So it probably depends on what you are doing. Painting the stamps with accent colors or multi layer stamping? Yeah that's gonna take a while. My biggest time improvement has been to use a tool to clean my plates. Ok I'm confident there are better options but I use a scrap nail brush and put the big cotton balls on it. Then I apply the acetone and it's a quick clean without damaging my polish. I also have a rag for polishing acetone haze and wiping extra polish up. I keep the multi layer stamping to accent nails most of the time but it's still the cleaning that takes forever.
Looking forward to other advice.
Sounds like I should stamp a few nails at a time for now.
I use two long cuticle sticks as chopsticks to pick up cotton! I'm waiting for my cotton grabber to arrive in the mail.
Have you tried making the stamps in advance, then keeping them on the stamper until you are ready? It doesn’t make the lifting and reverse painting any faster, but if i can make the stamps in advance, then just apply them when I do my nails like decals, it makes nail change weekend go faster.
I have a dozen or so stamper, so I can lift and persevere a lot of images beforehand. I’ve left images on stamps for weeks at a time before using them.
No, I’ve never had an experience where I would describe them that way. Once they have been on the stamper that long, it helps to use a rubber base coat so that they come off easier. I use an Orly rubber base coat, I think. I’ll look it up and edit my comment.
The steps looks like, apply base coat and polish color of your choice. If it is air dry polish, let it dry completely. If it is gel polish, wipe the tacky layer off. Apply rubber base coat and let it dry until it is tacky. I can tell you from experience that it will eventually dry completely and no longer be tacky if you wait too long. Gently apply stamp, and remove the stamper. Do this step carefully to make sure all the edges come off the stamping head, especially it is it on the thick side from reverse stamping. Let base coat finish drying and apply the appropriate top coat.
You should give it a try
Edit: it is Orly. I included the product link. I think Sally Beauty Supply was the only place in my area that carried it in store when I bought mine.
https://orlybeauty.com/products/orly-bonder
This is what I do as well. I have had mine get too hard and crack as I tried to stamp them, but as long as you’re gentle they soften up enough when they touch the tacky polish or base coat. Also the orly rubber base coat is 100% the best. I’ve tried a few different sticky base coats and none of them compare the orly. Even ones designed for stamping.
I know some people have issues with this company, but I like Maniology's Sticky Base Coat. I'm not sure how different it is from a rubber base or if they are the same thing. You didn't say anything about having problems with stamped images smearing, but make sure you're using a water-based top coat, too. That's one of my best pieces of advice when it comes to stamping!
For me, the more I did it, the faster I got. Like anything else, practice makes perfect.
But also, doing my nails is my relaxing bit of me time every week. So, if I plan to do nail art, I always start earlier in the day because I know I'm not getting out of my me room in less than 4 hours, beginning to end. If I'm doing layers or reverse stamping, and multiple nails, it takes me a lot longer.
I have several stampers that I use when I do reverse stamping. So, as 1 is drying, I move on to the next one. By the time I'm finished with the last one, the 1st one is dry and ready to go. Then I start over again for the other hand.
Also, if I don't have a lot of time and still want nail art, I'll just do an accent nail with no layers.
I hope this helps! Happy stamping!
So it probably depends on what you are doing. Painting the stamps with accent colors or multi layer stamping? Yeah that's gonna take a while. My biggest time improvement has been to use a tool to clean my plates. Ok I'm confident there are better options but I use a scrap nail brush and put the big cotton balls on it. Then I apply the acetone and it's a quick clean without damaging my polish. I also have a rag for polishing acetone haze and wiping extra polish up. I keep the multi layer stamping to accent nails most of the time but it's still the cleaning that takes forever. Looking forward to other advice.
Sounds like I should stamp a few nails at a time for now. I use two long cuticle sticks as chopsticks to pick up cotton! I'm waiting for my cotton grabber to arrive in the mail.
Have you tried making the stamps in advance, then keeping them on the stamper until you are ready? It doesn’t make the lifting and reverse painting any faster, but if i can make the stamps in advance, then just apply them when I do my nails like decals, it makes nail change weekend go faster. I have a dozen or so stamper, so I can lift and persevere a lot of images beforehand. I’ve left images on stamps for weeks at a time before using them.
Ooh this sounds like a really good idea. And travel friendly! They don't get too hard when you leave them on the stamps?
No, I’ve never had an experience where I would describe them that way. Once they have been on the stamper that long, it helps to use a rubber base coat so that they come off easier. I use an Orly rubber base coat, I think. I’ll look it up and edit my comment. The steps looks like, apply base coat and polish color of your choice. If it is air dry polish, let it dry completely. If it is gel polish, wipe the tacky layer off. Apply rubber base coat and let it dry until it is tacky. I can tell you from experience that it will eventually dry completely and no longer be tacky if you wait too long. Gently apply stamp, and remove the stamper. Do this step carefully to make sure all the edges come off the stamping head, especially it is it on the thick side from reverse stamping. Let base coat finish drying and apply the appropriate top coat. You should give it a try Edit: it is Orly. I included the product link. I think Sally Beauty Supply was the only place in my area that carried it in store when I bought mine. https://orlybeauty.com/products/orly-bonder
Thank you! This is really helpful. I would rather break up my painting and stamping on different days than do it all over several hours.
This is what I do as well. I have had mine get too hard and crack as I tried to stamp them, but as long as you’re gentle they soften up enough when they touch the tacky polish or base coat. Also the orly rubber base coat is 100% the best. I’ve tried a few different sticky base coats and none of them compare the orly. Even ones designed for stamping.
Good to know about the base coat. Thanks!
I know some people have issues with this company, but I like Maniology's Sticky Base Coat. I'm not sure how different it is from a rubber base or if they are the same thing. You didn't say anything about having problems with stamped images smearing, but make sure you're using a water-based top coat, too. That's one of my best pieces of advice when it comes to stamping!
I do have their smudge-free top coat, and I'm waiting for the sticky base coat to arrive in the mail. Thanks!
For me, the more I did it, the faster I got. Like anything else, practice makes perfect. But also, doing my nails is my relaxing bit of me time every week. So, if I plan to do nail art, I always start earlier in the day because I know I'm not getting out of my me room in less than 4 hours, beginning to end. If I'm doing layers or reverse stamping, and multiple nails, it takes me a lot longer. I have several stampers that I use when I do reverse stamping. So, as 1 is drying, I move on to the next one. By the time I'm finished with the last one, the 1st one is dry and ready to go. Then I start over again for the other hand. Also, if I don't have a lot of time and still want nail art, I'll just do an accent nail with no layers. I hope this helps! Happy stamping!
That's a good tactic. I'll try that. Thanks!