Tiffany Greco of Hair Addix in Carlsbad, Calif., uses fabrics and textures to reinvent the everyday French manicure or liven up the entire nail. The key to this fun, easy technique is to choose fabric or lace that is cotton-based. “Synthetics melt with adhesive and are hard to work with,” she says. Here’s how she does it:

1. Cut the fabric to size. It’s best to cut it slightly smaller than the area it’s covering so the ends don’t hang over the edges of the extension.

2. Affix the fabric to the nail with a liquid adhesive (such as Creative’s SpeedBond). Press a piece of plastic over the fabric and adhesive to hold down the edges and help the adhesive set.

3. Once in place, coat with liquid and powder, making sure to seal all the edges around the fabric.

4. Once the product is set, file and buff.

Click here to see  What is .... Lame? in the October 2008 issue of NAILS and Behind the Scenes: Shooting for the Star(s) for a step-by-step guide to creating the fabric-covered toes pictured on our July 2009 cover. - Ed.  

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