Don’t you hate it when you get nail polish on your cuticles? Or when the nail stamper bleeds over onto your skin?
None of that has to happen. You can save yourself a lot of work. You’ll be like the painters who mask areas they don’t want to paint with tape.
All you need is the best liquid latex for nails.
Brush it around the edges of the nail and let it dry. Then, no polish or glue will get on the skin. Once you’re done, peel off the dried latex. Ta-da, perfect results with no cleanup needed!
But wait, what if you have a latex allergy? No problem – there are latex-free liquid tapes for nail art.
Plus, there’s one more trick. You can also create a barrier around your nails with a peel-off base coat. We’ll get to that in the reviews below. In the meantime, let’s talk about peel-off latex for nails.
How to use liquid latex for nails
If you purchase it for doing your nails, liquid latex comes in a small bottle with an applicator brush. It’s also possible to get latex in large bottles for doing costumes.
It resembles glue but dries more quickly. It will cure in a couple of minutes. But be sure to spread your fingers or toes wide apart to avoid sticking them together with the latex. If you apply two coats, it will be much easier to remove after the manicure.
Before you close the bottle, wipe off the neck so that the lid seals tightly. Store it in a cool place.
What can I use instead of liquid latex for nail art?
A latex allergy can be life-threatening. Instead of masking the skin around your nails with latex, there are similar products available. We’ve reviewed two of the best liquid latex alternatives below.
Also, you could try using non-toxic school glue, but it takes several minutes longer to dry. Then, there’s the trick of using Vaseline, but that gets pretty messy. Finally, there’s striping tape, but it may not stick adequately to the skin around the nails, and polish could overflow underneath it.
How do you know if you have a latex allergy?
If you’re allergic to bananas, avocado, kiwi fruit, passionfruit, chestnuts, rubber gloves, or balloons, you should probably skip using liquid latex. The more you expose your immune system to it, the worse it responds (1).
Mild reactions include itching, redness, and hives. But you also may develop a scratchy throat, cough, itchy eyes, and a runny nose. In the worst-case scenario, you could have an anaphylactic reaction that requires urgent medical treatment.
Thankfully, you don’t have to rely on liquid latex as you have the following options below.
Best Liquid Latex for Nails in 2022
PUEEN NEW LATEX-FREE Liquid Cuticle Guard
The best liquid latex for nails alternative is right here. It has no latex, and it’s odor-free.
The liquid turns clear when it’s dry, and it will peel off in one piece.
Use it as a barrier to keep your skin polish-free while stamping and marbling. It helps with everyday manicures, too.
Would you like to know a secret? It doubles as a peel-off base coat.
Yes, you can paint this liquid on your nails and test different shades of polish. Cleanup is a snap, as you won’t need to soak in acetone.
The manufacturer recommends shaking the bottle before use. Let it dry for a couple of minutes after application. It will turn clear when it’s ready.
Reviewers say they’ve gotten more than ten uses out of the bottle. Also, if you use a pair of tweezers to grasp the edge of the dried barrier, it’s easier to remove.
UNT Ready For Takeoff Peelable Base Coat, No Latex Cuticle Barrier
Here’s another latex-free alternative for your nails. No, it’s not glue – it dries much faster than that. Plus, it’s 10-free, which makes it non-toxic enough for kids.
That’s right; there’s no latex, formaldehyde, toluene, camphor, xylene, ethyl tosylamide, DBP, and so on. It’s a liquid painter’s tape and a straightforward base coat all-in-one.
Use it to mask off the skin around your nails when you do glitter, nail art, stamping, ombre designs, holographic nails, and more.
It’s also handy when you love to change your nail color every couple of days. With it as a base coat, you can peel-off the color without soaking in nail polish remover.
For best results, apply two or three thin layers, waiting for each coat to dry before brushing on the next. It may take as long as 6 minutes to cure in regular room air since it’s water-based.
To remove the dried cuticle tape, push the edge with a wooden cuticle stick and lift. If any residue is left, a little nail polish remover will soften it.
The anticipated shelf life is three years. Store it tightly sealed away from heat and direct sunlight.
PUEEN Latex Tape Cuticle Guard Skin Barrier
Now, let’s switch to liquid latex tape. This one starts white and turns pink when it’s dry.
It has a slight ammonia odor that fades as it dries.
Once dry, it’s stretchy and flexible. Therefore, it’s useful as a peel-off base coat for glitter nails or any time you want to change polish colors quickly.
Beetles Latex Liquid Nail Simple Peel-off Cuticle Guard
Nail art giant Beetles offers this gentle liquid latex formula that dries in a couple of minutes.
What’s interesting is that it can be exposed to cold temperatures to the point of freezing, yet defrost and be ready to use once more.
Be sure to shake the bottle before brushing on the liquid. When it’s dry, it will turn clear.
As a bonus, the kit comes with two bottles of liquid latex and a manicure stick to help you lift the dried tape to remove it.
Ejiubas Latex Tape Skin Barrier
This low-odor latex dries to a pink finish in a couple of minutes and peels off easily. It comes with cuticle sticks for quick removal.
The mild formula shouldn’t irritate the skin or cause excess dryness. It will allow you to do nail stamping, marbling, and ombre nails without making a mess.
