Texture is King with the new Nail Rock 3D Designer Nail Wraps
UK-based nail art company Nail Rock has already won over fans with its printed nail stickers, which feature patterns like black leopard spots against a hot pink background, white polka dots against a red backdrop, an oversize Union Jack motif, tattoo-inspired orange and yellow flame motifs against a black background, and more. Now, Nail Rock founder Zoe Pocock has tapped into the season’s emphasis on texture with its new range of Nail Rock 3D wraps, which feature glittery specks, rivulet-like cracks, raised bubbles, glimmering crystals, and trompe l’oeil designs that create the illusion of depth, dimension, and uneven terrain.
Introduced during the holiday season, the Nail Rock 3D Designer Nail Wraps collection ($7.50 per pack at Urban Outfitters stores, UrbanOutfitters.com, and NailRock.com) features four eye-catching designs: Glister Gold, which features a snakeskin-worthy design with glittery gold scales divided by black cracks; Glister Mix, which features a similar motif but incorporates multi-colored as opposed to gold glitter; Doodad Black, which features raised bubbles in a glossy black tone; and Doodad Mix, which features a trompe l’oeil pattern with bubble motifs outlined in gold and rosegold.
Each Nail Rock 3D pack contains a single sheet with 16 nail wraps, a small nail file, and a wooden cuticle stick for easy application. To give yourself a textured, show-stopping manicure, you simply have to find the wrap that best fits your nail’s width (don’t worry about the length since you can always adjust this later), then remove it from its sheet, and position it perfectly on your bare, clean, dry nail surface so that the flat end matches up to your cuticle line. Using the cuticle stick, you can then tuck the corners of the nail wrap in along the edges of the nail and then continue pressing the wrap, applying pressure so that it will adhere to the nail bed without any unwanted creases or bubbles. Once secured atop the nail, you can then fold the excess material over the tip of your nail and file it off , working the nail file in a downward motion along the tips.
Check out how the Nail Rock 3D Designer Nail Wraps in Glister Gold ($7.50 at Urban Outfitters stores, UrbanOutfitters.com, and NailRock.com) look when applied.
This particular pattern has a rock ‘n’ roll vibe to it that I really appreciate it. The black cracks in the design might remind you of the Crackle polishes that have been so popular in recent years but, in this case, there’s a symmetry to the placement of the cracks that makes the design look like a close-up view of a snake’s scales. And, of course, the golden shimmer adds that extra bit of flash since the tiny glitter specks toy with the light, adding yet another layer of dimension to the design.
My one complaint about these designs — though they’re billed as lasting up to 7 days, I have yet to enjoy a Nail Rock mani for longer than 2 or 3 days. Unlike, say, the Sally Hansen Salon Effects Real Nail Polish Strips, these never fully adhere to your nail — in fact, you can remove the Nail Rock wraps by peeling them off unlike the former, which require nail polish remover. Sure, this makes the removal process a cinch, but it also means your mani is much more vulnerable to peeling and snagging — particularly when you wash your hands often or when you have to perform any type of task with your hands (whether it’s opening boxes, washing dishes, doing laundry, preparing a meal, or anything else).
That being said, if you’re going to a party or a date and you want an impressive manicure but don’t have the time to execute an elaborate nail design or to visit your favorite salon or spa, these will help you achieve the desired look in a matter of minutes. And that, my friends, does rock!
