OC Nail Art
OCNailArt.com - Your Home For Konad Stamping Nail Art Supplies!Konad Stamping Nail Art Frequently Asked Questions
OC Nail Art FAQ
Question: Can I use regular nail polish instead of the stamping nail polish?
Answer: You can, however, the design may not transfer well to the stamper. Also, the designs made with regular nail polish may not be as thick or as bright as those made with Konad Special Stamping Polish.
Question: Will my children be able to do it themselves?
Answer: Yes! Stamping nail art is fun and easy to do. My daughter is 7 and she's very adept at putting the designs on her nails and her friends' nails, too. My 11 year old daughter is pretty much an expert and can do her own French tips. I suppose it depends on the child, but with a little practice anyone can do it. Even my husband has been known to play with it (on the girls' nails, not his of course) but if you tell him I told you so, I'll deny it. He does use the 4 sided buffer on his own nails, though. Go to YouTube and search on OCNailArt to see Emma embellish her nails using Konad products. She's a keeper!
Question: When I got my kit home and tried it for myself, I couldn't get the image to stick to the stamper - what am I doing wrong - you made it look so easy?
Answer: Sometimes the stamper comes from the factory with a thin film on it. Pass the scraper gently over the stamper's surface to get the film off, then gently clean the stamper with some regular nail polish remover. Make sure you clean the stamper after each use with nail polish and make sure there are no bits of cotton stuck to it. If only part of the image is transferring to the stamper, you might have to clean your scraper, too, because the polish can build up on the scraper and put dents or lines in your designs. Use a soft, rolling motion to pick up and transfer the image on your stamper and don't press down too hard.
Question: Okay, I got the stamper to pick up the image, but now it won't transfer to my nail, or just part of it does!
Answer: First, you have to realize that the thin layer of special stamping polish dries very quickly once you scrape it and put it on the stamper. If you take too long to decide where to put your design, or to pick it up with the stamper, the polish will dry and not transfer well. Also, if you didn't clean the stamper well before using it (with regular nail polish remover), the image may not transfer as well. Use a soft, rolling motion to pick up the image on your stamper and don't press down too hard.
Another potential problem might be the surface of your nail. If your nails are ridged or not very smooth, you should first buff them with the 4 sided buffer, then lightly wipe with nail polish remover. Nails should be smooth, clean, and dry before stamping, for best results.
Question: When I transfer the image to the stamper or my nail, the image is smeared or just doesn't look right. What did I do wrong?
Answer: This happens when you press down too hard - either when you're picking up the image off of the image plate, or when you are transferring the image to your nail. Just press lightly, and use a rolling motion rather than pushing straight down.
Question: Why should I use the Konad Top Coat? I have plenty of regular top coat laying around?
Answer: You don't have to use Konad Top Coat, but many regular brand top coats will smear your images. If you want a great, long-lasting top coat that will NOT smear your stamped image, use the Konad brand. It's worth it and it is not as expensive as many of the salon brands that smear the other colors. If you have colored or glittered top coats that you want to use, use them AFTER you seal the design with Konad top coat, THEN use your glittery type. Don't forget that Konad also sells silver and pink glittery top coats, too.
Question: Why should I buy the image plate holder - it doesn't look like it does much?
Answer: It may not look like much, but that little pink plastic image disk holder will save your dining room table from being covered with stamping nail polish when you scrape the polish. If you let your children do their own nails, you will LOVE having the image disk holder, as cleaning polish off of the holder is much easier than cleaning it off of your tables!
Question: My daughter's nails are very tiny and I have trouble using the stamper that came with my kit. I always put the images on crooked or off to the side because I can't see what I'm doing.
Answer: I use the new 2-sided stamper that is sold separately when I do my kids' nails. It has a regular stamper side but the other end is a smaller, green stamper. It is easy to see where you are stamping the design. I also use it to put on my French Tip designs, because it's so much easier to see where I'm applying the image. It's well worth the extra money to purchase it separately.
Question: I always stamp the sides of my fingers and the cuticles under my nails, spreading the special polish everywhere! What should I do?
Answer: Well, sometimes you just can't get around stamping a little extra polish here and there. I use the Konad French Tip Corrector Pen to erase little mistakes like you described. It is like a felt tipped marker, only instead of paint or polish inside, it has nail polish remover. It just takes off the extra polish and neatens your design!
