Still on fire!

So, today's post is all about how my Flame Jams are hanging on.

I applied them on Saturday over a new set of acrylics. Did my toes too... see!

Oh how I love those flames! And several people have commented on them! They aren't as eye-catching as some of my color combinations but they are fun and look so good in person!

So, this is what they loo like today, 4 days later...

Left Hand

Right Hand

 You see that one, yes that one, my right thumb! The Jamberry tore! But this is no fault of Jamberry mind you! I was moving heavy plastic containers around yesterday and I actually got my thumbnail caught between a lid and container when I went to put it down and walk away from it. It actually got jammed in there pretty good and when I pulled away the corner tore off! The rest of the shield stayed solid, just the corner tore where it looked like it had been perforated by the plastic container and its lid.

The point here is to show you how fast I was able to fix it and get it looking good again!

• I didn't have to make a costly appointment at a salon to have a touch up or a fingernail repainted (even if it only costs a couple dollars to repair at the rate I have been known to damage my polish I would end up paying for a complete re-polish if I were going to a salon!).
• I didn't have to pull out the stinky old nail polish and re-polish the whole nail myself. Which had I been using polish I would have HAD to do. I NEVER get polish fixes to look right when I just try to clean up a damaged area, I ALWAYS have to take ALL the polish off my nail and re-polish, which then takes time to dry that I don't have!!
• And I didn't have to sit here with a crappy looking corner that just begs me to chew on it!

True, I could have soaked or heated (I prefer soaking on my natural nails and heating on my acrylics) and removed the whole shield and then reapplied the whole shield. But why bother!?

I had some scraps laying around from having done my toes (ladies, please tell me you ALWAYS keep your scraps). So, I scrapped the corner of the nail a few times with a file to rough it up, then I cleaned up my nail with an alcohol pad (the MOST important step, IMHO, even if just doing a repair)! and I heated up a scrap that I thought would fit. Once heated (about 10 seconds later) I applied it to my nail and attempted to line it up with some of the other flames so as not to be so noticeable. The flames lined up almost perfectly, I trimmed off the excess and heated it again for another 15 seconds. After shutting off my hair dryer I used my rubber cuticle pusher to apply pressure to the area I had just fixed for a few seconds, making sure I pressed the warm adhesive solidly onto my nail. Lastly I sealed the edge of the corner with nail glue (I do this with all my nails at the free edge to seal them) ,  buffed away any rough spots, and voila! Repaired!

Sure, up close you can really tell the corner isn't quite right. But from further away...

Yeah, I think it looks pretty good! I am happy with it and I don't feel like I need to take that shield off and replace it. And best of all, it took me less than 5 minutes from start to finish. Okay, okay, maybe it took me all of 5 minutes including the time I took me to get my shields out, get my hair dryer, get it plugged in, and get my nail kit out (I always keep my nail kit handy in my Jamberry party box).

Quick and easy!
And, ZERO drying time!

Join me back here tomorrow and I'll give you some short instructions on how to quickly apply a new set of Jams!