{NailCandi review} Manicure mat – MoYou Your magic workshop [pic heavy]

Hello lovelies,

How has your week been so far? Mine has been busy.  I am still trying to organise everything in the house after the renovations.  Most importantly, the polish room ;).  As soon as I think I am done I think of something else to do.  I can’t wait to share it all.  The votes so far says I will be showing you the whole room first and then breaking it down into the parts.  Anyway, onwards with what we are really here for.

NailCandi sent me a manicure mat when they sent me the polishes I showed you Monday. This mat is amazing!  Let me show you from sealed to using it. But before I do, please note.  The mat NailCandi sent me is the MoYou Your magic workshop mat.  They had very limited stock so they seem to be sold out but they do have this one available.  It is exactly the same except for different images on the mat.

The mat comes in a tube (with really cool graphics).  The tube is about 32cm high.

The tube separates to open at the top

and the matt is rolled up inside.

When you take out the mat it comes in a plastic sleeve.  The mat is about 30 x 40 cm in size.  Each side has different nail shapes and sizes.  One side in ‘clear’ and one side in black.  The black is great if you have a dark base and want to make sure it will show up on the dark.  It also has a strip at the bottom with really cute little images and I really want to try to use them to make decals.  The mat is silicone so it is really sturdy and flexible.  I always use paper towels where I work so I have left it underneath.  The great thing is the mat is the perfect work surface.  Polish bottles won’t slip on the mat and any spills are easy to clean with a lint roller.

Let me show you what I created with the mat. 

I started with a coat of clear polish.  I used the Essence – Gel-look top coat.  I use this for all my decals.  It’s not a great topcoat but it’s perfect for decals.  I chose the size that I knew would cover my nail.  I then let the base polish dry completely.

I then stamped over the clear polish using BM-S120 and black stamping polish.

I put a blob of each colour polish that I was going to use on the mat and then used a thin brush to start filling in the spaces.  I used China Glaze – Pink or swim and China Glaze – In the near fuchsia here.

I then ‘coloured in’ the parts of the image I wanted to use.  Make sure to keep the base colour in mind and if you want it to be visible or completely covered.  I then let it dry completely before peeling it off the mat.  I only wanted the flower part to be on my nails so I used a small scissor to cut the rest of the decal away and then applied it using topcoat.

This mat is the business.  I like that you can make many at the same time.  You can make different size decals too.  You can also use the mat for non stamping related nail art.  You can do needle drag and even draw your own images to make decals with.  I LOVE the mat and I have used so much more than I thought I would.  Let me show you the nail art I did using these decals.

I started with 2 coats of China Glaze – Let’s chalk about it and left that to dry completely.  While it was drying I made the decals above.  I then applied them to my middle and ring fingers using topcoat.  I really like the combination of the 3 polishes and the little flower art of the image was the perfect size to use.  Using the manicure mat really made the process quick and easy.  I could also leave them for a bit longer before using them which is a total win for me.

What do you think? Have you used a manicure mat before?  What else have you used yours for? Is it something you would like to get?  Don’t forget to check out NailCandi and remember that you get free delivery for orders over R350.  Follow NailCandi on their social media platforms to keep up to date with all of their stunning products.

• NailCandi Facebook
• NailCandi Twitter
• NailCandi Instagram

Thank you NailCandi!

Let me know what you think and any other ideas of what I can do with my mat.

Thanks for reading,