Review: Fing'rs Flirt Nail Art Stamping Kit 32370

When it comes to inexpensive nail stamping kits that you can find relatively easily in stores (vs. ordering online), I've tried and reviewed a few already (Salon Express and Essence). But now there's a new one on the market, and it's made by Fing'rs and can be found at Rite Aid and Walmart (I'm thinking CVS and Walgreens probably have it too, since they both carry lots of products by Fing'rs and their parent company Nailene, but I haven't looked for it at those two retailers).

I purchased this kit at Rite Aid and I've been playing around with it for a few weeks now, so let's take a look:

Fing'rs Flirt Nail Art Stamping Kit 32370

(retail: around $6)

Keep reading for my full review...

 

 A closer look at the pieces in this kit:
 

You get one plate with seven designs (there was another kit at my Rite Aid which contained a different plate, but for the most part all of the designs are mostly flower-based). You also get a mini bottle of nail stamping polish in white, a scraper and of course a stamper.

The cool tie-dye design you see on my stamper and scraper are actually due to this kit being in a display that was near a sunny window at my local Rite Aid. The sun apparently faded the plastic and gave it this cool design, which I actually really like.

The plate came with the surface scratches you see above.
 

 The polish in this kit comes with a very wonky brush:



But since you're not using this brush to paint your nails, it really doesn't matter and it hasn't bothered me or affected the way the polish is applied to the plate.

 

So here was my very first attempt at using this kit. For this attempt, I just applied random different designs to each of my nails (over one coat of Nicka K. polish in Red Hot):

The good news? I had absolutely ZERO issues with getting these designs to appear on my nail ON THE VERY FIRST TRY. This is a heck of a lot better than my first results with the Salon Express kit, that's for sure.

Obviously these designs are nowhere near perfect, but also keep in mind that you're viewing them in extreme close-up. To my naked eye, they actually didn't look horrible.

So here was next attempt, using one specific design on all four nails (I was going for a psuedo-French-tip type of look):

Much better. What's odd though is that the tiny little circle designs, which are so small and precise, came out looking pretty clear and crisp, while the larger start-shaped flowers left a lot of residual paint behind. But once again, my nails looked pretty cute in person, and you really couldn't see the flubs at all from a normal distance with your naked eye.

So here's the deal: this is a fun little kit that far exceeded my expectations. Is it for the seasoned nail stamping pro? Absolutely not. Is it for the novice that just wants to try nail stamping without committing to fancier, more expensive tools and plates? Absolutely. For about six bucks, you get everything you need to try nail stamping, including a stamping polish (I can't say the same for Salon Express or Essence, which both require you to purchase seperate polishes for stamping). I absolutely think you can use this kit to practice and get the technique down (or find out if stamping is even for you) without a big committment, and the results are not bad in my opinion (not perfect, of  course, but definitely fine to the naked eye).

Some helpful tips if you do purchase this kit:

• Get rid of the scraper. It's pretty much useless because it's uneven and won't effectively scrape the excess polish off the plate. Use an old credit card or drugstore rewards card instead (just make sure it's not a card you're currently using for purchases, because it's going to get messy with polish and remover). And--this is important--make sure that your credit card is perfectly flat against the plate, and scrape with good force and pressure. You don't have to go crazy, but the lighter you hold the card when you're scraping, the less excess polish will be removed.

• When stamping the stamper onto the plate, press lightly and quickly for the best results. I made the mistake, when I first started nail stamping, to press very hard on the plate with my stamper, thinking this was the only way to pick up the design. Wrong! The lighter and quicker you are, the better the design transfer. Trust me (I know it feels counter-intuitive, but it works).

• Thoroughly wipe down your plate, stamper and scraper after every nail. Use a cotton pad and polish remover or acetone to clean each tool after every time you stamp. Otherwise, things are going to get messy and sloppy and the chances for a clean design transfer will rapidly diminish.

FINAL VERDICT: Not a perfect kit, but I think it's great for the beginning stamper or someone who has never tried nail stamping before. This price point is great at around $6 because you literally get everything you need to try nail stamping (aside from a pretty base color of your choice, of course). I think this kit should give those who have been curious about nail stamping enough to work with to determine whether nail stamping is something they want to become more serious about, and it will also give you the tools you need to practice the technique again and again and get better at it before investing in other items.  Granted, the plate is not perfect, but the stamper is quite good (I didn't even have to file it down in order for it to work), and the polish works well too. Just throw out the scraper and use a credit card instead, and you should be on your way to pretty nail designs relatively quickly with this little kit.

Do you already own any drugstore nail stamping kits? Are you thinking about picking this one up? I'd love to hear from you!

The Nicka K. polish featured in this post was given to Nouveau Cheap for a previous review.