[VIDEO] Mermaid Effect STEP BY STEP - how to choose nail dust to gel polish? What's worth remembering?

Mermaid Effect - nail dust known to every nail stylist. What is it? How to use it? Get ready for a big dose of knowledge and see the latest episode on the Indigo YouTube channel. Together with Paulina Walaszczyk, we explain where the Mermaid came from, what shades are available and what mistakes should be avoided when using it.

A few years ago, mermaids were done every day in many colours in every nail salon in Poland. Today, this effect is less popular, but it's still worth having it in the salon, because, first of all, it's not an expensive product; secondly it's easy to use, and last it's the colour that makes us expand our range of colours. Because by applying a Mermaid Effect on a given colour, we change that colour a little bit. So if for example we have 20 gel polishes and we also have 1 mermaid effect, it would be like having 40 colours on the menu.

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Products used in the video:

• Mermaid Effect
• Effect Base
• Tip Top top coat
• Cleaner Wipe Off
• Buffer
• Ice Cream Brush

Mermaid Effect on nails - the story behind it?

Interesting fact, it was Indigo that created the mermaid effect as the first company in Poland (and to our knowledge, first in Central and Western Europe), that created this nail dust with the help of our beloved Ewelina Fedorowicz, our Educator from Bielawa, who spotted the effect on Russian nail forums, stylists were rubbing something into the dispersion layer there, and this gives this beautiful effect of the surface. All the products we tested did not have that effect at that time. We wanted to create precisely this glow, this glass pane, the effect that we then associated with the mermaid tail at that time and so we called the product - Mermaid Effect. And so, it remained, the Mermaid Effect. The indigo mermaid effect has revolutionized the world of nail styling.

How are Indigo nail dust effects created?

Imagine such a large slope of beautifully shimmering foil and hexagon-shaped knives, with which we carefully cut this particular piece. Everything counts here: type and foil thickness, size of blades, the whole process, all cutting technology. Because after cutting out, for example, you need to sift this product to get rid of all those irregular flakes that otherwise refract light and make this pane not as beautiful as we would like. For example, we finally dispose of 1/3 of the product to sift what's inside, what's even and beautifully prepared - giving the best effect. We tested several different ways and now (in fact, for five years now) we know how to make the perfect mermaid effect. And what pleases us the most? Our beloved customers have always said that our Indigo mermaid effect is the most beautiful one.

Classic mermaids, pastels and neons - Mermaid Effects in the Indigo offer

In the beginning, there was only one mermaid. Then alternative versions appeared: Mermaid Black, Black 2, Emerald. Next in line were pastel mermaids, and finally - neon ones. Why do we need a mermaid in so many shades? To achieve the effect of a pane in many colour options. The mermaid's surface slightly changes the colour of the gel polish it has been applied on. Sometimes it looks phenomenal, because the colour gets additional depth, and sometimes it changes the colour beyond recognition, to the extent that it's hard to recognize what colour is under the mermaid. What's the conclusion? It's better not to improvise on the customer's nails, but to prepare everything on the colour charts and have a cheat sheet to see how the colour looks like with any given nail dust. The mermaid's structure is the same, and individual mermaids differ in the shade. When applying a mermaid effect, we can work on 1 layer of colour.

Indigo Mermaid Effects can be divided into 3 groups: classics, pastels and neons. The first classic mermaid effect has a multi-coloured surface with a predominance of gold. Mermaid Emerald - as the name suggests, creates an emerald sheet. The Mermaid Black creates a blue surface, while Black II is blue-green. Black mermaids look best on a black background, hence their name. Classic Mermaids rubbed into the dispersion layer give an effect of a smooth surface, and sprinkled on a wet top, giving the effect of frost. Pastel Mermaids can be applied on a white or pastel background on which they will become more intense. In this group, we have Tiffany and Pastel Pink.

