lines.

How to glue rhinestones on nails

Inlay requires the master to have the following tools and means:

• adhesive (gel, top, base, glue);
• stone picking tools;
• rhinestones of the desired size and shape.

How to glue rhinestones onto gel polish

To attach decorative elements to nails coated with gel polish, you must:

1. Apply sequentially, drying each layer in a lamp: base, colored gel polish (do not remove the sticky layer).
2. Using a brush dipped in the base coat, mark on the nail plate the places where the rhinestones will be attached.
3. Using the selected tool, place the pebbles at the desired points, slightly pressing them into the surface. Dry in a lamp.
4. Using a thin brush, pick up a small amount of the base product and circle the perimeter of each pebble. Dry.
5. Cover with top coat those areas of the plate that have no stones on them and place them in the lamp. After drying, remove the sticky layer.

How to glue rhinestones onto regular varnish

The decor is attached to regular varnish using glue in the following order:

1. A colorless base is applied to the nail.
2. After drying, the plate is coated with decorative varnish.
3. On the dried surface, use a thin brush to mark with glue the places where the decor will be.
4. Using a wax pencil or wooden stick, the stones are placed on the nail surface.
5. To secure, apply a base layer.

How to attach rhinestones to a matte top

A matte top requires a more careful application of the adhesive, since the glue, base, top, and gel will be visible on a non-shiny coating, even if transparent.

In this case, the manicure is done according to the classic scheme: base-gel polish-matte top, after which an adhesive is applied to the dried nail, followed by pebbles.

Application process

Now we will apply gel polish with rhinestones on the fingers that we did not cover with gel polish in the previous process.
We will need small rhinestones, an orange stick, and colored gel polish that will be used in the nail design. If you decide to decorate one nail on both hands, then first, for convenience, we decorate the nails not simultaneously, but one by one. We file the nail plate with a soft file and degrease it with alcohol.

Cover with primer and dry. Apply the first layer of colored gel polish and dry. Then we dry the second one too.

We apply it with a top coat, do not dry it, and start laying out the rhinestones. We attach the first one at the very top of the nail in the middle, then clearly down one by one in a straight line, pebble by pebble. Then the next row, then the third on the other side of the first and so on to the edges of the nail on both sides of the center line. If you need to adjust the rhinestones, do it with something thin, a toothpick, for example. After finishing laying out the pebbles, dry the resulting layer in a lamp for two minutes.

Next, you need to paint the gaps between the rhinestones with a top coat, for which you use a very thin brush, trying not to get on the rhinestones and not spoil their shine.

Then dry in a lamp for two minutes. If you are not sure of a good result, repeat again and dry. Wipe with alcohol and your manicure is complete. See what the gel polish with stasis looks like in the photo.

Expert advice

1. It is not recommended to cover the rhinestones completely with topcoat; it is enough that they are applied to the topcoat and the gaps are painted over;
2. The top on which the pebbles are applied must be thick, otherwise the pattern will not work out and may blur even before it is polarized;
3. If you want to lay out the entire surface of the nail, then start from the center, as we described in the “chainmail” pattern. If the pebbles are of different sizes, then lay out the larger ones first and again start from the center;
4. If you decide to apply pebbles with glue, you must be confident in your skill, since you can correct a pattern that has not yet hardened on the top, and the glue “sets” instantly and you have no room for error;
5. To design nails with stones, it is better to use glass ones, but plastic ones are also possible, although they are duller and do not look as beautiful as rhinestones;
6. pebbles measuring 1.5-2 mm will look good even on short nails. Do not use very large pebbles;
7. If you want to use rectangular, square or other stones rather than round ones, remember that they should be in harmony with the pattern on the clothing or jewelry. Therefore, it is still better to use round rhinestones;
8. Such a manicure with nail design will last from 15 to 20 days, if the technology was followed during application, and care was taken when wearing it. There is no need to file the nail plate, thereby disrupting the “sealing”. For household work, use gloves and do not use hot water;
9. remove the stones with a manicure pusher one by one. If the pebble cannot be removed, then it is cut off with a nail file.

If you follow all the advice of manicurists, then even at home, you will be able to design your nails with ease.

How to remove rhinestones from gel polish

The first step in removing old manicure with pebbles is removing the decor.

Beginning self-taught artists sometimes refuse rhinestone patterns on their nails due to fear of difficulties when removing the decor. Stones are removed:

• wire cutters, if we are talking about large elements;
• file;
• cutters.

Nippers (tweezers) are not used by workers, but by dull ones that cannot be repaired. The new tool will quickly lose its sharpness due to the aggressive material of the stones. Use tweezers to carefully pry up the decorative element, removing it from the nail surface, after which the layer of gel polish is filed off with a file.

If you don’t have unnecessary pliers, you can pry off decorative elements with a hatchet tool. No effort is needed to avoid injuring the nails.

Using a manicure cutter, at low speed, pry up the pebbles from the side or file them off from above, after which the nail is filed down using a nail file.

More detailed techniques for removing decorative elements from nails are described in the videos below.

Glue selection

What glue is best to choose for this purpose? Is the regular option suitable or should I give preference to a special one?

Ordinary

Household glue will not affect the condition of your nails in any way, which cannot be said about rhinestones. The glue is intended for other purposes and may negatively affect the appearance of the stones. Rhinestones made of plastic may not survive installation on ordinary glue.

Conventional glue cannot guarantee reliable adhesion of the pebble to the nails. A manicure done, no matter how beautiful it may be, cannot please a girl for long. Therefore, its use is not recommended.

Specialized

Designed exclusively for manicure design. Securely attaches rhinestones to nails. After work, the stones remain on the nails for a long time. Often comes complete with rhinestones. The glue contains special components that strengthen the nail plate.

Secure fixation

The structure of the nail glue ensures the bonding of the pebble and gel polish. During application, it is evenly distributed along the bottom of the rhinestone. Does not spoil the appearance of the stones and manicure in general.

Convenience of the bottle

As a rule, glue comes in the same bottles as nail polish. Apply with a special brush. This form is convenient as it simplifies the use of glue. Thanks to the convenience of the bottle, the quality of work does not suffer.

Compound

The glue contains components that do not affect the structure of the nail plate. The products are completely safe. A high-quality glue should contain natural ingredients.

Manufacturer

The glue is produced by the same companies that produce manicure products. The markets offer products from domestic companies as well as foreign manufacturers.

Step-by-step manicure with rhinestones at home

Drawings with rhinestones on nails at home are much easier to do than images drawn with a brush: you don’t need any artistic skills for this.

For a design with inlay you will need:

• black and red varnishes;
• manicure tapes;
• nail glue;
• thin brushes;
• rhinestones;
• fixative

Instructions for creating a nail design with rhinestones are presented step by step below:

1. Cover your nails with red varnish and dry.
2. Glue the manicure tapes into a triangle so that its base coincides with the base of the nail.
3. Use a thin brush to fill the space limited by the ribbons with black varnish. Dry.
4. Apply a small amount of glue with a brush (the area of ​​the applied product should not exceed the area of ​​the stone).
5. Place the rhinestone on the nail, pressing it slightly with a wooden stick.
6. Cover the plate around the rhinestone with a transparent fixative.

Schemes for laying out rhinestones

The location of the stones on the nails can be anything. If you do not have the necessary dexterity, experience and artistic abilities, you can use one of the standard schemes for laying out decor:

1. Location at the base of the nail. This design is decorated with one or more rhinestones, a crescent is highlighted in a lunar manicure, and laid out in a “pyramid” - a triangle.
2. Longitudinal lines: one or several (“shirt” - an arrangement of three or four stones at a distance from each other, like shirt buttons).
3. Transverse lines: single or several.
4. Diagonal.
5. Simple geometry - shapes: rhombus, oval, triangle, heart.
6. French manicure with rhinestone inlay.

Below are the simplest schemes that even a novice master can master.