Nail gems and nail rhinestones

Same stones, different adhesive

A gem manicure uses the same flatback rhinestones as a phone case, in smaller sizes. The difference is what goes underneath. Nails flex, get wet many times a day, and sit against skin, so the trade uses nail glue for a quick fix and hard gel or builder gel cured under a lamp when the stones need to last. Both are products formulated for nails.

Craft adhesives are not. B7000 and E6000 are solvent-based glues intended for hard, non-porous materials, and our glue guide recommends them for tumblers and phone cases for exactly that reason. They do not belong on nails or skin.

Sizes and placement

• SS3–SS5 for a scattered accent or a French tip line.
• SS6–SS10 for a focal stone or a cluster on one or two nails.
• Keep stones back from the free edge, where they catch and lift.
• Flat-topped resin stones snag less on hair and clothes than pointed glass.

The size chart converts every SS size to millimetres.

Making them last

Whatever holds the stone, the finish is what keeps it there: seal around the base of each stone with a top coat rather than flooding over the top, which dulls the sparkle. Expect to replace the occasional stone — a manicure takes more knocks in a week than a bag charm does in a month.

If you only own craft supplies

Use them on something else. Craft rhinestones on a phone case or a bag charm give the same look with none of the problems, and a set of gem stickers gives you the trend for an evening with nothing to remove afterwards.