Minx nails - my first attempt

Minx nails are a type of nail applique previously only available through a professional salon or certified technician that are now being marketed to Ulta for home use.

If you've ever used Sally Hansen nail strips, Minx nails are very similar to those.

The package comes with 16 nail strips and 12 pedicure strips.  I wish there were more than 8 sizes to choose from for my nails.  Some were too small and the next size up too large.  The directions say to trim down the larger size to fit, but - these things are sticky!  That would have been a hot mess trying to trim a sticky nail applique and have it look neat.

So anyway you are supposed to "Rub the Minx to warm".  After trial and error, I found that gently warming the strip with a blow dryer was much easier (and more successful) than trying to warm it by rubbing.  As the applique heats, it becomes more flexible (and you're gonna need that).

After you've heated the strip you peel it off  the plastic and apply it to a clean nail that you have prepped by removing polish and swabbing with alcohol to remove oils.  I recommend smoothing it down the center of your nail first then moving out to the cuticle edges.  I had to lift and smoothe back down several times and still ended up with some small wrinkles on my non picture hand (which I did first).  Definately a learning curve to application on these.  After you have the applique where you want it you take a fine grade nail file and file in a downward motion on the free edge of your nail to remove the excess.  Any little imperfections can be cleaned up with small scissors or clippers and smoothed back down.

In retrospect I wish I'd picked a pattern for my first attempt rather than a solid color (and a foil at that!) because I think patterns will be more forgiving of tiny wrinkles and imperfections. 

Have any of you tried Minx nails and what is your experience with them?