Mirror manicure can be done in several ways, but the most common is rubbing. This option is easy to perform, does not require large costs and, according to the photos and reviews, creates an even mirror glare.
General recommendations for manicure with a mirror rub
Some clients and craftsmen mistakenly consider any manicure with a rubbing in mirror, but this is not so. The mirror effect is created using a highly pigmented rub, which, when interacting with gel polish, creates a smooth finish.
It is important to understand that mirror nail art with perfect glare can be done on well-finished nails.
If the gel polish is applied incorrectly and the irregularities of the nail plate, the glare will wrinkle or double. The combination of colors of the mirror paste and the main color:
| Rubbing | Main color |
| Silvery | Versatile, suitable for almost any color. It goes especially well with white, lavender, cream, coffee, pearl, red, black. |
| Gold | It belongs to the universal, the ideal combination is obtained with black, red, white, with light shades of purple and blue. |
| Pearl | Combines with light shades of any color. |
| Chameleon / May beetle | Shades of green, purple, red, pearl, blue. |
| Green | With black and all shades of green, especially mint and pastel green. |
| Blue | Shades of blue, white, pearl, purple, red. |
| Red | With black, white, shades of red and purple. |
| Pink | With shades of red, pink, white and pearl. |
| Holography | Almost all shades of all colors, especially white and black. |
A manicure with a mirror rub, a photo of which has become popular this year, goes well not only with bright and saturated colors, but also with pastel colors. Silver, gold and pearl rubbing is ideal for this.
Among the patterns and decorations that are combined with chrome, one can single out rhinestones, sparkles, marble texture, stones, geometric and floral patterns, drawings, adhesive tape, sliders, volumetric drawings, stamping.
Techniques and methods of manicure with a mirror rub
There are several techniques for manicure with a mirror rub:
- Using a highly pigmented mirror rub. The standard method for applying a mirror manicure. It uses a fine crystalline rub, which is applied to the gel coating of the nail.
- Using a transfer foil with pigment. A special transfer foil is applied to the base coat, and pigment is rubbed on top.
- Using mirror polish together with pigment. Some manufacturers produce mirror finish lines. In combination with them, you can use rubbing.
Tools required to create a mirror polish by rubbing in:
- basic coverage;
- finishing coating;
- standard set for manicure (file, freezer, buff, nippers);
- basic cover;
- rubbing;
- manicure sponge.
It is recommended to use a dark, or better - black, gel polish to add saturation to the pigment, and white to muffle the color. Some masters make the main mistake when performing mirror manicure - they apply rubbing on a sticky layer, however, due to the special structure of the pigment, it should only be rubbed into gel polish.
Performing a manicure with a mirror rub at home:
- Preparing the nail plate for the application of gel polish and pigment, washed down the free edge, shaping the shape of the nail, removing the cuticle and pterygium using a freezer or primer, polishing the nail plate.
- Applying a base coat, painting over the free edge to increase the wear of the manicure. The base dries well in the lamp.
- Application of the main color, the pigment manifests itself best on black gel polish, however, to create more delicate shades, you can use, for example, pearl rub on white gel polish. The coating is polymerized in ice or UV lamp.
- The pigment is rubbed into a well-dried varnish without a sticky layer using a special manicure sponge, which often comes with the pigment itself. The rub is evenly applied to the entire coating until the highlight on the mirror manicure is clearly visible.
- Application of a top coat is required, but in some cases it will reduce the gloss from mirror rubbing, so the end result may differ slightly from the intermediate steps. The top is painted over the entire nail plate and the end, and then it polymerizes well in the lamp.
One-color manicure with a mirror rub
A manicure with a mirror rub, a photo of which can be seen below, is also done in a single-color version. To do this, you will need gel polish for the main color and the mirror rub itself. You can use either a standard mirror, for example, silver or gold, or a chameleon or beetle rub.
Monochrome manicure cannot be combined with other designs. An option can be only applying rubbing on several nails or all at once.
Due to the large range of colors, such a manicure will suit any shape and any style of clothing, be it casual or some kind of outfit. For a summer or holiday manicure, you can use bright and saturated colors, and for a winter time, you can apply more muted shades.
Red monochromatic manicure is suitable for creating a feminine and elegant look. Shades of this color are indispensable for Christmas manicure, but it will also become relevant when using a silver golden or red mirror rub.
