I confess to having my interest piqued when I first heard about magnetic polish, so when my local Sephora brought in two shades from British brand nails inc., I was immediately drawn to the slate hue, ‘Trafalgar Square’. Had this lacquer not come with this new “twist”, I would have still gravitated towards this shade, as the colour is a rich lead-like grey tone, filled with ultra-fine subtly glimmering particles … so completely my style. The following swatches are all with Deborah Lippmann’s 2-Second Nail Primer, Rehydrating Base Coat, and Addicted to Speed Top Coat.
For the best and most vivid effect, you need to layer the magnetic polish over another shade, and wishing to keep it more or less tone-on-tone, I opted for one of my all-time favourite lacquers, ‘King Arthur’ (previously reviewed here) from relative newcomer (and quickly reaching cult status!) British brand, a-england. To begin with, I began by first removing ‘Trafalgar Square’s’ outer cap, which actually houses the magnet, and setting it nearby. Then, after applying two coats of my base shade, I proceeded to layer one coat of ‘Trafalgar Square’ on top.
*Note: according to the company, it was suggested that once you apply your base shade, you should then add a layer of the magnetic polish, wait for it to set quickly, then working with each nail individually, top that with another coat of the magnetic polish. The rest of the steps are the same as what I have listed here, but after trying it as recommended, I found that not only was the extra step unnecessary, but the effect came out rather muddy as well.
In order for the magnetic process to be successful, you need to work fairly quickly, and most importantly, with one nail at a time. Here’s where your own preferences and artistic leanings can come into play; applying a fairly thin coat of ‘Trafalgar Square’, will result in a more subtle and certainly less defined pattern. By contrast, layering a thicker coat of ‘Trafalgar Square’, will definitely yield a lot more contrast in your final pattern. On the outer rim of the cap, you will notice a chevron motif; not merely decorative, it’s also a cleverly designed tool to help you align your pattern so that each nail emerges somewhat unified, if that’s the look you prefer. If not, then anything goes! (see my following swatches for proof of that!)
The small lip on the cap is a clever little guideline, enabling you to hold it against the skin above the cuticle, without worrying about how high above your nail line the cap needs to be – then, let the magnetic particles work their magic.
I found that once I applied my layer of ‘Trafalgar Square’, it was significantly easier for me to see where to place the magnet by laying my hand flat on my painting surface and crouching beside to clearly see the action taking place. Without this last step, I did manage to accidentally allow the cap to touch my nail’s surface a couple of times, so lesson learned! Holding the cap over each nail anywhere between 10-15 seconds, is all that’s needed for the pattern to emerge, but feel free to experiment time-wise as well. The following last step is a must: adding a top coat really brings your “creation” to life and emphasizes all the little nuances of the design, as I found that ‘Trafalgar Square’s’ finish is rather on the satiny side, so I wouldn’t suggest you skip it.
Sunlight adds a nice depth to this effect and gives the nails a beautiful “tiger’s eye” look. Note that the ring finger had the thinnest layer of ‘Trafalgar Square’.
Indirect light not only tamps down the intensity of the hue, but also appears to add an overall milky touch.
Shaded light deepens the base shade, and brings out ‘Trafalgar Square’s’ chevron patterns in more detail.
A final view taken with flash is the best light to truly appreciate the original look of this lacquer.
Final thoughts: That this is a unique effect, I don’t doubt; crouched down by my nail and physically watching the effect take place before my very eyes, was in a word: cool! ‘Trafalgar Square’s’ formula was also a welcome surprise, flowing neither too thin nor too thick, it was not difficult to apply or to vary its thickness. Getting the hang of proper cap placement, takes a few tries, but you can have fun alternating the pattern if you so wish, but as far as layering it over other colours, I found that it didn’t really affect the final outcome and instead, I liked the look a lot more by staying in the same tonal family. Again, this is a matter of personal preference and you should definitely try it out over other hues to compare. I initially felt that I would have liked to have a more “pronounced” look given off by the magnet, but in retrospect, I actually enjoyed it better somewhat understated like this. While I’m more of a “colour purist”, as I’ve stated before, I enjoyed playing with this novel effect … the closest you’ll find me getting to ‘nail art’ any time soon!
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