China Glaze Magnetix Swatches

As you may remember I won a giveaway over at Carinae L'etoile's Polish Stash and received the entire China Glaze Magnetix collection! For me there was quite a learning curve to getting these to work out and I actually started swatching them and then stopped and gave up from frustration! But I decided to give them another go and I'm glad I did!

First off: WHY ARE MY NAILS SO CURVY!!! LOL! For starters my index fingers are more like talons once they start to get some length and this made it nearly impossible to get a design to cover my entire nail >.< You can see the ledge where you can rest your nail at the cuticle as a guide and so as to not touch the magnet. Every time I tried to twist me nail up to get the end half of my index finger I kept whacking it against the magnet :(

Middle Finger

Index Finger

Then on top of that my nails are very curved so I usually get a strip of the design down the centre of my nails but no designs on the sides O.o It's very frustrating but I just decided to be happy with the design that did show up because it still looked awesome - just not as good as if I had flat nails.

Terribly blurry photo! Oh well just to show how "curvy" my nails are

Magnet

Top of Magnet

 You can see the three different designs that the magnet has: a chevron, a star and a diagonal pattern.

Bottom of Magnet

On the bottom near each magnet there is a spot to rest the cuticle of your nail on to stop your finger touching the magnet. I found it easier to rest the magnet further back than my cuticle.

Bottom of Magnet showing the ledges

Instructions

The magnet comes with a set of instructions:

1. Choose desired magnetic design.
2. Apply base coat.
3. Apply one coat of Magnetix Nail Lacquer.
4. Immediately hold magnet over damp nail. Hold close without touching for 5-10 seconds.
5. Once nails are designed and dry, seal with a top coat

TIP: Keep magnet clean. If lacquer gets on magnet, wipe off immediately. To achieve different looks, alternate magnet design and/or rotate magnet.

I don't do it that way :) I applied one coat to all fingers and then waited for them to dry. Then I add a second coat one nail at a time and then place the desired design over my nail for 5-10 seconds. I have since noticed that it is better to hold the magnet for longer because as it dries the design will "settle" blurring your lines when you apply a top coat. So if you hold it there for longer as it dries then there will be less settling and the design will stay crisp.


Each of these swatches is without a base or top coat. All photos are in artificial light.
All swatches are two coats.

Pull Me Close

Pull Me Close is a gorgeous intense blue/black colour magnetic. I used the diagonal design for this one. The design turns out very dark on this colour and the intensity of the effect was high. Pull Me Close was opaque with one coat but I did two because I use one for a base coat and the second coat to develop the magnetic design. This was the first colour I swatched and I didn't want to take it off to do the others! I even got the design to appear on my index finger by "rocking" the magnet backwards and forwards lol!

Attraction

Attraction is a grey/black with sparkly silver. I used the chevron design on this one. I would say the effect of this one is about medium in intensity. I was surprised to see the silver sparkle in this one.

Instant Chemistry

Instant Chemistry is a dark/vampy purple. This one was also an easy one coater but I used two. Oh star pattern how I despise you lol! Using the star pattern was a lesson in frustration! I didn't even attempt to get a proper design on my index finger what with it being so curved I knew it didn't stand a chance. And see the poor half star on my pinkie finger *eeekk*! However, this colour works great with the other designs (see TIMING pictures) it's just the star magnet that didn't like me :( The effect of the magnet was low in intensity.

Drawn To You

Drawn To You is a light and dark purple magnetic. Lol my poor index finger! I really liked this one even though it seems more delicate than the others so far. This one also has a gorgeous pink sparkle to it.

You Move Me

You Move Me is a gold/brown with silver magnetic. Aww my poor index finger again! You can see that I touched my index finger to the magnet - stupid talon nail >.<  This one is very much on the sheer side and I would recommend either three thin coats or use a base coat before apply one coat for the magnetic effect. I think I'll try this one over black at some point :)


Cling On

  
Cling On is a brown/olive with silver magnetic. Ok so I admit to having a giggle when I read this one being an avid Star Trek fan! This one gave me flashbacks to me and my family (also Trekkies) calling each other petaQ and saying Qapla' - not to mention the Klingon Drinking song :) Any who, the star magnet worked out better for this one. The magnet seemed to have a stronger effect on the sheer magnetic polishes. I also plan on trying this one out again with an appropriate base colour.




Timing

I wanted to see the difference for the 5-10 seconds for exposure and to compare the effect for a one coater to a several coats polish.

Using Instant Chemistry - two coats and to make up for the terrible swatch

Exposed for 5, 6 and 7 seconds

Exposed for 8, 9 and 10 seconds

You can see the difference between holding the magnet for 5 seconds to holding it for 10. The lines are much more crisp when exposed for 10 seconds compared to the 5 second exposure. For this opaque polish the area between the design becomes darker the longer the magnet is applied.


Using Cling On - two coats is still too sheer

Exposed for 5, 6 and 7 seconds

Exposed for 8, 9 and 10 seconds

Again much crisper lines when exposed for the 10 seconds. Since this one is so sheer you can really see the sheer "jelly" brown in between where the design was formed.



Overall

 I definitely think these suit short nails the best! As you can see from the swatches from Scrangie and The PolishAholic, the designs seem to turn out better on smaller nails since you're not missing half the design down your long nails. I definitely can't wait to wear these once my nails are shorter although I personally don't think the diagonal and chevron patterns turned out too bad.

The diagonal pattern gave the crispest design followed by the chevron. Lastly the star pattern produced a blurred design. I found the star pattern to be the hardest to work with but I would try it again with shorter nails.

You Move Me and Cling On are on the sheer side and would require either three coats or one coat over a base colour. My favourites of the collection are Pull Me Close and Instant Chemistry.