March 14, 2007

Pointer Sisters

Finger Star Nail Art Machine

All you’ve got is a dollar and a dream. A dream that you could jazz up your nails for a buck.

Pinch yourself — because the Finger Star, a computerized airbrush nail art machine, is right inside the Third Street entrance of the Little Tokyo Shopping Center.

Here’s how it works: Slap on the provided base coat, let dry for twenty seconds. Then insert $1, scroll through more than 1,000 designs (flowers, animal prints) or snap a photo with the built-in digital camera. Next, place your finger on the white plastic bed and close the cover to hold it in place.

Your nail will show up on a screen so that you can perfect the image’s dimensions and color scheme. Then press “OK.” Thirty seconds later you’ve got your very own starburst or ’90s geometric pattern that will last about four days as long as you apply a top coat and let it dry.

Our suggestion: Bring your own clear polish because the machine’s is a little crusty.

And that could be the cause of a rude awakening.

Finger Star, inside the Little Tokyo Shopping Center, 333 South Alameda Street, between Third and Fourth Streets, Little Tokyo.