i'd been wanting to try the 5D glass bead spinner tool for ages and finally got it last week. immediately tested it with a few different polishes to see how it compares to my manual method, which involves manually spinning the magnet stick above my nail for 15-30s (here's a good video from u/folgersdecaf to demonstrate) — it creates a very concentrated point that disperses into a lovely bead. it's a biiiit annoying but overall works great, no power tools required.
the method —
tested this on 3 different polishes — ILNP Warped, Mooncat Forbidden Fruit (v fine particle), and ILNP Deep Space. (and cus someone will probably ask, i'm currently wearing Cracked Frolicking on my thumb lol)
here's what i did for each method:
- 5D spinner: no base coat cus these are just swatches, one layer non-magnetized, second thick layer magnetized, cuticula limitless top coat magnetized. i centered the nail in the spinner and spun it for probably up to a minute — longer than i might if i were painting my own nails but i had time to kill and wanted to max out the effects of the spinner.
- manual glass bead: no base coat, one layer non-magnetized, second thick layer magnetized, cuticula limitless top coat magnetized. i hold the magnet upright above my nail as close as i can get it, and spin it back and forth between my index finger and thumb. it creates a very tight little glass bead that disperses a bit afterwards, but as you can see from the video it stays pretty concentrated.
the verdict —
- overall results: the spinner does create a lovely glass bead BUT it does perform differently with different types of magnetics and it creates more of a combo velvet/glass bead effect, IMO, versus a more concentrated bead. it's more of an all-over nail effect with the spinner, so it really comes down to what kind of effect you want, what polish you're using, and also HOW BIG YOUR NAILS ARE! as someone with smaller, shorter nails, i think a more concentrated, smaller bead works better just cus i have less real estate to work with. if i had longer nails, i might prefer the more dispersed, 5D bead effect. i don't regret buying the spinner because i do think i prefer it for fine-particle magnetics, but i definitely won't be reaching for it every time.
- effort rating: effort-wise, the spinner is def nice. it's easier to zone out and watch your lil tv show while spinning it vs holding the magnet over my nail and making sure it's centered and not accidentally bumping my nail. it's a great design, easy to use, consistent results.
- my hangups: i used the Large setting and the Small setting on the spinner, hoping for a more concentrated glass bead on the Small setting, and as you can see the results are virtually identical, which was a bit frustrating. there's a broader dispersal on the Large setting if you look closely, but it's very very minimal.
ultimately, if you're on the fence about buying the spinner and are tight on cash, i would honestly skip it.
hope this helps someone!! happy to answer any followup questions lol
by jessbird
9 Comments
**TL;DR:** the 5D spinner is easy to use and will def give you pretty results, but it creates a more dispersed, all-over velvet/glass bead hybrid effect rather than a tighter, concentrated bead, and results vary by polish formula. the manual magnet method gives more control and a sharper bead and might be better for smaller nails. the Large vs. Small spinner settings give you virtually identical results. worth it if you use a lot of fine-particle magnetics or just want a more effortless process, but not essential — skip it if you’re on a budget or wait til it’s on sale.
Thank you! This is the kind of stuff I come here for! You’re doing the Lord’s work! 😉
i could totally be wrong but i feel like theres been a lot of commentary about glass bead lately on this sub about trying to get a “small” or “tight bead”, and when its more dispersed they say its closer to velvet. but i dont think getting this little small spot of magnetic pigment is actually what makes it a glass bead effect. if you google “glass bead nails” and look at even the most gorgeous gel glass bead manis, you’re not usually looking at mostly base color with a “small tight bead”, you’re seeing dispersed pigment that gives the effect of looking like glass.
and once again, this is totally my opinion and i could absolutely be wrong, and everyone should aim for the effect they want regardless of anything. i’ve just been seeing this a lot and have been curious if we all have different interpretations of what glass bead nails are.
This is so interesting!! Thank you so much for making and posting this, I have to try the bar magnet method!!
hand spun is my fave
Thanks for the comparison. I had already decided I wasn’t going to be buying any more kit beyond my bar magnet and the horseshoe.
Now I don’t feel like I am missing out at all.
Thank you so much for sharing! It’s very helpful.
Did you use the 5D spinner on its own or with a horseshoe magnet on top?
I ask because my favorite bead effect posts I’ve seen so far use a horseshoe on top of the 5D spinner as it makes a tighter bead. And then on top of the lab spinner so it’s all motorized. 😁
I’d love to see that version plus regular velvet next to the three versions you already have.
lol your assessment actually re-confirmed that I made the right decision to buy the spinner! I bought it a couple days ago with their Lacquerista day sale, so helps to have it a little cheaper.
I’ve struggled so much with using wands, so it will definitely do better than what I have been doing.
The difference between doing science and screwing around is diligent note taking. This is science 👩🔬