Question: Can I use regular nail polish instead of the stamping nail polish?
Answer: You can, however, the design may not transfer well to the stamper. Also, the designs made with regular nail polish may not be as thick or as bright as those made with Konad Special Stamping Polish.
Question: Will my children be able to do it themselves?
Answer: Yes! Stamping nail art is fun and easy to do. My daughter is 7 and she's very adept at putting the designs on her nails and her friends' nails, too. My 11 year old daughter is pretty much an expert and can do her own French tips. I suppose it depends on the child, but with a little practice anyone can do it. Even my husband has been known to play with it (on the girls' nails, not his of course) but if you tell him I told you so, I'll deny it. He does use the 4 sided buffer on his own nails, though. Go to YouTube and search on OCNailArt to see Emma embellish her nails using Konad products. She's a keeper!
Question: When I got my kit home and tried it for myself, I couldn't get the image to stick to the stamper - what am I doing wrong - you made it look so easy?
Answer: Sometimes the stamper comes from the factory with a thin film on it. Pass the scraper gently over the stamper's surface to get the film off, then gently clean the stamper with some regular nail polish remover. Make sure you clean the stamper after each use with nail polish and make sure there are no bits of cotton stuck to it. If only part of the image is transferring to the stamper, you might have to clean your scraper, too, because the polish can build up on the scraper and put dents or lines in your designs. Use a soft, rolling motion to pick up and transfer the image on your stamper and don't press down too hard.
Question: Okay, I got the stamper to pick up the image, but now it won't transfer to my nail, or just part of it does!
Answer: First, you have to realize that the thin layer of special stamping polish dries very quickly once you scrape it and put it on the stamper. If you take too long to decide where to put your design, or to pick it up with the stamper, the polish will dry and not transfer well. Also, if you didn't clean the stamper well before using it (with regular nail polish remover), the image may not transfer as well. Use a soft, rolling motion to pick up the image on your stamper and don't press down too hard.
Another potential problem might be the surface of your nail. If your nails are ridged or not very smooth, you should first buff them with the 4 sided buffer, then lightly wipe with nail polish remover. Nails should be smooth, clean, and dry before stamping, for best results.
Question: When I transfer the image to the stamper or my nail, the image is smeared or just doesn't look right. What did I do wrong?
Answer: This happens when you press down too hard - either when you're picking up the image off of the image plate, or when you are transferring the image to your nail. Just press lightly, and use a rolling motion rather than pushing straight down.
Question: Why should I use the Konad Top Coat? I have plenty of regular top coat laying around?
Answer: You don't have to use Konad Top Coat, but many regular brand top coats will smear your images. If you want a great, long-lasting top coat that will NOT smear your stamped image, use the Konad brand. It's worth it and it is not as expensive as many of the salon brands that smear the other colors. If you have colored or glittered top coats that you want to use, use them AFTER you seal the design with Konad top coat, THEN use your glittery type. Don't forget that Konad also sells silver and pink glittery top coats, too.
Question: Why should I buy the image plate holder - it doesn't look like it does much?
Answer: It may not look like much, but that little pink plastic image disk holder will save your dining room table from being covered with stamping nail polish when you scrape the polish. If you let your children do their own nails, you will LOVE having the image disk holder, as cleaning polish off of the holder is much easier than cleaning it off of your tables!
Question: My daughter's nails are very tiny and I have trouble using the stamper that came with my kit. I always put the images on crooked or off to the side because I can't see what I'm doing.
Answer: I use the new 2-sided stamper that is sold separately when I do my kids' nails. It has a regular stamper side but the other end is a smaller, green stamper. It is easy to see where you are stamping the design. I also use it to put on my French Tip designs, because it's so much easier to see where I'm applying the image. It's well worth the extra money to purchase it separately.
Question: I always stamp the sides of my fingers and the cuticles under my nails, spreading the special polish everywhere! What should I do?
Answer: Well, sometimes you just can't get around stamping a little extra polish here and there. I use the Konad French Tip Corrector Pen to erase little mistakes like you described. It is like a felt tipped marker, only instead of paint or polish inside, it has nail polish remover. It just takes off the extra polish and neatens your design!
Contact us at kathleen@ocnailart.com
