Ciate Caviar Inspired Nails -- The Look for Less

 

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Ciate has come up with this caviar manicure trend and I thought it was quite interesting.  I saw this new trend on Sephora's website and I was considering purchasing the kit.  The kit on sephora.com is $25 and comes with the microbeads and polish (white with white beads, black with black beads, and pink with multicolored microbeads).  I tried to look online at craft stores to see if they sold microbeads and I ended up finding them at Michael's.  The ones I purchased came in a pack of 6 for about $3.  They were originally around $6 but luckily when I went to the store they were half off.  This brand was "Recollections" and it is sold in the scrapbook section of the store.

Honestly you can achieve the same look for a cheaper price if you just look around for these microbeads.  Martha Stewart also has a bunch of different colored microbeads that you can buy on amazon.  If you buy them online you can choose from many other different color choices and still get the same look for less.  

WHAT YOU NEED:

Nail polish for base coat (color of your choice)

Microbeads (Color of your choice)

Basin or box to catch microbeads (I've used the cover for a blank CD spindle or the lid from a tin container)

*optional -- funnel to put excess beads back in container (I used a little funnel that came with my sephora perfume atomizer)

                --Topcoat (I've found that the beads stay on longer when topcoat is applied)

INSTRUCTIONS:

1) I first painted one coat of nail polish (for these I used a plain white Wet n Wild and Sally Hansen blackout polish) on all of my fingernails and let it dry.

Now comes the fun part - applying the beads.  

*Make sure you work on one nail at a time when applying the microbeads*

You are going to work over the basin or box or whatever container you are using to catch the fallout.  

2) Paint a second coat on your nail (again we need to do one nail at a time), and while the nail is still wet, sprinkle the microbeads all over your nail.  The amount of beads to sprinkle depends on the look you want to achieve.  You may want your entire nail covered, or you may just want a nice widespread arrangement so that part is up to you.

3) Once you've got the beads onto your fingernail, slowly and carefully pat the beads onto your nails.  This will hold them better in place.  I usually just shake my nail to see if any extra beads will fall off.  

*Repeat steps 1-3 to complete the entire hand*

4) Let your nails dry for about 15 minutes-20 minutes.

*optional: Apply topcoat.  When I have beads or rhinestones on my nails, I've found that applying topcoat really makes a difference in preventing them from falling off.  If you plan on keeping them on your nails for awhile I suggest using a topcoat.  The microbeads will usually last about 1-2 days.  

TO CLEAN UP: You can use a funnel or a rolled up piece of paper to place the extra microbeads back into the container to conserve them.

And there you have it, a lovely caviar manicure!!