Among neons, we have Green, Yellow, Orange, Pink and Lila. They look best if they are applied on the base colour corresponding to the mermaid, like for example neon pink to neon pink, yellow to yellow, orange to orange. If you don't have neons, you can use similar colours without this neon power - it will also work well.

How to apply the Mermaid Effect correctly?

We already know how to combine colours, we know what effect it's supposed to come out, now we will look at the application to make sure that we are doing everything right and even if there are any surprises, we will also know how to deal with them. What can happen while applying the mermaid? 

1. Some colours after curing have less dispersion than others.

Different colours have different amounts of dispersion. What to do if our favourite colour leaves little dispersion and we want to rub the Mermaid in it? You don't have to give up the colour - just have Effect Base on hand, which we apply on the cured colour, cure it for 30 seconds and rub the Mermaid into its dispersion and all done! 

2. When rubbing nail dust, we can see that it's rolling. What does this mean?

It means that the colour was cured too quickly. To fix it, you need to thoroughly wipe the entire surface with a dust-free cotton swab soaked in a Wipe Off, cure the colour in the lamp, apply another layer and cure the right time. Only then rub in the nail dust.

3. Cured too long.

On the other hand, by curing the colour longer than it needs to be, we make it get less and less of the dispersion layer, because every time, getting even more light, this dispersion will be less. And then there's nothing to rub it into. We're calling it a burning dispersion. What's the conclusion? We can't cure the colour too quickly or too short. With our lamps and gel polishes, this time is 30 seconds.

4. Rubbing is too strong.

It's important not to rub in the nail dust too hard because we will end up with empty patches. This is not such an intense movement as rubbing the body with sugar scrubs, but only gentle massaging of the nail surface.

5. Different products combination.

Sometimes we combine products, e.g. when making an ombre. If one of the colours used for the ombre will not have a dispersion, because for example, it's a gel Arte Brillante, which is great to make ombre, it will also affect the mermaid's rub. In this situation, we add an additional layer of Effect Base to the made ombre to create a dispersion in which the nail dust will rub.

6. Even the most beautiful spread surface will be useless if we do not secure it properly with a top coat.

If we don't secure the entire styling with an even gloss layer, after wiping the top dispersion layer, empty patches will appear on the surface. It's worth doing the last element of the application with care, so our work is not wasted.

7. Securing the free edge properly.

A strategic place that needs to be secured very well is the free edge. If we do not do this, the mermaid may come off the nail with a patch. When we secure the free edge, we make such a move as we would like our customer to stroke the free edge with a thin brush.

8. Excess nail dust not removed.

Another small mistake resulting from the rush is the inaccurate removal of excess nail dust. You have to get rid of them completely because if we leave them and they sink in, we will have ugly particles and hooked edges. Theoretically, this can be saved - by smoothing with a delicate buffer, but... it's better not to add any work

9. The matt finish.

The mermaid pane is usually covered with a glossy top coat, but it can also be matt finished. Note! The light-curing matt can gently blur the coloured mermaids. To avoid this, we don't brush the surface; we just work in the air.

10. Frost Effect.

As you have probably noticed, all the mistakes above concerned rubbing the surface. Are there so many bumps as a result of frost? Fortunately, no - here you have to remember to sprinkle wet tips, choose a product that has no dispersion - e.g. Tip Top. Thanks to this, the surface will not stick after curing. It's also worth gently smoothing the edges with a buffer so that they do not get hooked later.

11. Separate top coat for Effects.

And one more tip - not only related to Mermaids but for every loose effect. It's worth having a separate top coat for mermaids and other effects because however we would try, sooner or later we will transfer some particles to the top. And we do not want to see it in a different styling, for example on the beautiful, evenly applied colour from the latest collection or classic red. The mermaid is to be in a mermaid, not in a mermaid style.

Do you need inspiration and ideas for designs with the Mermaid Effect? Remember to subscribe to our youtube channel, where we will soon show 2 phenomenal nail art looks with our nail dust. Also follow our social media channels: Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest.