Artificial nail and method for applying same

Abstract

An artificial fingernail, fingernail kit and a method of applying the artificial fingernails to natural nails. The artificial fingernail includes a nail body made from transparent plastic and having a nail bed portion and a nail tip portion. The nail bed portion substantially corresponds to the nail bed of a natural fingernail and is applied over a natural fingernail. The nail tip portion includes a continuous opaque decoration which obscures a natural nail tip when the artificial fingernail is applied over a natural fingernail. The nail bed portion is substantially transparent allowing the natural nail bed to be visible therethrough.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . An artificial fingernail, comprising a nail body made from transparent material and having a nail bed portion, a nail tip portion and a dividing line between the nail bed portion and the nail tip portion, the nail bed portion substantially corresponding to the nail bed of a natural fingernail and adapted to be adhered to a natural fingernail allowing at least a portion of the natural nail bed to be visible therethrough, the nail tip portion being provided with a continuous opaque decoration which obscures at least a portion of a natural nail tip when the artificial fingernail is applied over a natural fingernail.  
     
     
         2 . The artificial fingernail as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the dividing line is at an angle with respect to a transition line of a natural nail from bed to tip when the artificial fingernail is applied over the natural fingernail.  
     
     
         3 . The artificial fingernail as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the dividing line is generally aligned with a transition line of a natural fingernail from bed to tip when the artificial fingernail is applied over the natural fingernail.  
     
     
         4 . The artificial fingernail as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the continuous opaque decoration comprises paint covering a substantial portion of the nail tip portion, to give the appearance of a french manicure.  
     
     
         5 . The artificial fingernail as defined in  claim 4 , wherein the paint is white and the substantial portion is the entire tip portion.  
     
     
         6 . The artificial fingernail as defined in  claim 1 , further comprising decorative designs applied over the entire fingernail.  
     
     
         7 . The artificial fingernail as defined in  claim 1 , further comprising a transparent sealer applied over the artificial nail, to protect the decoration.  
     
     
         8 . An artificial fingernail tip, comprising a nail body made from transparent material and having a nail base portion, a nail tip portion and a dividing line between the nail base portion and the nail tip portion, the nail base portion corresponding in size and shape to the distal end of a natural fingernail and adapted to be adhered to the distal end of the natural fingernail allowing at least a portion of the nail bed of a natural fingernail to be visible therethrough, and the nail tip portion being provided with a continuous opaque decoration which obscures at least a portion of a nail tip of a natural fingernail when the artificial fingernail tip is applied over the natural fingernail.  
     
     
         9 . The artificial fingernail tip as defined in  claim 8 , wherein the dividing line is at an angle with respect to a transition line of a natural nail from bed to tip when the artificial fingernail is applied over the natural fingernail.  
     
     
         10 . The artificial fingernail tip as defined in  claim 8 , wherein the dividing line is generally aligned with a transition line of a natural nail from bed to tip when the artificial fingernail is applied over the natural fingernail.  
     
     
         11 . The artificial fingernail tip as defined in  claim 8 , wherein the continuous opaque decoration comprises paint covering a substantial portion of the nail tip portion, to give the appearance of a French manicure.  
     
     
         12 . The artificial fingernail tip as defined in  claim 11 , wherein the paint is white and the substantial portion is the entire tip portion.  
     
     
         13 . The artificial fingernail tip as defined in  claim 8 , further comprising decorative designs applied over the fingernail tip.  
     
     
         14 . The artificial fingernail tip as defined in  claim 8 , further comprising a transparent sealer applied over the artificial nail tip, to protect the decoration.  
     
     
         15 . An artificial fingernail kit, comprising: 
 at least ten artificial fingernails, each nail comprising a nail body made from transparent plastic and having a nail bed portion, a nail tip portion and a dividing line between the nail bed portion and the nail tip portion, the nail bed portion substantially corresponding to at least the distal end of a natural fingernail and adapted to be adhered to a natural fingernail allowing at least a portion of the natural nail bed to be visible therethrough, at least a portion of the nail tip portion having a continuous opaque decoration which obscures a natural nail tip when said artificial fingernail is applied over a natural fingernail; and    an adhesive, wherein natural nail color is visible through the adhesive and artificial nail when the artificial nail is applied to a natural nail with the adhesive.    
     
     
         16 . The artificial fingernail kit as defined in  claim 15 , wherein the adhesive is translucent pink.  
     
     
         17 . The artificial fingernail kit as defined in  claim 15 , further comprising a transparent filler comprising a powder component and a liquid component, wherein said filler creates a smooth transition between an artificial nail and the natural nail bed when applied and creates a transparent coating so that the natural nail bed is visible through the nail bed portion of the artificial nail.  
     
     
         18 . A method of applying artificial fingernails, comprising: 
 applying an adhesive to an artificial nail, said artificial nail comprising a nail body made from transparent material and having a nail bed portion, a nail tip portion and a dividing line between the nail bed portion and the nail tip portion, the nail bed portion substantially corresponding to at least the distal end of a natural fingernail and said nail tip portion being provided with a continuous opaque decoration which obscures at least a portion of a natural nail tip when said artificial fingernail is applied over a natural fingernail, wherein said adhesive is substantially contacted with the nail bed portion only; and    placing the nail bed portion over a natural nail bed such that at least a portion of the natural nail bed is visible through the adhesive and the nail bed portion of the artificial nail and at least a portion of the natural nail tip is obscured by the tip portion of the artificial nail.    
     
     
         19 . The method as defined in  claim 18 , wherein the adhesive is translucent pink.  
     
     
         20 . The method as defined in  claim 18 , further comprising the step of applying a transparent acrylic filler to the natural nail bed to create a smooth transition between the natural nail bed and artificial nail.