Bliss Kiss Simply Peel Liquid Latex
This liquid latex sparkles. No, seriously, when it’s dry, it’s iridescent. You can actually see the glitter in it.
It has a faint ammonia odor that disappears rapidly. What’s nice is that it peels off in one piece.
The half-ounce bottle comes with an applicator brush with plastic bristles. But why plastic? It turns out that liquid latex will wreck synthetic or natural hair brushes. Just wash it in warm soapy water, rinse well, and stick it back in the bottle when you’re done.
Moreover, this liquid latex only has a 6-month shelf life. It’s made to be used up while it’s fresh. Don’t stick it in the fridge, but do keep it in a cool, dark place.
PrettyDiva Liquid Latex for Nails
This is a set with two bottles of peel-off tape. One is pink, and the other is white. Both become translucent once they dry.
If your hands are warm, the liquid dries in as little as 30 seconds.
Modelones Liquid Latex for Nails
You might’ve caught on to the fact that although there are different brands, most types of liquid latex are pretty much the same. The packaging and the prices are different, though.
Like the competition, this liquid latex dries clear in two minutes or less. It simplifies cleanup after nail stamping, sponging, and marbling.
It will be easier to peel off later if you’ve applied at least two coats.
AIMEILI Latex Tape Skin Protector for Nail Art
If it’s cold in your house, it will take longer for liquid latex to dry. It could be as long as 7 minutes if your hands are cold, too. But don’t worry if the liquid freezes because it will work fine once it thaws.
This one dries to a translucent white color reminiscent of school glue.
Lace Liquid Latex Tape by Twinkled T
If you’re frustrated with pink and white liquid latex that dries clear, you’re not alone. It’s hard to see where you’ve applied it. But not in this case! This latex dries mint blue. There will be absolutely no question where the boundaries are.
Furthermore, it sticks to both skin and nails. Therefore, you can use it as a base coat for glitter bombs.
Since it sticks to everything while it’s wet, it’s more comfortable to paint just one hand at a time and let it dry before moving on to the next.
Reviewers say one coat is usually enough as it peels easily. It also has very little odor.
DR.MODE Liquid Latex for Nails
If you’re on a budget, this set comes with two bottles of skin barrier plus tweezers. There are two colors: white and pink. They have a faint ammonia odor, but that fades as liquid dries in sixty seconds.
Should you try it and end up dissatisfied, they offer a full refund with no questions asked.
The stainless steel tweezers come in handy for grasping the edge and peeling off the tape.
Magique VitalePen & Magique SecondSkin Bundle
While you’re stocking up on liquid latex, get cuticle oil as well. This bundle has both plus cuticle sticks.
While the liquid tape ensures perfect results, the oil provides a salon-quality finish.
What’s nice is that the latex here smells like roses instead of ammonia. It also serves as a temporary base coat for when you change nail designs frequently.
When you apply the latex, it sticks to skin and nails alike. To make it easier on yourself, put cotton balls between your toes, or use finger separators to keep your digits from touching. If you apply a second coat, it will be easier to see and remove when it’s dry.
Here’s something crucial to remember: peel off the latex before the polish is completely dry. Otherwise, you might accidentally rough up the edges of the polish.
As for the cuticle oil, it keeps the skin around your nails healthy. When it’s well-moisturized instead of dehydrated, it’ll be easier to peel off the latex. It also looks much nicer.
If you’ll be using the liquid latex as a base coat, be sure to use non-latex sponges when you do gradients or marbling. Also, latex will destroy synthetic and natural hair brushes. Instead, use plastic bristles and save pricier brushes for nail art.
In the end, there are two other advantages to getting this bundle. For one, they include a free e-book to inspire you and instruct you in nail art. And second, the manufacturer offers a hassle-free money-back guarantee.
INFELING Chrome Holographic Nail Powder with Liquid Latex
Let’s face it; holographic nails are fabulous. With this chrome powder set, it’s easy to create a gorgeous holo effect. To make it even bolder, use dark-colored gel polish as the base coat.
The powder is 35 microns in size, which is ideal for this purpose.
The kit comes with liquid latex to keep your cuticle powder-free. By masking off your fingers, you’ll waste less powder, too.
Makartt Complete Nail Stamping Kit
Did you know that you need special nail stamping polish to get salon-perfect results? Happily, this kit has literally everything to do nail stamping.
It contains four colors of gel polish, along with a base coat and a top coat. There are stamping plates with ten styles and detailed designs, plus a scraper to remove excess polish.
Then, there’s a silicone stamper that imprints the polish smoothly across the curve of the nail.
But don’t forget the liquid latex and the nail lamp. Those are also in the box. As you can imagine, this is a superb starter set and would make an excellent gift for someone.
Conclusion
Liquid latex (and non-latex liquid tape) makes all sorts of manicures faster to do. It’s much less messy as it cuts down on cleanup. Moreover, you don’t need to have a steady hand because you won’t need to worry about overflowing polish.
Choose from colored and translucent liquid latex, depending on your preference. Admittedly, the colored latex is easier to see, which makes for fewer mistakes. You can also get odor-free and low-odor versions that are gentle to the skin.
Source:
1. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/latex-allergy/symptoms-causes/syc-20374287