I know, I know. I'm late to the Jamberry game. With that said, I am a huge fan of doing my nails and a fan of beauty products, so it's a win-win for me!
For those who are also late to the Jamberry party, Jamberry is a direct marketing company that sells nail wraps. Think super sticky stickers for your nails. The wraps come in both trendy (think sugar skulls) and classic (think French Manicure) designs and are reported to last at least 2 weeks!
Now, I love the idea of the fun designs because I have ZERO patience for nail art. I love the result of nail art, but really I stick to one color (with one accent nail) type designs. Besides being able to elevate your nail style, Jamberry nails have no drying time! Having three small children, that no drying time was a huge plus.
The Application
Jamberry nails bond to your nail using heat and pressure. The nail wraps come in strips of 20 with varying widths. I made the mistake of not checking out application blogs and just followed the directions. I say this is a mistake because one tip is that you should pick a wrap that is NARROWER than your nail bed. For a perfectionist like me, the thought of having a sliver of exposed nail is nerve-wracking, however, the adhesive is designed to stick to nails, not skin.
You heat the wrap using a hair dryer or with a (sold separately) hands-free heater and you want to be sure not to touch the adhesive with your fingertips as your skin oils can make the adhesive not as sticky. Once you have the wrap on your nail, another tip is to pull a ziplock bag over the nail and heat once again. This applies even more pressure to the nail and the addition of the heat will ensure a strong bond.
The Result
The only challenging part of the application is getting the wrap centered on your nail. I know that the Jamberry experts can do their manicures in 10 minutes or so (that's 1 minute a nail!) but it took me closer to 15 minutes to get it done.
Two-weeks later, I do have a bit of lifting around the edges but the wrap is still secure on my nail. The lifting is where the wrap was adhered to my skin and not the nail, so it's not unexpected. Overall, I am happy with Jamberry! For $15 / sheet, you get 20 wraps which translates to 2 manicures and 2 Pedicures or 4 of either one. Considering I pay close to $40 for a combo mani/pedi at the nail salon... I'd call this a good deal!
The Bottom Line
If you are a fan of nail art but don't want to dedicate the time (or the effort) Jamberry is a great option. The shipping is fast, application is pretty painless (with a bit of a learning curve), and the wraps really do last! As far as removal goes, I can't comment as I have not attempted removal yet. However, removing the nails involves soaking them in some kind of solvent, be it acetone (nail polish), olive oil or just plain old water... depending on how long you have worn the nails.
So that's it! Have you used Jamberry? What are your thoughts?
Website: http://smartin.jamberrynails.net
