Review (4/5): A Good Deal
I bought these last year after I had purchased the cheap tv stamper set that was being sold at Sally's. Don't buy that set if you can help it. Get a Konad stamper and pick someone else's plates.
These Bundle plates, just like any other project/skill/product that you use have their drawbacks.
These plates do work well, and the newer sets come with a paper backing to protect the edges. Some people state that the images don't come through, but it really depends on a couple of things, so if your images don't come through on these plates, here are some things to keep in mind:
1. try a different stamper. I bought a Konad recently and it stamped beautifully, especially the delicate full-nail leaf pattern. Came out very well.
2. it could be your polish. Some of the wet and wild stuff works, china glaze does too, as does sally hansen. but it depends on the consistency and chemicals used in the polish, so don't be discouraged! I would recommend using the same brand of top coat that you are using to do the stamping design, because some I have used seem to "melt" the base coats away after a light brush.
3. it could be your technique. press firmly but evenly as you go down. Don't press hard enough to break your finger, but a little pressure may help in transfering. Also, work quickly, as the paint on the plate or stamped will dry.
4. it could be that you didn't clean the plate properly. I thoroughly clean out every desgin with acetone nail polish remover, and make sure all the cracks are clean. DO NOT UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCE USE NAIL POLISH REMOVER WITH MOISTURIZERS. THE OILS AND CHEMICALS MAY CAUSE THE NAIL POLISH NOT TO ADHERE TO THE STAMPER AND WON'T WORK!
5. the plate could be bad. I haven't tried every design, so I can't say which are bad, but they seemed to do okay. If you work fast and you roll the stamper in an even motion across your nails in one direction, and NOT back and forth, your design should be ok.
Overall, a good stamped makes a helluva lot of difference when doing this. Otherwise, they are good plates, although the rose doesn't come out too well in my opinion, and the full nail designs are too small, as many others have said. I'm not picky. I just match up and restamp the open space on the nail and it turns out good.
Overall, okay quality for the price and interesting designs for those who are just starting out and want to have something a little different to play with. Cheers!