they can be a real pain in the arse to apply. I just did one last night for my iPad and it took a couple of attempts to get it nice and smooth. Didn't have enough solution in the kit but fortunately I had some left over from another kit. The trick is to not press too much and to work quickly and gently.
The magic solution appears to just be water. Fill the spray bottle up with more water and away you go. Phantom skinz doesn't come with any "magic" solution. They simply have you soak the skin in a cup of warm water.