A solid pink manicure goes well with a pearl mirror polish, which can be combined with both bright glossy colors and matte bedding.
Black monochromatic manicure is combined with any kind of rub and makes it more intense. White monochromatic manicure will look great on short nails of any shape, visually making them longer. Also goes well with almost any rub, especially silver and pearl.
Manicure with a mirror rub in different shades
A manicure with a mirror rubbing is combined with various colors and suits any image, since you can choose a color scheme that suits your style: bright, dark, saturated, pastel, dull combined and others.
Combining colors for mirror rubbing with different shades:
| Blue | Shades of blue, purple, white, pink and yellow. |
| Red | Shades of red, purple, pink, white, black, orange, yellow. |
| Green | Shades of green, white, black, blue, yellow. |
| Yellow | Shades of blue, yellow. Sometimes red and orange. |
To perform such nail art, a standard set of tools is required, and creating a design at home is not difficult:
- If the previous coating remains on the nails, then it can be removed using a file with high abrasiveness, a special gel polish remover or a freezer.
- Make a wash down of the free edge, give the nails the required length and shape, grind the plate with a manicure buff.
- Apply a transparent base to the finished nail plate and dry in an ultraviolet or ice lamp.
- Combine colors and apply a multi-colored coating to your nails. On the plate or its part, where the pigment will be rubbed, it is best to apply a white (for light nail art) or black (for pigment saturation) coating, and then polymerize well in a lamp.
- Apply a rub in on a well-dried surface using a manicure sponge or finger. If the pigment is of good quality, the mirror effect will appear almost immediately. In other cases, it will take a little longer to work with the plate to break the glare.
- Cover the finished nail art with a top, seal the end and cure in a lamp.
Matte manicure with a mirror rub
A mirror finish manicure is created in combination with a matte finish. In some photos, you can see how the rubbing itself is covered with a matte top, however, because of this, the mirror effect is lost.
To create the correct nail art, you need to prepare the nail plate well, so this technique is suitable only for owners of smooth nails without flaws.
Primary colors used:
- the black;
- coffee;
- cream;
- white;
- pastel pink;
- peach;
- turquoise;
- violet;
- mint;
- pastel green.
Rub in can be used in any color, the main thing is that it matches the main color. You only need to cover your nails with a matte top without rubbing. To create your own nail art, you can use stencils or duct tape, painting over only half of the plate.
Manicure options with mirror rubbing, patterns and drawings
A manicure with a mirror rub, a photo of which can be seen on the network, is often decorated with various patterns.
Pattern options:
- geometry;
- floral;
- openwork;
- curls;
- voluminous.
For drawing patterns, black gel is used, and the color of the main coating and pigment can be any. The patterns look especially good on long nails and medium lengths of any shape. On shorter lengths, the pattern may look unfinished. The pattern is applied to the nails after rubbing in the pigment, then the gel is polymerized in the lamp, and the finished design is covered with a top.
Decor on a manicure with a mirror rub
Mirror manicure can be decorated with rhinestones or sparkles. Thanks to its versatility and rich color scheme, jewelry can be combined with other techniques.
Mirror-rubbed rhinestones are not the most practical option for everyday life due to their relative fragility, but they are perfect for a festive event. Rhinestones are glued on a special manicure glue or on a sticky layer, and then the nail art is covered with a top coat.
Sequins are more versatile and can be applied to a sticky layer of gel polish and then secured with a top. This design can be worn for up to a month. The decor can be combined with both glossy and matte manicure of any shade.
Fashion trends of manicure with a mirror rub in 2019
Trends for 2019 are a little different from all the rest.
The following colors will be in fashion:
- pearl;
- white;
- the black;
- coffee;
- pastel pink;
- pastel green;
- mint;
- peach.
Delicate shades go well with mirror rubbing. Also popular will be the "space" mirror rub, which shimmers in three colors: purple, blue, green.
The following forms of nails remain fashionable:
- soft square;
- soft oval;
- amygdala;
- pointe shoes.
Techniques for performing mirror manicure remain the same. A manicure with a mirror rub will always remain in fashion due to its practicality and beauty, and a large number of design photos only confirms this fact. A large range of colors allows you to find combinations for yourself and make your own nail art.
Video on how to properly apply the rub
How to rub on gel polish: