IMPROVEMENTS IN NAIL EMBELLISHMENT

Abstract

A kit comprising a tab, the tab having an upper side, a lower side and a perimeter; means sizing and shaping the tab so as to, in use, substantially overlay the face of the human nail of a user, a first one of two adhesive outer layers, said first layer being adhered to said upper side of said tab and a second respective adhesive outer layer adhering to said lower side of said tab, a film portion, completely overlaying the upper side of the tab; means attaching said film portion removably to said tab by the adhesive layer; and a solid embellishment material, such that will readily adhere to said tab when brought into touching contact with it.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to the decoration or embellishment of fingernails and toenails. It includes within its scope a kit for effecting such decoration. The invention also comprises components and combinations of components utilised in the kits. The invention also comprises methods for the use of these kits.

BACKGROUND AND PROBLEMS TO BE SOLVED

Decoration of nails has been an element of bodily adornment for many centuries and constitutes an essential daily element of the beauty routine of millions of people during the modern era.

As is often the case with such widely established practices, there has been very little change in the decoration of nails for some decades now, as a plurality of methods have taken root and in becoming established, have stifled innovation to a considerable extent, until now.

There are three well known methods which the nail embellishments described herein attempt to improve upon, namely the varnishing of nails, the gluing of embellishments onto nails using a liquid glue, and the heat bonding of foil to nails.

There are many problems associated with these methods. Those which use liquid varnish are messy because the liquids, in the hands of the amateur user—or acutely, in the hands of a child—tend to spill onto skin and clothes, creating at least the inconvenience of having to clean up, but often also damage, to the surfaces on which these unwanted varnishes find themselves. That nail varnish is a toxic solvent compounds the problems of pre-adult use.

Similarly, means of embellishment such as the attachment of foil which are done by way of heating and curing not only require specialist apparatus to execute, but they also comprise dangers to the non-expert of property damage and injury to the person.

The use of foil presents particular problems to the non- expert as it requires measuring or estimating and trimming a delicate substance, avoiding aesthetically deleterious wrinkles and damage to the foil itself

The sticking of what is known in the art as “nail caviar”, glitter or any other such adornment to nails often requires an additional top-coat, which again is a precise procedure, which can often be done badly or in such a way that it damages property.

In addition to requiring such skill, these procedures are also time-consuming, often requiring a cooling or drying period before readiness.

As such, some of these procedures have become the province of nail bars and nail technicians, putting them out of the reach of the less well-off.

A further set of related problems is caused during removal. Mess, exposure to dangerous solvents and property damage can all result, with the additional danger of not doing a thorough job of cleaning the nails—ugly patches of previously attractive decoration remain, and prolonged exposure to the chemical constituents of the embellishments and repeated exposure is likewise damaging. The very fact that there is a requirement of a separate bottle of remover with separate corresponding tools, adds further expense to the process.

There is therefore a real need to innovate in relation to nail decoration practice, in order that the issues enunciated in the foregoing paragraphs can be addressed. More positively, the opportunity exists, in solving the problems, to provide consumers of false nails, be they technicians or end-users, means by which the can achieve quick, excellent results, with safer, cleaner and simple to perform procedures.

It is therefore amongst the aims of the invention to attempt to provide solutions to these and other problems.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In a first broad, independent aspect, the invention comprises a kit comprising a tab, the tab having an upper side, a lower side and a perimeter; means sizing and shaping the tab so as to, in use, substantially overlay the face of the human nail of a user, a first one of two adhesive outer layers, said first layer being adhered to said upper side of said tab and a second respective adhesive outer layer adhering to said lower side of said tab, a film portion, completely overlaying the upper side of the tab; means attaching said film portion removably to said tab by the adhesive layer; and a solid embellishment material, such that will readily adhere to said tab when brought into touching contact with it.

The provision of such a kit provides a myriad of advantages over the old, traditional, prior art techniques. The utilisation of the tabs provides an adhesive surface on the nail of the user on which embellishments can be added. Key advantages of the kit described above are perhaps best explained by way of describing what the user does not have to do in order to achieve good results.

With regard to the application of nail caviar, glitter and the like, there is no need to apply to the nail a liquid varnish and top coat—the adhesive layer of the tab is such that the components of the caviar, glitter, foil or of the other nail embellishment simply stick to it.

The lack of a glue layer begets several consequent advantages. First, the mess of using a liquid is avoided. Second, objects and fingers are not unnecessarily glued together during the process as a result of stray glue. Third, this system using as it does merely a sticky surface other than a liquid layer of glue does not require drying time —the embellishment is simply contacted with the adhesive outer layer and sticks. Fourth, no nail polish or top coat is required for the caviar or glitter to stick and fifth, the tab, versions of which may differ in size and shape in order to best conform and cover the surface of a nail, thereby potentially ensuring uniform and more complete coverage of a given fingernail or toenail, where inexpertly applied glue may lead to patchy nails.

The overall advantageous effect of this is that, first, nails may be embellished more quickly and more simply, allowing users to obtain for themselves high quality embellished nails, for want of which they may previously have had to visit a nail technician. Subsequent to use, the tabs may be removed by simply peeling them off. This has a threefold advantage; first, no nail polish remover is required for removal. Second, there is no chemical residue left of the base of the nail. Third, and to some extent consequent on previous advantages damage to nails is less than would be wrought by using traditional components—in many cases damage is zero.

Specific types of embellishment require, for example, trimming or measuring of the embellishment—this might be the case in the traditional means of application of a foil sheet, but, as will be shown below, it is not the case here. Equally heat and/or curing processes which may be required to affix a particular embellishment onto a nail are avoided using this method, meaning not only that the nail embellishment process is more comfortable for the user but also that no further specialist equipment is required.

Preferably, the kit further comprises a secondary film sheet, completely overlaying the lower side of the tab.

In tandem with the film portion, this serves to ensure that both sides of a given tab and in particular their adhesive outer layers are protected from exposure to foreign particles prior to use.

Preferably, the kit comprises a plurality of tabs and a single secondary film sheet and wherein the lower side of each of the tabs is attached to the secondary film sheet and wherein the upper side of each of the tabs is attached to a separate, individual, film portion.

The provision of a secondary film sheet helps ensure that the tabs do not get lost. Where given tabs correspond to particular fingernails or toenails the sheet may carry indicia which advantageously indicate the corresponding nails upon which to place given tabs.

Preferably, the film portion on the upper side of the tab comprises a plurality of separately removable sections.

Advantageously, the plurality of separately moving sections enables multiple embellishments to be neatly placed on given areas of the tabs, thereby creating attractive effects by the simple method of exposing different parts of the tab at different times, with each time corresponding to the application of a given embellishment.

The presence of a shaped removable section allows for the concomitant shaping of the embellishment relative to the tab.

Preferably, the film portion on the upper side of the tab comprises a first removable section and wherein the first removable section comprises no more than 25% of the surface area of the upper side of the tab.

Preferably, the separately removable sections partially overlie one another such that in order to remove a given section without displacing the other sections, the sections must be removed in a predetermined sequence.

Having the ability to remove all sections in a given order is particular advantageous in that it is prescriptive to the user. Such a multipart configuration may be utilised in order to enable the user to produce a complex nail embellishment pattern comprising a variety of different types of embellishment, for example mixing foil with glitter and/or caviar.

Preferably, the film portion on the upper side of the tab comprises a plurality of separately removable sections and wherein the film portion is in the shape of a crescent.

The crescent shaped film portion, corresponding as it may to the distal tip of a finger or toenail or conversely to its cuticle, provides particular advantage to the user, aiding technically the production of a particularly desirable aesthetic effect.

Preferably, the film portion comprises an adjoining tag.

Advantageously the adjoining tag allows for the swift peeling off of the film portion.

Preferably, the tab is asymmetrically shaped, having a near end so shaped as to substantially follow the curve of a user's cuticle, said tab further comprising a distal end, and wherein the adjoining tag is attached to the part of the film portion on the near end of the tab.

Advantageously the near end peel militates against the possibility of damage or disturbance of the distal end, which is far more likely to be visible to others. Because the near (cuticle) end is not at the terminus of the finger, it is less likely to be picked at.

Preferably, the embellishment material comprises a sheet of foil laminate, the foil laminate comprising a foil layer and a plastics backing layer, wherein the foil layer is removable from the plastics backing layer.

A foil laminate of this nature has proven to be particularly advantageous in embellishing a nail according to the method described herein. The adhesion of the tab adhesive outer layer to the foil layer or a layer adjacent the foil layer followed by the ripping away of the tab from the foil laminate has been found to take the foil layer with it. This unexpectedly provides particularly good coverage since the whole of the tab, adheres to the foil layer (or foil bearing layer, and tends to rip away a segment of foil, which closely matches the shape of the tab.

Preferably, the embellishment material comprises a granular material.

Granular material such as the aforementioned nail caviar is considered to be a particularly advantageous embellishment since it has been found that the tab picks up and retains an even layer of such material.

Preferably, the embellishment material comprises a false nail.

False nails may advantageously be stuck to the tabs precluding the need for nail glue.

Preferably, the false nail comprises an upper face, a lower face suitable for adherence to the tab and an edge region and an interior region, the edge comprising a notional perimeter, and wherein the false nail is so shaped as to define an aperture within the bounds of the notional perimeter and running through the nail from the upper face to the lower face.

Providing a false nail with an aperture leaves an area of the upper surface of the tab exposed even when the false nail is installed on the tab. Therefore a piece of the sticking surface is also exposed—an area onto which another form of embellishment may be introduced.

Preferably, the kit further comprises a secondary embellishment material and wherein said secondary embellishment material is granular.

The combination of false nail and granular material has been found to give a particularly pleasing effect.

Preferably, the tab is of a deformable plastics material.

Making the tab of the deformable plastics material allows it to be easily overlaid onto a curved nail face surface. A second advantage is that its plasticity allows for it to be easily removed—it can just be picked off. Thirdly, the plasticity of such a tab—is that embellishments, such as false nails, may briefly be pressed onto the tabs and the embellishments will impress their shapes on the compressible tabs and thus achieve a better adhesion to one another.

Preferably, the tab is of a translucent gel material.

The use of a translucent gel material is particularly advantageous since, in the unlikely event an area of the tab is not correctly coated by the user that area will appear as a natural nail part, and will not be obtrusive or excessively spoil the desired effects. The tab of course has an adhesive coating sufficient to attract the granular material.

Preferably, the kit comprising a plurality of tabs and wherein the sizes of the tabs are heterogeneous.

The provision of heterogeneous sized and shaped tabs allows for conformity to fingernails and toenails of different sizes—it is envisaged that a set would be provided corresponding to the hand/hands or foot/feet of a user.

Preferably, the kit comprises a plurality of false nails.

In a second broad, independent aspect, the invention comprises a false nail comprising an upper face and a lower face suitable for adherence to a tab, wherein the false nail comprises an upper face, a lower face suitable for adherence to the tab and an edge region and an interior region, the edge region comprising a notional perimeter, and wherein the false nail is so shaped as to define an aperture within the bounds of the notional perimeter and running through the nail from the upper face to the lower face.

A false nail with an aperture allows the user to combine nail embellishment techniques in novel ways, for example combining the effect of a false nail with nail caviar, glitter, gel, varnish or any other substance which may be viewed from, or may project through the aperture.

Preferably, wherein the aperture comprises an incut, running from the edge of the nail of the notional perimeter to the interior region.

The incut design is particularly favoured in that it allows these different techniques to be used on a given area of the nail face and in some embodiments, a portion of the nail edge.

Preferably, the nail comprises a plurality of apertures.

Advantageously, the feature of a plurality of apertures allows for the utilisation of a variety of different embellishments, thereby assisting in the fabrication of a nail embellishment of considerable complexity.

Preferably, the aperture comprises a continuous internal wall, and wherein the angle of said wall is offset such that the surface area of the aperture as defined by the shape of the false nail differs on a first side of the false nail relative to the second side of the false nail.

The feature of the offset internal wall advantageously concentrates the embellishment which a user places within the aperture such that the aperture appears full.

In a third broad, independent aspect, the invention comprises a method of embellishing a nail, the method comprising the following steps: removing a film from the first, lower side of a tab, adhering the tab to a nail, removing a film portion from a second, upper side of the tab, and adhering an embellishment to the upper side of the tab.

This method, utilising as it does the kit of the invention, confers all of the advantages pertaining to that kit.

Preferably, wherein the embellishment is a false nail, the false nail comprising an upper face, a lower face suitable for adherence to the tab and an edge region and an interior region, the edge region comprising a notional perimeter, and wherein the false nail is so shaped as to define an aperture within the bounds of the notional perimeter and running through the nail from the upper face to the lower face, and wherein subsequent to adhering the false nail to the upper side of the said tab, a secondary embellishment may be applied to the tab through the aperture in the nail.

The utilisation of a false nail with an aperture allows for and assists the realisation of complex embellishment patterns, thus allowing the beginner to achieve complex levels of embellishment which would only otherwise be assessable to the user employing a professional nail technician or the like.

Preferably, the embellishment is a piece of foil laminate, said piece of foil laminate comprising a foil layer and a plastics backing layer, wherein the foil layer is removable from said backing layer and wherein the foil layer is applied to the tab by adhering the foil laminate to the tab such that when the foil laminate is subsequently removed from the tab, the foil layer of the foil laminate is pulled from the laminate and remains on the tab.

The use of a foil laminate in this way is unexpectedly advantageous—it cuts out all need for heat treatment previously required in order to attach foil to nails and provides an even coating of foil on the tab.

Preferably, the invention further comprises the final step of peeling the tab from the nail—thereby removing the totality of the embellishment—after a desired period of embellishment.

Simply peeling the tab off provides a far more straightforward way of embellishment removal—it is quicker, mess free and does not involve solvent.

The various configurations of the invention are self-evidently so linked as to form a single inventive concept, namely the more efficient and effective decoration of fingernails and toenails.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

The invention will now be described with reference to the drawings, of which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a first step of a first method of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a second step of a first method of the invention;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a third step of a first method of the invention;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a fourth step of a first method of the invention;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a first step of a second method of the invention;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a second step of a second method of the invention;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a third step of a second method of the invention;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a fourth step of a second method of the invention;

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a fifth step of a second method of the invention;

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a sixth step of a second method of the invention;

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a first step of a third method of the invention;

FIG. 12 is a perspective view of a second step of a third method of the invention;

FIG. 13 is a perspective view of a third step of a third method of the invention;

FIG. 14 is a perspective view of a fourth step of a third method of the invention;

FIG. 15 is a perspective view of a fifth step of a third method of the invention;

FIG. 16 is a side view of a kit of the invention; and

FIG. 17 is a side view of a portion of tape, before and after application to a tab.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

At FIG. 16, there is shown generally a kit 2 embodying one aspect of the invention. The kit 2 comprises a plurality of tabs 4. Each tab 4 is made of a deformable plastics material and in preferred embodiments takes the form of a solid gel tab 4. In preferred embodiments the tabs 4 take the form of compressible gel packs and this advantageously aids the adhesion of a embellishment to a tab 4.

Each tab 4 comprises an upper surface 6 and a lower surface 8. The upper surface 6 is coated by upper surface adhesive layer 10 and the lower surface 8 is coated by a lower surface adhesive layer 12. At FIG. 16 the tabs 4 are shown prior to use with the tabs 4 being attached to a single backing or ‘secondary film’ sheet 16, the lower surface 8 on each of the tabs 4 being affixed to said backing sheet 16 removably.

A film portion 18 is also attached to the upper surface 6 of each of the tabs 4 with a separate film portion 18 for each of the tabs 4. The film portions 18 and backing sheet 16 serve to protect the upper and lower surface adhesive layers 10 and 12 prior to use, shielding their adhesive properties from dust, dirt and unwanted attachments.

Each of the film portions 18 comprises tag 20—whereas the film portions 18 cover the upper surface 6 of the tab 4 and are very thin layers closely adhering to the flattened shape of tab 4. The tags 20 project away from the upper surfaces 6 such that they can be used to aid the removal of film portions 18 from the upper surfaces 6.

The tabs 4 here are shown as rectangular but may be shaped to conform to the shape of the finger or toenail; as such, it is considered likely that sets will, in some preferred embodiments, comprise tabs of various shapes and sizes to conform to the shapes and sizes of given finger and toenails. Where the tab 4 is shaped as to conform with a finger or toenail, the tag 20 will, in particularly preferred embodiments, project from the end of the upper surface 6 adjacent to the cuticle of the fingernail to which the tab 4 is attached.

The tab 4 is advantageously of a translucent material, although opaque, coloured, patterned, textured, novelty shaped or otherwise embellished tabs all form part of the invention.

Also at FIG. 16 there are shown receptacles 22 for the embellishments. The receptacle may for example be a pot 24 or a shaker 26 and may commonly carry different types of nail caviar and/or glitter or mixture of both. In particularly preferred embodiments neon or metallic coloured versions are supplied. A version of kit 2 comprising crystals and/or other jewel-like objects is also possible.

A particular format of the kit 2 may comprise a plurality of receptacles 22 comprising a selection box of nail dips. The granular form of the glitter and/or the nail caviar attaches readily to the upper surface adhesive layer 10 in use. Adhesion occurs via the touching contact between the tab 4 and the chosen embellishment, although ‘pressing on’ can aid it.

Also within the conceptual ambit of “embellishments” are false nails 28. Whilst false nails 28 of a standard variety may be included as embellishments a particular innovation of the kit 2 is the inclusion of false nails 28 with apertures. The first example illustrated has an incut aperture 30 and the second example has a centrally located aperture 32.

It is possible to have false nails 28 comprising a plurality of apertures. The false nail 28 can be placed on the tab 4 and be held in place by the upper surface adhesive layer 10. A secondary embellishment can then be inserted into the aperture 37 and will be held in place by virtue of its contact with the upper surface adhesive layer 10.

Also within the kit is a reel of foil 34.

At FIG. 17 the foil 34 is shown in strip form. A first strip 36 shows that it is a laminate comprising plastics backing 38 and a foil side 40. By an attachment to the adhesive layer of the tab 4 portions of the foil side 40 may be removed from the strip 36, thus embellishing the tab 4, with foil. The type of tab utilised with foil can be a thinner tab than used elsewhere. The thinner tab—i.e. one of less than 2 mm in thickness (in use, the “height” it adds above the nail) has the particular advantage of being easier for the user to file—any excess which projects beyond the distal end of a fingernail can be removed such that the tab will follow the shape of the natural nail.

At FIG. 1 is shown a user placing a tab 4 onto a fingernail. The tab 4 here is clearly shaped like a fingernail with a rounded cuticle area 42. The tab 4 is held in place by lower surface adhesive layer 12 which is brought into contact with the fingernail. When the bonding between fingernail and lower surface adhesive layer 12 has taken place the user may then choose to expose upper surface adhesive layer 10 by removing film portion 18.

At FIG. 2, upper surface 6 is shown partially exposed. Film portion 18 here does not have a tag—rather the film portion 18 has been partially peeled off

At FIG. 3, with the tab 4 in situ, a user's finger is shown above a pot 24 where it is to be dipped into a quantity of embellishment such as nail caviar. The granular quality of the caviar will allow it to adhere closely to the nail.

At FIG. 4, there is shown a quantity of embellishment 44 which is attached to upper surface 6 by upper surface adhesive layer 10. The embellishment 44 is a combination of caviar, glitter and sequins.

FIG. 5 shows the placement on a user's nail of a tab 4. This tab has multiple film portions 18, namely a crescent shaped cuticle portion 46 and a main nail portion 48.

At FIG. 6 the tab 4 is shown affixed to the user's fingernail and the cuticle portion 46 is shown partially peeled off. The sequential exposure of different areas of the tab allows for the use of different embellishments on different areas of the nail. Although not depicted it is possible for the different sections of the film portions 18 to overlay one another such that they must be removed sequentially, thereby guiding the user to embellish given areas of the nail in a sequence in order to produce a special effect. Where this is the case each different section of the film portion 18 may be marked accordingly.

FIG. 7 shows the fingernail with an exposed section of tab 4 again being readied for dipping into a pot 24 of embellishment 44.

FIG. 8 shows a second section, the main nail portion 48, of the film portion 18 being removed.

At FIG. 9 an exposed second section 48 of the film portion 18 is shown being dipped into an embellishment pot 24 with the result at FIG. 10 of a tab 4 bearing two different embellishment effects.

At FIG. 11 a tab 4 is placed on a fingernail and at FIG. 12 the film portion 18 is removed from the tab 4.

At FIG. 13 a false nail 50 is affixed to the tab 4. False nail 50 comprises an aperture of 52 which leaves a section of the tab 4 exposed. At FIG. 14 the fingernail is dipped into an embellishment pot 24, the area of tab 4 left exposed by the aperture 52 is embellished as shown in FIG. 15.

The adhesive on the tabs 4 may be chosen from known alternatives, but is preferably a mixture of ethylhexyl acrylate, hydroxycyclohexyl phenyl ketone and acrylic acid.

Claims

1. A kit comprising:

a tab, the tab having an upper side, a lower side and a perimeter; means sizing and shaping the tab so as to, in use, substantially overlay the face of the human nail of a user;

a first one of two adhesive outer layers, said first layer being adhered to said upper side of said tab;

and a second respective adhesive outer layer adhering to said lower side of said tab;

a film portion, completely overlaying the upper side of the tab; means attaching said film portion removably to said tab by the adhesive layer; and

a solid embellishment material, such that will readily adhere to said tab when brought into touching contact with it.

2. A kit according to claim 1, wherein the kit further comprises a secondary film sheet, completely overlaying the lower side of the tab.

3. A kit according to claim 1, wherein the kit comprises a plurality of tabs and a single secondary film sheet and wherein the lower side of each of the tabs is attached to the secondary film sheet and wherein the upper side of each of the tabs is attached to a separate, individual, film portion.

4. A kit according to claim 1, wherein the film portion on the upper side of the tab comprises a plurality of separately removable sections.

5. A kit according to claim 4, wherein the film portion on the upper side of the tab comprises a first removable section and wherein the first removable section comprises no more than 25% of the surface area of the upper side of the tab.

6. A kit according to claim 4 wherein the separately removable sections partially overlie one another such that in order to remove a given section without displacing the other sections, the sections must be removed in a predetermined sequence.

7. A kit according to claim 1, wherein the film portion on the upper side of the tab comprises a plurality of separately removable sections and wherein the film portion is in the shape of a crescent.

8. A kit according to claim 1, wherein the film portion comprises an adjoining tag.

9. A kit according to claim 8, wherein the tab is asymmetrically shaped, having a near end so shaped as to substantially follow the curve of a user's cuticle, said tab further comprising a distal end, and wherein the adjoining tag is attached to the part of the film portion on the near end of the tab.

10. A kit according to claim 1, wherein the embellishment material comprises a sheet of foil laminate, the foil laminate comprising a foil layer and a plastics backing layer, wherein the foil layer is removable from the plastics backing layer.

11. A kit according to claim 1, wherein the embellishment material comprises a granular material.

12. A kit according to claim 1, wherein the embellishment material comprises a false nail.

13. A kit according to claim 12, wherein the false nail comprises an upper face, a lower face suitable for adherence to the tab and an edge region and an interior region, the edge comprising a notional perimeter, and wherein the false nail is so shaped as to define an aperture within the bounds of the notional perimeter and running through the nail from the upper face to the lower face.

14. A kit according to claim 12, wherein the kit further comprises a secondary embellishment material and wherein said secondary embellishment material is granular.

15. A kit according to claim 1, wherein the tab is of a deformable plastics material.

16. A kit according to claim 1, wherein the tab is of a translucent gel material.

17. A kit according to claim 1, the kit comprising a plurality of tabs and wherein the sizes of the tabs are heterogeneous.

18. A kit, according to claim 1, comprising a plurality of false nails.

19. A false nail comprising an upper face and a lower face suitable for adherence to a tab according to claim 1, wherein the false nail comprises an upper face, a lower face suitable for adherence to the tab and an edge region and an interior region, the edge region comprising a notional perimeter, and wherein the false nail is so shaped as to define an aperture within the bounds of the notional perimeter and running through the nail from the upper face to the lower face.

20. A false nail according to claim 19, wherein the aperture comprises an incut, running from the edge of the nail of the notional perimeter to the interior region.

21. A false nail according to claim 19, wherein the nail comprises a plurality of apertures.

22. A false nail according to claim 19, wherein the aperture comprises a continuous internal wall, and wherein the angle of said wall is offset such that the surface area of the aperture as defined by the shape of the false nail differs on a first side of the false nail relative to the second side of the false nail.

23. A method of embellishing a nail, utilising a kit according to claim 1, the method comprising the following steps:

Removing a film from the first, lower side of a tab,

Adhering the tab to a nail,

Removing a film portion from a second, upper side of the tab, and

Adhering an embellishment to the upper side of the tab.

24. A method of embellishing a nail according to claim 23, wherein the embellishment is a false nail, the false nail comprising an upper face, a lower face suitable for adherence to the tab and an edge region and an interior region, the edge region comprising a notional perimeter, and wherein the false nail is so shaped as to define an aperture within the bounds of the notional perimeter and running through the nail from the upper face to the lower face, and wherein subsequent to adhering the false nail to the upper side of the said tab, a secondary embellishment may be applied to the tab through the aperture in the nail.

25. A method of embellishing according to claim 23, wherein the embellishment is a piece of foil laminate, said piece of foil laminate comprising a foil layer and a plastics backing layer, wherein the foil layer is removable from said backing layer and wherein the foil layer is applied to the tab by adhering the foil laminate to the tab such that when the foil laminate is subsequently removed from the tab, the foil layer of the foil laminate is pulled from the laminate and remains on the tab.

26. A method of embellishing a nail according to claim 23, further comprising the final step of peeling the tab from the nail—thereby removing the totality of the embellishment—after a desired period of embellishment.