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Well, I'm quite new to this but I'll try :)

First off, are you sure your wife would like nail art? There may be a reason she doesn't use her nail polish?

Well, unfortunately there aren't many stores that sell stamping supplies. The best place for a lot of nail art stuff is Amazon.

If she's impatient/ always likes to be using her hands a fast dry top coat might be a good idea for her. Good ones are Seche Vite and Out the Door :)

Konad is the best brand to do with stamping about (as far as I know). Their stamper is the one to get. As for image plates- Konad ones are good but expensive. I would suggest getting a Cheeky or Bundle Monster pack. You can get so many different patterns I would suggest getting something like this or this, which has a variety of full nail images, individual stamps and french tip stamps. Also, if you do buy image plates etc. then I would suggest buying proper stamping polish, at least for black and white. Metallics work well for stamping too.

For nail art brushes, you can get them online but all of mine are actually acrylic art brushes. They tend to last well and you can buy them in store. Acrylic paints are really good for doing complex designs, over the top of a layer of normal nail polish. They're easier to mix, don't dry as fast and are cheaper than nail polish (if your wife would want to do art on her nails).

You can get dotting tools too, if you think those would be good?

I will say that some things are sold on Amazon from China, so the shipping times are quite large. They may not get to you in less than a month (depending on where you live).

Sorry if all of that was confusing or no help at all!

Sorry for the late response, busy day! If she's into stamping, I really like this set of stamping plates, but if you're not sure if she already stamps, you might want to get her a stamper too.

For more unique colors, I like shopping online a lot more than ULTA type stores (although those are great places to get polishes on clearance). ULTA should definitely have holo polishes though, and probably a few duochromes! I really like Color Club Beyond in the holos category (actually, all the Color Club holos are great! Probably the best ones IMO). As for duochromes, glitterbombs, and jelly glitters, I think indies are definitely the way to go. Check out this site, it has BUNCH of different indie brands, and the shipping is pretty fast. In particular, look at Enchanted Polish, Glimmer by Erica, A England, Hare Polish, Jindie, Ozotic (I have been trying REALLY HARD to resist this temptation especially), and Picture Polish. The last two jelly glitters I linked are from Sonnetarium and The Hungry Asian. I also really like Pretty and Polished on Etsy.

I also wouldn't rule out Amazon completely. A lot of polishes actually come from the same shippers, and usually shipping is really fast, and pretty cheap. China Glaze for example retails for $6-7, and they're usually $5 including shipping from Amazon. Also, shopping online is just easier :P For a few pretty unique colors, try China Glaze Some Like it Haute, Essie Bikini So Teeny, and Butter London Knackered.

One last thing, I forgot to mention another favorite luxury brand -- Deborah Lippmann! Seriously, if she's really into polish, getting a Butter or a DL will probably make her happier than getting the equivalent value in other brands, even if that doesn't make much sense.

A dotting tool looks like a pencil with metal balls on the ends. You can buy dotting tool sets with varying tip sizes for different sized dots. I've never heard of a bad quality dotting tool, so brand is not important here.

She might be interested in a stamping kit, or if she already has one, more plates. Konad is the brand of choice, but their plates are expensive. Bundle Monster plates are more affordable, although their edges tend to be sharp. Check out wowsocool for Konad plates. If you do get her a stamping set, get the Konad Special Polish in black and white, at least. Not all polishes work with stamping, so it's hit and miss, but the Konad polishes are designed to work with stamping.

Finally, she might appreciate some special effects nail polishes, like magnetic nail polish. That is all the rage right now. Essie also has a new glitter polish range out (called Luxeffects), she might like a couple of those. If you're in the US, you can check out the nail polish collections at Sephora, they do little gift sets with a variety of polishes that are quite nice.

Hope she likes what you get her!

*Edited to add: Oh oh oh, Sally Hansen Salon Effects! Haha, I just thought about what I would like to get and I really love those strips. They're real nail polish strips that you stick onto your nails. They come in really cool designs. Love them. There is a limited edition Holiday collection out now with some lovely designs.

Just start painting your nails and you will figure out what works best for you eventually. I've compiled a list of helpful links/videos that I've found helpful for me.

Dotting Tools:

• Cutepolish's video on how to make your own dotting tool.
  
• <$2 on amazon. It might take a while to get to you if it's being shipped from China though.
  
  Stripping tape:
  
  
• $1.08 on amazon.
  The trick when you use stripping tape is to make sure your polish isn't old and too goopy, otherwise it will not be so crisp.
  
• And use tweezers like this or this.
  
  Cleaning
  
  
• You will get the hang of cleaning once you start practicing. If you get better at application you will have to do less cleaning. This will come with practice. I suck at doing nails with little mess. So I use acetone and a slanted brush. This might be a good set to get.
  
• /u/ReneeJade 's post about cleaning up with toothpicks is very helpful too.
  
  Nail Polish Brands
  
  
• This depends on how much money you want to spend. I started with Sinful Colors because no mula. But the formula is kinda bad and takes forever to dry. And Sinful Colors stain your nails really bad in my experience. Sally Hansen is pretty good for the price. I only just acquired a couple of China Glazes and Essie's. They are pretty good but I only buy it when it's less than $3. I don't have experiences with Orly, O.P.I.
  
• Julep is okay in my opinion. Personally, I feel like they're not worth the price. One of my bottles just broke when I was turning the cap. And the other one (Julep Sasha) stained my nails really bad :/
  
• There are nail polish programs like Julep Maven (who do a free first box with code FREEBOX) and other ones that I don't know about but head onto /r/BeautyBoxes to find out more.
  
  Top Coat and Base Coat
  
  
• Orly bonder is a good base coat that I use. I don't have experiences with other ones, so I can't compare.
  
• Getting a fast drying top coat is probably a good idea. I use Seche Vite but it has a really strong smell and it shrinks your polish. I'm trying to find a new one but Sally Hansen Insta Dry didn't work for me. It smudged my nail art even though it dries pretty fast. Poshe is supposed to be good but I don't have experience with it.
  
  Nail Strengthening
  
  
• O.P.I. Nail envy is a lot of people's favorites but it didn't work for me personally. Just search this subreddit with "nail envy".
  
• Quimica Alemana. This stuff has good reviews and I want to try it.
  
  Nail file
  
  
• Use a crystal one. This one has good reviews or use an O.P.I. one. I use an O.P.I, pretty happy with it.
  
  Have fun painting!

Here's some suggestions of the things you asked for.

First, a shelf to put her polish and supplies on. I have this one from Amazon which I like a lot.
Some of my favorite brands of polish: Zoya, OPI, Sinful Colors, Essie.
I know several people get on Etsy and buy Indie polishes (polishes from independent businesses and manufacturers). I don't have any experience with those, but there's some great ones from what I've seen here.
If she enjoys nail art, a set of Nail Art Brushes and dotting tools would be a nice addition. Make sure in that group is a small, angled brush to do clean ups around the nail and cuticle. VERY important for a clean look.
A base coat and top coat is also important. Look for a quick drying top coat. I recommend Seche Vite. Just be sure to tell her to read the instructions/tips for using it. It's a bit different in some ways. :)
Also, some cuticle cream with moisturizers, cotton balls or pads, Q-Tips, and Acetone polish remover are also some things she'll need.
That should be a nice beginners basket for her. I'm sure you'll get other suggestions as well.

It's kind of trial and error but I have had good luck with these!

• LED lamp
  
  
• Base coat and top coat
  
  
• Structure gel (if you have weak nails, it is like a strengthening clear coat you put in between base coat and color coats)
  
  
• Color polish: you can use any brand. I like Ukiyo, Gellen and Sexy Mix but these are all pretty much the same in terms of quality. You can also go to stores like Sally Beauty or Ulta and buy gel nail polishes in person but they're much more expensive, around $10-15 for a single bottle.
  
  The other accessories you will want are lint free pads and rubbing alcohol, and typical nail stuff (clippers, cuticle pushers, acetone, etc).
  
  There are also tons of accessories that are fun with gel nail polish like nail powders, striping tape, glitter, gemstones, etc. I'd highly recommend picking up a black polish and a white polish too for nail art and stuff.

Holy moly. I’m obsessed! It's a twist on ombre french tips and even though it's a bit different, it's fun.

I used Gelish Top It Off and Manimanimoo peel-off gel base coat. I’m on the fence about the peel-off base-coat so far. My first try, it lasted about 4 days and then the edges began to flake off. The second try, I made sure place a solid layer over the entire nail bed, evenly coating the whole surface right to the edges. It lasted about 8 days, then got some chips, so I tried to peel it off in the bath. None of the nails came off as a single sheet and it seemed to cause some damage to my nail. My third try, I really, really, really soaked the crap out of it before trying to remove it and it still seemed hell-bent on pulling off a sheet from the middle of my nails. ☹ I’m trying it again, but I’m a bit apprehensive. For having such good reviews, I’m worried it’s damaging my nail beds.

I learned a lot this go-round. First, I wouldn’t have used such a sheer base color. It’s my favorite polish – Born Pretty Jelly Pink Nude semi-transparent gel in SP05 It's a sheer polish that added just bit of depth. When Sally Hansen discontinued “sheet strawberry,” I never thought I’d find another translucent barely-there color coat. This one is perfect!

But, even though I love how it turned out, I do wish I’d used a pale pink with a bit more presence - it would have made the bright pink really pop. I also remembered to wet my make-up sponge before blending the colors this time. That helped keep the polish from showing a harsh blending line and prevented as much texture. My last ombre looked a little bit “furry.”

The bright pink is perfect for summer. It’s Born Pretty Pure spring series gel in RP04 Smile like flower.

The glitter is Born Pretty Gel Colors Glitter in Floating Cloud. It’s not just white – it’s got wicked sparkles! <3

Note: You may have noticed that I have a bunch of Born Pretty, but I seriously just bought 8 glitter polishes on clearance for $0.09 each. So, you know, for a dollar I get a giant package of gel in the mail. I love doing nails and I’m way too cheap to spend $12 a bottle. I was nervous to send away for it and worried it wouldn’t cure correctly, but it lasts just as long as my Gelish brand gel and it cures in 30-60 seconds.

I just started an Instagram and literally have no followers. I’m only a hobbyist and I just do my own nails, but I’d love some followers if you like nail art too. @katydidnails

Let me say that it's so awesome that you are taking an interest in nails like this for your wife and kids. There should be billions more husband/dads out there like you! :)

First, this mani is awesome! I'm actually going to try this out myself. It's a great color combo!

As far as constructive criticism I would say clean up is what you should focus on next. The best way to do that is to get 100% pure acetone. Anything that says it has extra additives to help the skin, are nice, but they make clean up harder. Head to Sally's to get it, it's cheap.

Then order a set of brushes like this. I personally own this brush set and it rocks! Use the small angled brush to clean up her nails like this.

Then lather her hands up with moisturizer and offer her a nice hand massage while you are at it. She will love it! :D

Let me know if you have any other questions!

I got dotting tools and a pack of cheap brushes at the same time through Amazon so I could begin with nail art too. I got these brushes and these dotting tools together, since they're from the same seller and I got free Prime shipping at the time. They're actually pretty nice quality for the variety and price if you want to experiment, and then it won't be a huge loss if they fall apart from acetone or anything if you're a beginner (but you may also find a similar variety in an art store - I know some people do since they're cheap, and places like Michael's always have 20% coupons and stuff). I just clean mine sort of how I clean normal art brushes - I rinse very well immediately after use. I guess some nail polish remover could be ok (not sure though), but pure acetone will ruin them slowly over time, (although some people are ok with that if they're cheap angled brushes used for cleanup). Sorry if that's confusing lol, I'm no pro, but I hope it helps! :)

edit: Also, depending on your current color selection... if you don't have too many colors/polishes to begin, you can always get polishes made specifically for nail art, such as these. They have the thin brushes inside for designs. That's a huge array there, but you can find similar brands in that form in beauty supply stores or online in a few colors if you want to try those too. I have some, and I like them, but yes, normal brushes are nice to have too of course! :)

This is the lamp that I got. I highly recommend it, not only because it works really well, but because the shape of it makes it so you can paint your nails on top of it. Which makes a much bigger difference than I would have thought. It has motion sensor, so you can just stick your hand in to turn it on. Being able to stick your hand in makes it easy to flash cure (not as big of a deal for polish, but I use hard gel).

SUNUV SUN2C 48W LED UV nail Lamp with 4 Timer Setting https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01N0BCN9B/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_LtLQBbS1H6PNS

Gelish is a great brand.

The other set you got, I've not tried the brand but it's a great price. Just be prepared for the colors you see on your screen to be different in real life. The quality probably won't be as good as gelish, either.

My personal advice is to skip the cluvaz gels and just get the gelish sets for now. Gel Manis last so long, you've got months worth of Manis just with the gelish sets. My experience is that the lower quality products end up being a waste of money because I never use them when I have better options available. Especially because these will be on your nails for 2-3 weeks. But you do you. Some people love having a huge collection.

But the pampering part is the easiest and most important! Maybe the massage isn't, but the nail treatments are key!

Learn to file nails properly:
Always file in the same direction!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7RrfWakB-lI

Learn good cuticle care:
Use cuticle remover once in a while for a good clean up, but don't use it daily. NEVER cut the cuticles. Use cuticle remover and a PLASTIC tool to scrape nails (depending on the nail strength, metal scrapers can damage the nail) I use a makeup sponge to rub backwards from my nail after cleaning up my cuticles. To maintain, push your cuticles back frequently. I do this in the shower after the water has softened my skin a bit.
http://www.amazon.com/essie-Nail-Care-disappearing-cuticle/dp/B004FKCHHU/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top?ie=UTF8

Use a good nail treatment polish as a base coat:
Most lacqueristas will swear by OPI Nail Envy.
http://www.amazon.com/OPI-Nail-Envy-Original-Ounce/dp/B00178TVXG/ref=sr_1_1?s=beauty&ie=UTF8&qid=1415653359&sr=1-1&keywords=opi+nail+envy

Get some good hand and nail lotion:
This is where you can pamper her with a nice hand massage, if you're willing to go the extra mile.
http://www.sephora.com/h-nail-cream-P152203

Her nails will be looking so fabulous before you even hit them with the color!

I recommend the Winstonia stamping kit. It comes with 20 plates and it's ON SALE RIGHT NOW! :O For less than $15. The only complaint I have about this kit is that the full nail stamps are too small to fully cover my thumb nail.

I agree with the other laqueristas who have posted that the Konad stamper is the way to go. As far as scrapers go, I've found that using an old credit card or gift card is best. If you get a stamper/scraper kit that comes with a scraper, that's great, but I still think that the plastic cards do a better job. I've also heard good things about the white double sided Winstonia large-sized stamper, but have yet to try it myself.

Be sure to look up stamping polishes before you try stamping. Most nail polishes won't work well with the stamping kit. I would recommend getting Wet n Wild "Black Creme" and Wet n Wild "French White Creme" to start off. They are much cheaper and easier to find than the black and white Konad polishes, and work almost as well. For colors other than black and white, I'd recommend googling generic brand polishes that are good for stamping. There are a lot of blogs that have lists of polishes that work well for this technique.

I have;

• two Milani ones that I got from Urban Outfitters or something.
  
  
• a few from Charlotte Russe that have a brush on one end and a pen type thing on the other
  
  
• This set
  
  
• And this set
  
  
• A bunch of Art Club Nail Art Lacquer stripers that I buy at 5 Below
  
  
• Another small set of 4 or 5 that I can't find a brand on but I think also came from 5 Below.
  
  My favorite by far are the Art Club ones. They're the most opaque and have a thicker formula that I find easier to work with. They have a shorter brush that makes them easier to control and the only thing I dislike is they dry up pretty quickly. That could be from how long I have the bottle open while I'm using them though. Hence the multiple pockets of the same bottle of white. Each only completes 5/6 sets of nails before it's too thick to use.
  
  The set of 4 or 5 was just a few neons that I used in my palm tree nails if you go look at the album I posted earlier. Blue, green, yellow and pink? Possibly? I don't remember. They're bright but took two coats to be opaque and even then I wasn't completely satisfied. The bottle says "Nail Art" and the caps are silver but I can't find a brand. Sorry. :/
  
  The Milani ones are meh. I don't remember what I paid for them so I couldn't tell you if they were worth it. Probably not. They work but one of the brushes has a bristle that sticks out making it a bit difficult to use.
  
  The Charlotte Russe ones aren't too great. Polish got dried in the pen part pretty quickly so that stopped working and there's nothing special about the polish.
  
  Of the two sets from Amazon, I prefer the Emori one, but I use colors from both sets regularly. It has lots of glitters in every color imaginable and some really great colors. The Art Deco ones are slightly more opaque but a few of the bottles have leaked. It also has more basic colors, plain ol' yellows and oranges while the Emori set has some amazing turquoises and bronzes.
  
  tl;dr; Definitely buy Art Club if you can find them. Both of the big sets from Amazon are pretty fantastic and have a very wide range of colors and glitters in them. All the rest are usable but I won't buy them again.

This is the set I got, mostly because WOO FREE SHIPPING: http://www.amazon.com/MASH-Marbleizing-Dotting-Manicure-Pedicure/dp/B00631JA8S/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1368963458&sr=8-1&keywords=mash+dotting+tool

The one I could find at Sally's was like $5 for just one, so finding that set made me so happy. It's just like a plastic pen, but instead of ink, it's a metal ball at the top. As for nail art pens, I know Sally Hansen makes some, but I really haven't had great results. The formula is super runny and you can end up with a giant failure blot of color if you're not careful. :(

Also thank you. :D I had a lady literally grab my hand to look at them today (currently wearing the yellow base with pink roses from this post), and I'm like, "On one hand, it is so awesome that someone thinks my nails are worth grabbing. On the other, please stahp." Anyway, I hope I helped and you can be well on your way to owning your very own set of dotting tools!

I bought a UV lamp (old style with 9w bulbs) on Amazon for $45ish dollars but that was a large one where you can put both your hands at a time. In retrospect, I would get a LED UV lamp instead (LEDs last much longer and are much cheaper to replace) and get a smaller lamp because it only takes a couple minutes to cure the gel anyway so I'd rather pay less and have the smaller lamp. I have seen such small LED lamps at drugstores, Target and Walmart for about $30. Now the gel top coat, I got the Gelish one again on Amazon for $11. It works great. Just make sure that:

• All the layers of base coat and polish are very dry. I have read that using a Gel top coat over regular polish that is not completely dry makes it wrinkle. I hasn't happened to me yet but I give it a couple hours to be sure.
  
  
• The gel seems very thin and watery when applied so don't overload the brush and be careful not to get some on your cuticles because it's not easy to get that off once it's cured. Do make sure to wrap the tips for true long-lasting power.
  
  
• Soak a cotton ball with some rubbing alcohol (I used 90% but have read 70% is fine) and rub on your nails with a bit of pressure when they come out of the lamp.
  
  This works fantastic on foil, as I said, but also will add some serious lasting power to any manicure. How long depends on how much you abuse your nails. I do 1 manicure a week, typically, and never get any chipping without using the gel top coat. I'm sure I could double or triple that with it but since I like to change my manicure weekly, so far I only use the gel for foil (and will also for going on vacation).
  
  Good luck!

I really like the Madam Glam gels.

https://www.madamglam.com

They last on your nails forever. I always wait till they're on sale and never pay more than $10 a bottle. The one step gels are awesome, too. Their formula is nice because it's thick enough to control well so you're less likely to flood your cuticles but thin enough to flow and self level nicely.

For brands you can buy on Amazon, Aimeili and Elite99 are both pretty good too. Aimeili has excellent pigmentation and requires fewer coats.

Be sure to get a good curing lamp with a wide spectrum. Then you don't have to buy a brand specific one. I have this one and have never had a brand it didn't cure correctly. $40 is a steal for one with a wide spectrum.

SUNUV SUN2C 48W LED UV nail Lamp with 4 Timer Setting, Sensor For Gel Nails and Toe Nail Curing https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01N0BCN9B/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_3jLyCbPZBWTQ2

HAVE FUN!

Konad is great, but it's a bit more expensive. Their stamps are larger, so they cover a lot more area; this is highly beneficial when stamping thumbs. On the other hand, there are Bundlemonster plates. These are awesome and much cheaper, but tend to run on the small side. They're actually releasing a whole new line of plates soon and a they look awesome!! This is a great site for Konad plates and you can get BundleMonster from Amazon

I just started recently. I recommend looking at tons of videos on YouTube. They do reviews of stamping sets, step by step instructions on how to stamp, which polishes work for stamping, and which brands provide better results.

Since I'm just getting started I got this stamper set and this plate set and so far I'm really happy with them both. I did take the advice of many YouTubers and use an old gift card as a scraper instead of the one provided in the set since it was scratching my plates.

Dunno what else to say without getting too specific and writing a novel but honestly, stamping is so much fun and pretty easy to do. It's a fun way to take your nails to the next level.

Good luck!

Edit: Forgot to mention that if you have crazy long or wider nails that you might want to look into alternative stampers and plates since Konad and Mash (the brands I linked to, respectively) are more designed for normal/slightly long length nails.

This is absolutely amazing, I love it. Very handy for carrying in your purse. You could also add some flakies as a nice surprise, such as Essie's Shine of The Times if she doesn't have it already. A very popular cuticle cream is Lush's Lemony Flutter, however if you don't want to spend that much Burt's Bee's also makes a popular cuticle cream as well. OPI's Nail Envy is also pretty popular. :)

someone (who I've already forgotten, sorry!!!) JUST posted this which I imagine would get her off to a good start, if she doesn't already have a zillion randoms around. Sephora by OPI might also still be on sale and super cheap. They have colors/strips/and remover I think? Otherwise just amazon around, you can get striping tape for practically nothing, and rhinestones and fimo canes, oh my! That sound get her started.

I buy cheap polish for like accent colors, because I will probably almost never paint all my nails...yellow for instance. Otherwise I like Essie and OPI the best. You also may want to look into some of those clear plastic drawers for storage as well. Hope it helps!

Of course !!
First you will a stamper !!

Some stampers are sticky or non sticky. They both work, just depends on your preference.
Like this

Stamper

Or like this

Squishyone.

I use old gift cards to scrap the nail polish off my plates. Watch a YouTube video to see how they do it. The trick is not to do it too hard !

Many plates work great but these are my favorite and easiest to work with
Pueen encore set

I also like moyou London plates, and born pretty ! They work great

As far as nail polish goes you can't stamp glitter!

I use sinful colors to stamp on top of my mani. Black/white stand out the most !
Just have fun stamping and don't give up. It's all trial and error !

Hello!

1. Zoya is my favorite brand, ever. They're pricier than OPI (at least most of the time), but they run really good deals a few times a year, and they're super high quality. My two runner ups are China Glaze and OPI.
   
2. I have somewhat crappy nails (recovering nail biter), but I suggest using Nail Envy for a while as a strengthener. Invest in a glass nail file; it prevents peeling and all that craziness that emery boards and the like bring. I personally take biotin tablets (but your mileage may vary with those, as with all supplements). Oh, and one last thing -- moisturizing your cuticles helps promote healthy and strong nails!

I apologize for not linking in the first place! I got it on Amazon from this seller though it appears to be about $18 now, including shipping. Still, that is about $2/bottle! Great deal! But check around Amazon, you might find a better price. Definitely worth it!

I also got a bottle of Seche Restore for about $8 for when this gets thick. I actually use Restore on all of my polishes when they get thick. It's great! Here is a link to that :)

A pretty decent brush kit is definitely necessary to do a lot of art. I have this one and I really like it. You will also need some dotting tools that will help you create perfect dots. Some striping tape is really handy too. You might also want a stamping kit. Konad has a great one and you can buy it on Amazon.

Have fun!

I learned some new stuff, and wanted to give an update! Paging u/SuperMagicx as well, in case you're curious :)

Liz from the Nail Hub describes a way to test if your gels are being properly cured! She explains here about 10 minutes in, but in a nutshell, you paint the gel on a plasticy surface (I used a ziploc bag), cure it, then peel it off. Obviously there is a sticky inhibition layer on the surface, because gel which is in contact with oxygen doesn't cure (which is why we wipe it off with alcohol). However, if the backside is still wet at all, then your gels aren't being fully cured.

I didn't test all my polishes because I have a whole bunch, but I tried one from six different brands, and the only ones that conclusively cured all the way through were "no wipe" polishes; they work a little differently in that they don't have a tacky layer on top that you have to wipe off, and I'm not really sure how they work. But I cured all the gels for 2 minutes under a 48W UV/LED lamp, so it's definitely not a wimpy lamp, and the bottles that said how long to cure (many didn't specify) said that 30s-60s was sufficient.

So, in conclusion, I really think that it's important to match the brand of lamp and polishes!! I'll definitely be selling what I have and sticking with one brand. Some people never develop allergies even if they are exposed to uncured gel, so that doesn't conclusively mean that you would become allergic too, but (1) I have some allergies already, so maybe I'm susceptible, and (2) I really love gel manis and don't want to lose the ability to do them, and the risk (become allergic) doesn't outweigh the gain (avoid spending money on new polishes and a lamp).

Hope that helps! :)

I have not used the Essie, so I can't give you a direct comparison. The Sally Hansen one is pretty good, it's not my personal favorite, but if it's all you can find then I think it will still be tons better than the OPI that you are currently using. It will give your manicure a nice hard, glass-like finish. It's looks like this and is pretty easy to identify because of it's red bottle.

Thank you! I got an 18 piece Modelones starter kit from Amazon that included 16 mini colors, base coat and top coat. For curing, I also got a MelodySusie LED lamp. All in all it was about $50 in total.

Gel polish starter kit: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07QL5GN34/?coliid=IAGTYPFLUB6E3&colid=181AZGV3HS4EW&psc=1&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it

LED lamp: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00AXSQCGK/?coliid=I2S98XHUIRHVZI&colid=181AZGV3HS4EW&psc=1&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it

I followed the exact instructions they had on the Amazon listing for the starter kit, and they were actually quite in depth and useful, with pictures! I've always been very meticulous with regular polish, so I didn't find there to be a learning curve at all! This was my first try ever, and I've only gotten gel done at a salon once before, and I would say it took me about an hour overall including prep. I definitely encourage you to try it, it was very fun!

Oh goodness, and I forgot to mention you need to get a top coat and base coat. OPI is a good choice for a base coat, but I'd recommend a quick dry top coat (I like Seche Vite.) Again, if you're feeling fancy, a matte top coat is always fun to have, but not necessary.

I own both. In my opinion, there is a huge difference. Konad is just superior quality. The etchings are finer and more intricate, and as such you get a more impressive-looking result. Bundle Monster has a lot of great, fun designs but they do look less refined when compared to Konad. It just comes down to a difference in craftsmanship.

You linked to the old Bundle Monster 21-piece plates. They released a "new and improved" 25-piece set a few months ago, and it's a lot better than the 21-piece set. The designs are larger (old designs were too small for most people's nails), and there are a lot more full-nail designs. However it still doesn't compare to Konad, in my opinion. I actually regret buying it.

All you need is a stamper and scraper, yes. But I really recommend getting this stamper and scraper instead. The double ended stamper allows you to place full nail designs with the big end and accurately place smaller designs with the small end. Also, using that metal scraper will scratch and damage your plates, so use an old gift or credit card instead. :) Unfortunately it always comes in a bundle with the stamper so it's basically a waste.

I recently got into gel too a few months ago. You'll need a base coat too. I don't normally bother with one with normal polish, but I've found that without one, gel just peels right off my nails. Natural oils interfering with it, maybe? I don't know. But I like this set. And this is a pretty good remover but strong. Make sure you have a silicone mat to work with because it ate right through the varnish on my desk when I dripped it.

Get something like the Bundle monster plates or search around amazon for different plates. There's plenty out there. Konad brand are the best, but also the most expensive, around $7 a plate, while the Bundle monsters end up around $1 each including shipping.

I would recommend getting the Konad brand stamper, the quality is the best, and it's only $2.90 from Konad site and if you are going to get a scraper (plastic gift cards/bank cards work fine) get the plastic bladed one, NOT the metal one - they scratch the plates.

I typically recommend the Winstonia stamper, but I don't know what shipping would be like for you since it's not prime eligible. I would recommend skipping their scraper and using an old gift or credit card instead. It's worked well for me!

No. Higher price does not mean less chipping. The base coat and top coat that work for you, means less chipping. Over the past year, I have gone through at least 10 base & top coats, of varying costs. I'm pretty sure I just (as in 3 days ago) found my perfect match. I swipe my nails with rubbing alcohol, use a Sally base, polish, then a Sally quick dry top coat. I am currently sporting a manicure that is FLAWLESS. $1.99 NYC polish, and it looks like gel.

I DO do it myself! :)

So far so good with doing a "gelly sandwich" -- base coat gel, cure, regular polish left to dry completely (takes some testing, best to dry overnight), top coat cured!

I got this:

AIMEILI Gel Nail Polish No Wipe Top and Base Coat Set Soak Off UV LED Gel Nail Lacquer - 2 x 10ml https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00PF9Q5EG/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_3VmxDb5J1P9GV

Only complaint is that the top coat looks purple/blue and weird, like blacklight or something, in direct sunlight. Otherwise the one nail looks great!! :)

The BM stamping plates are pretty cheap, actually. The original set is $18 on Amazon, so compared to Konad, it's a pretty good deal.

Tell everyone that's what you want for a birthday or something. That's what I did. XD

My boyfriend said I shouldn't, and I just topcoated. I think it looks super pretty without it still. :D Next mani definitely will require some Fairy Dust action!!

I just used my medium striper brush from this set and just did it slowly. Made sure that I did extra white white stripes, regular sized red stripes, and then itty bitty little diagonal red stripes. I am absolutely adoring the way it came out!

http://www.amazon.com/15pcs-Nail-Art-Painting-Brush/dp/B006L1DNWY

Get her a brush kit, I'm sure she would enjoy that. I'm not too sure about any nice stones (or gems) from Amazon, but as for nail polish, I'd get her CND Vinylux if she's using regular nail polish (if she's not sticking her hands in a light to dry.) Theyre great polishes and don't require a base coat, you just have to purchase their top coat.

They have a ton of colors, I don't know what her favorite is, but they have ranges of most besides yellow.

Thank you! :)

I actually use some nail art brushes that I got from Amazon for like $3 for almost all of my detail designs. I'd totally recommend them if you're getting into more detail manis :)

Edit: here are the two sets I have...1 & 2...and they're crazy cheap right now! :)

Matte top coat: Perfect Summer Matte Top Coat Gel... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B014A3VGKA?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

Stripes on middle finger were done with striping tape: Beaute Galleria 30 Mixed Colors... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00JQM5J72?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

Cuticle oil: Bliss Kiss Simply Pure Cuticle &... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00DYMYY2G?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

Golden polish: Elite99 Gel Polish Soak Off UV... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B017OWPD9E?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

Base coat: Beetles No Wipe Gel Top Coat and... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07F12SZDS?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

Ball point tool used for design draw on ring finger: Yimart 20PCS Nail Art Design... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06X6BCY7K?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

Tool disinfectant: Barbicide Disinfectant 16oz Conc https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00415UVTK?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

Uv/LED lamp: SUNUV 24W UV Light LED Nail Dryer... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01JGG5CH4?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

Nail drill: Makartt JD700 Professional... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01JRGPH46?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

Base color 044: Gel Nail Polish Gift Set, 12 Pcs,... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B075SBNVJ5?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

Okay, I'm gonna go a different direction than most comments already. I started with Out the Door but it smears any artwork for me. I switched to Seche Vite and haven't looked back. Seche Vite is 4 dollars right now on Amazon. (Cheap! CHEAP!) I have a mani on right now that has lasted 5 days and counting. It's magic. It dries within minutes. If you get her that one, make sure she does a little research on how to best apply it; there's a trick to getting it to set right.

Second, You don't have to leave Walmart or the drugstore to get decent polish. Revlon Colorstay Gel Envy is rocking my socks right now, and it's 5$ a bottle at Target here in California. Its a thick polish, and the color is incredibly deep after 2 thinly painted coats. I would also suggest going to a Kohl's/Marshalls/TJ Maxx and looking in the beauty section; they always have a few buckets of high quality nail polish for a few bucks a pop. (OPI, saw some Butter's in there a few weeks ago, etc.)

This Konad set is what I started with, and I picked three separate plates I liked to go with it. They have some other starter kits, but I didn't like the designs of the four plates that came with it, so it was just as cost-effective to buy the kit and plates separately. You can find the stamper on other sites as well, and ebay has a lot of nail stuff for pretty cheap, if you don't mind long waits for shipping.

Other stamping plates you can pick up are the Cheeky sets, which have 25 plates for usually about $25 on various websites. They have a variety of designs for cheaper than the Konad plates, but with the same quality I've heard.

My one important suggestion is that whatever stamping kit you get, don't bother with the scraper they give you. It's usually a metal scraper that scratches the plates and does a bad job clearing the excess polish off the plate. Instead, what I use (at the recommendation of a lot of people) is an old plastic gift card. It's wide and easy to hold, sturdy enough to scrape off the excess polish, and doesn't scratch up the plate. I had a lot of trouble with stamping until I switched to using it instead of the scraper that came with the kit, but I'm glad everyone recommended it to me!

If you don't mind waiting awhile for some plates to come in I've had really good luck with bornpretty store. I've even bought their clear jelly stamper and I've not had any issues. This is a crowd favorite stamper


For plates bornpretty, bundle monster, pueen, and winstonia all stamp very easily. Depending on how much you want to spend it can get a little pricey for plates...that's mostly because I have an addiction.




Check out their websites for bornpretty and bundle monster. Most of the time its cheaper to buy directly from them than to purchase it on amazon. Shipping from bundle monster is normally less than a week.

http://www.amazon.com/Nail-Art-Double-Stamper-Scraper/dp/B002MZ8BK2/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1320550654&sr=8-1

This is what I bought a few months back when I bought my stamper. Some people may tell you that you need the special nail polish but I've always used Sally Hansen's black nail polish and found that it works just fine with my stamper and shows up perfectly. As for plates, one of my personal favorites that I find myself using over and over again the one with zebra, leopard, cross criss criss, and two little tip designs. If you think that you'll be using your stamper a decent amount, then I suggest you get the bundle monster. The plates from the Konad are a little too expensive for my taste, so I usually just resort to getting new plates from Amazon.

Awesome score. Seche vite really is amazing.

Lol, I'm always baffled why people buy it at "regular price" in store (as it's often $8+ in stores) when you can buy Seche Vite on Amazon for $5, free shipping included.

The color I used is Julep's Roc Solid. The tape is super cheap on Amazon. You can find it Here! I also used a jewel on my thumb (kind of hard to see) which was also super cheap on Amazon. You can find those HERE as well.

Nice work! They look pretty and healthy! This is how I stopped biting mine as well.


If you haven't done so already get yourself a bottle of Seche Vite top coat and some vitamin D.


I used to bite my nails because they were ragged and peeling. I found using nail strengthener to work wonders.

The cheapest place to get a lot of this is by search around on amazon, honestly. If I were you, I'd get a set of nail brushes instead of a whole set of striping polishes. Then you can use one bottle for multiple things. And here are some cheap, but good, dotting tools.

This is an add-on item, but it's the cheapest you're going to find orangewood sticks anywhere. You can also gets pearls and gems

Sanding blocks and nail files are pretty affordable at sally's. but if you can get into CosmoProf, it's even cheaper there. I believe a manicure bowl is also pretty cheap at Sally's.

Your biggest money sink will be nailpolish. There are some decent brands for fairly cheap, but overall....

I don't know if this is helpful, but here is where I got my Seche. I don't remember it being quite that cheap when I ordered, haha. But even with the shipping now, it's less than $5.

EDIT: Now it's $4.74 with free shipping...get on it! :)

I use the Bundle Monster plates instead. On Amazon, they run only $17.99. You'll also want to get a stamper. Some people like to have the plate holder as well, but I never bought it and I don't have any sort of difficulties.

You'll also definitely want to get some of the special konad polish. The most important one is the white polish. None of the white polishes I've owned are nearly opaque enough. Any thick black polish should work fine for stamping, as well as any strongly opaque color.

They are not too tricky to use, although it does take a bit of practice.

Well you'll need a stamper and a scraper, Amazon has a lot of different kits available. I have a set from Konad similar to this. Then you'll need plates, which mostly come in sets but then they have jumbo plates which is one big piece of metal with several designs etched into it. I've bought all my plates from Amazon as well, my favorite brands are MoYou London, Pueen, and Cheeky. Then as far as how to actually stamp I recommend youtube videos, there are so many helpful ones out there!

These are super cheap I love them. They are very thin though so for a design like yours you'd have to tape of the bottom and top of the zig-zag rather than one big piece of tape.

I would say spring for the Seche restore, and if you are going though a bottle that often, order the professional Seche Vite kit from amazon. $15 for a 4pz bottle plus a .5oz vs $45 for that much if you buy it a small bottle at a time. You will want the restore if you go that route though, the instructions say to restore your little bottle with a few drops before filling it up. But just think, no more dealing with trying to reach far enough into the bottle! I picked up the kit this month and am super pleased with it so far.

Gelish is a brand of gel polish that wears 14-21 day. This is the first time I'm trying it and I love it. Super easy to apply, I am on my 3rd week and no chipping yet (though I did get tired of the original color so applied the regular polish over Gelish).

I've got this lamp based on recommendations from some other Reddit Laquerista. I also got this set which I think of using as a foundation to protect my nails.

Thank you so much!! Yes, I just bought this lamp on Amazon after reading about it on here. It works great and was way easier than expected!

A nail stamper(link) / stamping plate(link) is something I think a lot of people even who love their nails might not have. And the plates are all different so even if they have a few already I'm sure there will be other designs on the plate they don't have. Basically they can stamp cute designs on their nails with their polishes they already have.

I love my nails, and I just finally broke down and got one recently.

I have no experince with the Rio set but when I started stamping I bought the BundleMonster stamping plate set, and a cheap stamper and scraper from Amazon. I also got a few stamping polishes but they're not entirely necessary as many normal polishes work, it's just a bit of trial and error to see what does.

It's fairly cheap to get those essential bits, especially considering how many plates you get for the money you pay. And if you decide it's something you enjoy, you can always buy more plates. As beenardpinkles said, Konad are well recommended and have lots of lovely designs, they're just rather expensive.

get a small brush i use a small one from this set, some pure acetone nail polish remover, and a small container you never plan to use for anything else, like bent tupperware. You'll also want a paper towel or napkin.

do not use a plastic solo cup or anything, they melt when in contact with nail polish remover this is a huge mess, trust me.

Pour about a tablespoon (oops!) teaspoon of the nail polish remove into the container (hard plastic or glass!). Dip the brush in then tap it on the side so there's not a ton of remover in the brush. Gently brush across the polish on your skin, carefully not rubbing your nail. Every few strokes tap the brush onto the paper towel or napkin and some of the excess pigment will come off and not smear across your skin. If excess color bleeds around just do another pass with the brush.

If you want a REALLY easy clean-up, put a small layer of Vaseline, lotion, etc. around your nail (but not on it!) so the excess polish just wipes right off.


edited: wrong spoon.

I had the same problem, and the issue was the top coat. I was using sally hansen double duty, and it just refused to dry, leaving me with the same fabric texture from my pillow.

Switching to sally hansen insta dri really helped my polish dry much faster, like within 15-20 minutes I can do whatever I want without worrying about my polish smudging.

It's something that you're going to use for every manicure, so it's worth it to get a top coat that you like and that works well. Also, sometimes drugstores have sales or coupons that can get you a better price, so check the weekly circulars for deals.

Hope this helps!

I've used [Seche Vite fast dry Top Coat] (http://www.amazon.com/Seche-Vite-Fast-Nail-Ounce/dp/B00150LT40)
It's worked great on top of all my stamp designs!

Hope this helps!

The Seche Vite top coat is amazing! Best I have ever used. Seconding using the "floating" technique.

These are what I have, they're super cheap $2.42 and free shipping. It says they will take a long time to get there, it took about 5 days before mine arrived. I highly recommend them.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B006L1DNWY/ref=oh_details_o06_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I was searching 'best nail polish brands' and your post came up. Get here these 1, 2, and 3. They ship from hong kong and will take about 2 weeks to get to the USA but she'll love these because she can do designs.

I got mine from amazon too but they were a bit more expensive but worth the price since they weren't damaged or missing at all: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0069FDR96/ref=oh_details_o02_s00_i00

but i trusted the seller bc of their ratings

actually a few days ago i posed this same question to laqueristas because it just seemed to daunting to start something completely new like this. here's the post. u/norikotheninja's comment was definitely the most helpful.
i settled on gals' princess plate set and the konad stamper and scraper. the konad plates look nice, but not for $5 a pop. but definitely delve into the youtube videos that show you all the plates and techniques etc.

Products used:

Basecoat: [AIMEILI] (https://www.amazon.com/AIMEILI-Soak-Off-Nail-Polish/dp/B00PF9Q5EG)

Gel Polish: [Lechat Rosemantic] (https://www.amazon.com/Lechat-Perfect-Changing-Rosemantic-Valentines/dp/B00S4AGKBQ), [Red Carpet Manicure Timeless Beauty] (https://www.amazon.com/Red-Carpet-Manicure-Polish-Timeless/dp/B017O9MNQI/) (on accent nail)

Accent Nail: [Born Pretty 73] (https://www.amazon.com/Born-Pretty-Stamping-Template-Flower/dp/B018JXG01C/?th=1), Lechat Rosemantic (non gel) Polish, some green color from Sally's, some black Sinful Colors polish, clear coat(s) were Seche Vite topcoat

Topcoat: [AIMEILI] (https://www.amazon.com/AIMEILI-Soak-Off-Nail-Polish/dp/B00PF9Q5EG)


Lechat Rosemantic is amaaaazing. Thermal polish. When warm/hot it is pink, and when cold it turns red! It also smells like roses. I painted my nails on the two days ago and my nails still faintly smell like roses! Also I cured with a LED lamp; if you use a non LED lamp the pink actually cures as more of a peach color, just FYI; see [here] (http://www.manictalons.com/2015/01/lechat-perfect-match-rosemantic-review.html) for more info.

They were a gift, so I'm not exactly sure which set I have. Some metallics, neons, and glitters. Kind of a fun mix. It was something like this, same brand.
Emori (TM) All About Nail 50 Piece Color Nail Lacquer (Nail Art Brush Style) Combo Set + 3 Sets of Scented Nail Polish Remover - Magical https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0051SDC2Y/ref=cm_sw_r_apa_XJiDxb3Y52SEG

Konad can be bought online here http://www.ocnailart.com/ (not sure if they ship internationally)
Image plates are listed around $7
Plus you will need to buy the stamper

A cheaper alternative is the bundle monster
http://www.amazon.com/Bundle-Monster-Stamping-Manicure-Accessories/dp/B003ILUQPM
It is $18 for 21 image plates. You also will still need to purchase a stamper.
I hear the only difference between bundle monster and konad is that bundle monster image plates are sharper on the outside so you will need to handle them with a bit more care.

Also keep in mind that not all polish is good for stamping. Konad sells special nail polish (at an absurd price)
but thick kind of goopy nail polish works well also. I find that icing nail polish gets gloppy on me quickly so you may want to look in to that.

I got all of mine on Amazon. Below are the first things I bought. I'm pretty new too, but I'm building a nice collection. Not many of the nail items on Amazon are Prime eligible, but if you can find them, I would compare the non-Prime+shipping vs. the Prime one.

http://www.amazon.com/Bundle-Monster-Stamping-Manicure-Accessories/dp/B004XJNQXW/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1319410273&sr=8-2

http://www.amazon.com/Nail-Art-Double-Stamper-Scraper/dp/B002MZ8BK2/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1319410273&sr=8-3

http://www.amazon.com/Debra-Professional-French-Manicure-Clean-Up/dp/B001MP0T2Q/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1319410423&sr=8-1

http://www.amazon.com/Marbleizing-Dotting-Nail-Manicure-Pedicure/dp/B004OHQR1Q/ref=sr_1_1?s=beauty&ie=UTF8&qid=1319410439&sr=1-1

I purchased this set: http://www.amazon.com/Bundle-Monster-Stamping-Manicure-Accessories/dp/B003ILUQPM/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1323438892&sr=8-1

I do have one Konad that I received as part of the rl exchange that I will be trying out next just to compare. So, at the moment I've only used Bundle Monster. I'm curious to know how other stamping plates compare as well.

I also purchased http://www.amazon.com/Nail-Art-Double-Stamper-Scraper/dp/B002MZ8BK2/ref=pd_bxgy_bt_img_b

So far CG works well for stamping. I'm excited to see if Essie, Orly, OPI...and others will work as well.

These Presto gels are considered art gels, so they're thicker and easier to work with for nail art compared to regular gel polish :) I highly recommend them if you're planning to use them for nail art. They also cured perfectly without shrinking over my gel overlay using Gelish, I mention this because I could not get the OPI gel polishes to cure over the Gelish stuff. I bought black, white, nude and the Britney Tokyo x Nail Swag set which are mostly primary colors, you can use them to mix your own colors.


This is the LED lamp I bought from Amazon, it's small but works fine.

I recently purchased this rack from amazon and the shipping was very reasonable and it arrived quickly. It mounted quickly and held almost all of my collection, although I am in need of a second rack already haha. I would definitely recommend it.

I just picked up the Cheeky 2012 and MASH 2012 sets for pretty cheap, with a Konad Stamper/Scraper Set. I've heard good things about Bundle Monster and Shany too, but these seemed to have more designs I liked. So there are realistically quite a few cheap options out there for you!

Plate W116. From Winstonia, it came in a bundle that I purchased from Amazon, has allot of great Holiday stamps!

http://www.amazon.com/Winstonia-Stamp-Stamping-Manicure-Pedicure/dp/B00B868SK4

I have this set: $3.50 with free shipping if you have Amazon Prime. They work great! Definitely recommended.

I also got this one from dealextreme.com for $1.40 plus free shipping. Quality's the same as the MASH tool, but you only get one, and it takes forever to ship.

I have a TON of stamping plates, and I've never bought one in a store. They're almost all exclusively online. Over 90% of the plates I own are from Amazon:

Bundle Monster Set 1

Bundle Monster Set 2

Red Angel

My favorite of these is Red Angel. You can see which plates I've used at my blog's Red Angel page. Below each plate image is a link to the posts I've used the plates for. If there's no link, I haven't used them yet.

Hope that helps!

This is what I got and it works pretty well =)

I actually bought these on April 11th and they just came in today.

I bought these specifically for the super free shipping because I also ordered four of these balls for frankening, so now I have 400 tiny metal balls!

it was super easy! I used this tape in white and just made 3 horizontal lines, 3 lines leaning to the left and 3 lines leaning to the right and just made them cross at the same points...if that makes sense!

Definitely not bad for a first attempt!

Dotting tools, brushes, and striping tape (or even more!) can all be found really cheap on Amazon!

I just bought this one and am pretty happy with it so far. I've only used it a couple times, but it's not that expensive, which is nice.

I bought this set: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00B868SK4/ref=oh_details_o00_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I used the birthday cake and two swoopy patterns that reminded me of scoops of ice cream. I messed up the birthday cake the most, I should have put it on my left hand. I just don't have the control with my left hand to apply the top coat without streaking yet, but I'm getting better.

If you have Amazon Prime this is the best bang for your buck! 4 oz refill plus .5 oz bottle:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0027VCNGO/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_Nu8IDbTDMBMHF

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0069FDR96/ref=pd_aw_sim_bt_3?pi=SL500_SS115
I think that should work? I hope? Lol but yeah the different colored ones.

Thank you for your compliment. I used Bundle Monster Nail Art plates. It comes with 21 plates of different kinds and shapes. I bought the Konad scraper and stamper too for them. It took a couple of tries for me to figure out the timing between painting/scraping/stamping.

Oh, and I used Sinful Colors Snow Me White. I don't think I mentioned it. The main thing is, since Metallic Muse is so, well, metallic, the shine kinda hides the white of the stamp. But if you look at the nails in a way that light doesn't directly hit them, it shows really well, and it looks pretty, so I don't complain.

Yeah Sech Vite is amazing. These are the brushes I have.

red angel and
bundle monster
Got these on Amazon cheap for the amount and I love them.

I think the info links on this su Reddit has a great info about base and top coats.

I do gel tips at home and use Ameili.

https://www.amazon.com/AIMEILI-Soak-Off-Nail-Polish/dp/B00PF9Q5EG

Not too shabby for a free handed job! If you want a cleaner, more smooth-edge look, invest in some nail tape!

I agree with Flamyngo! OPI Original Nail Envy changed my world! In the stores its like $20 a bottle but on amazon I get it for $8!!!! Check it out http://www.amazon.com/OPI-Nail-Natural-Strengthener-0-5-Ounce/dp/B00178TVXG/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1344516901&sr=8-1&keywords=opi+nail+envy

I bought these and they work nicely
http://www.amazon.com/MASH-Marbleizing-Dotting-Manicure-Pedicure/dp/B00631JA8S/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1346686491&sr=8-1&keywords=mash+dotting+tool

But I've also heard several times that unbending a bobby pin and using the rounded end works just fine as well

you can get it here

Hope that helps!

If you do choose to buy it I recommend buying it off of Amazon it is much cheaper than buying it at Ulta. I got mine off of amazon and it took like 3 days to ship.

Here you go! 4 solid ounces of delicious topcoat.

Sounds like you need Seche Vite. Completely dry in 5 minutes :)

Same! Also....I think it's much cheaper off Amazon. I got 10 rolls for ~$1ish? Haha found it!

SUNUV SUN2C 48W LED UV nail Lamp... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01N0BCN9B?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

This is the LED lamp I use to cure my nail polish and it works well so far! I just buy beetles brand gel nail polish off amazon as well it’s very inexpensive.

This isn't the exact same kit as I have, some patterns are the same....less than $1/plate.

your stamps came out really nice! It's a bit trickier with full nail stamps though. I recommend getting the pattern right on the edge of the stamp tool so it's easier to transfer it flush with your cuticle if you know what I mean. If you don't know...you will.

Oh perfect, I have a couple of questions that I wanted to ask anyways!

I have no prior knowledge or experience with gel polishes and how they work (the only thing that I know is to apply thin layers and to keep them absolutely away from natural light hence the opaque bottles), but I would like to get into them especially because I want to try and apply some nail powders. So my questions are:

• What is the difference between the UV and LED stuff?
  
• How do I know which lamp to buy? And since each gel polish will carry a recommended curing time with them, does the wattage of the lamp affect it and if so by how much? Based on simplynailogical's video, she uses this lamp and this no wipe top coat
  
• If there is no stated curing time, how does one estimate whether or not a nail is fully cured?
  
• When it comes to buffing nail powders into the cured nail, does it matter if the top coat that was used had a sticky layer or is a no wipe? (again referring to simply's video she used a no wipe). If the answer is that there is no difference, then I would like to buy a no wipe version
  
• Is it okay to use gel top coat over regular, non-gel nail polish? Will it cause the underlying nail polish to have streaks or some funky lines as a result of the two different mixtures?
  
  ​
  
  Oh and, one more that popped into my mind just now. Ever since I bought UNT's peel off base coat, I use it every single time. However it does ruin gradients as repetitive dabs to the nail surface will cause the base coat to thin out (I even waited ~20 mins for the base coat to dry before trying a gradient). So to anyone who uses a peel off base coat and does gradients on top of it, does it ever work? Or am I being a complete moron as the peel off will just cause lifts?
  
  ​
  
  I will be very grateful to receive answers, thank you!

This here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B002WVBEH8/ref=cm_sw_r_udp_awd_Ff75tb179T0G8 it's amazing for the price!

I didn't know where to go in person to get them, so I bought my supplies online from Amazon! I got this stamper and this set of plates and went to YouTube for lessons :)

You do want a brush that's on the stiffer side. You need it to keep its shape as you clean up, because when they fan out (as you know) you don't get the clean lines. I got this brush set and I started using one of the brushes that came with it until my friend picked me up a nicer one. The bristles or only about a 1/4" long, flat edge, and while you can bend the bristles it has a bit of resistance to it. Little things to look for.

Some brushes don't hold up well to the acetone. I see a lot of trial and error with most people, but a lot of the time it's the cheapiest brush out there that works for them. Now looking at that image, it's hard to tell how long the bristles are. Do you use the brush for anything else and would you be okay if you ruined it? You could trim it down with some sharp scissors (a little at a time) and see if that improves the bristles any. Generally the shorter the bristles, the more resistant they are to fanning out.
My brushes get hard after I use them to cleanup, too. It's just the lacquer residue and acetone making the bristles stiff as they dry. All you need to do is let it dry out and then smooth the bristles when you go to cleanup next. I just flick the bristles back and forth a couples of times and it softens right back up. Soaking the brush in water for any real length of time isn't good for brushes in general. Well, I'm speaking from a purely painting perspective that soaking in water for extended periods of time will wreck the ferrule and your bristles will go ape shit. If you want to wash the brush, just run it under some water, gently handling the bristles (no tugging or extreme bending), then flick the brush to get most of the water off of it. Then you can reshape the bristles into their original shape, getting the edges straight and such. As it dries, it'll hold its shape.

Pretty reasonable on Amazon

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00150LT40/ref=ox_sc_act_title_3?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=A2RGW401VKH294

As a single dad several years ago I invested in these for my daughter. We loved doing her nails with different designs. Now at 20 she still has me doing her nails.

https://www.amazon.com/Winstonia-Stamp-Stamping-Manicure-Pedicure/dp/B00B868SK4

http://www.amazon.com/Emori-Lacquer-Scented-Polish-Remover/dp/B0051SDC2Y/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1346670301&sr=8-4&keywords=50+nail+polish+set


here's one with 50. not sure if this is what you're looking for though, but it's a start :)

Seche Vite is fantastic.

That's striping tape! :]
http://www.amazon.com/Nail-Stripe-Decoration-Sticker-Hologram/dp/B0069FDR96/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1369944717&sr=8-1&keywords=striping+tape

89¢ + free shipping

I bought mine on amazon.com. $4 for a set of 10 rolls and it showed up in a matter of days.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0069FDR96/ref=mp_s_a_1?qid=1333296466&sr=8-1

Very pleased with this purchase.

I recently discovered Seche Vite thanks to this subreddit its about $5 from amazon and is the most incredible fast drying top coat that doesn't really shrink, dries instantly and lasts days even on my lower quality nail polishes. Here's a link

Here it is on amazon and it's only like $8.50.

I'm not sure about the brand, I got it off Amazon for about $1. Here's the link for it. And thank you! :D

Oh!! The Bundle Monster set (http://www.amazon.com/Bundle-Monster-Stamping-Manicure-Accessories/dp/B004XJNQXW/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1343503652&sr=8-2&keywords=bundle+monster+plate) has a couple of skull like images (ex: BM 225, BM 211) along with other Halloween themed stamping images.

Links for anyone who is interested:

Chevron stickers

Dotting tools

Stripe tape

O.P.I Nail Envy

These are the dotting tools that I use and I really like them!

http://www.amazon.com/MASH-Marbleizing-Dotting-Manicure-Pedicure/dp/B00631JA8S/ref=sr_1_19?ie=UTF8&qid=1382041964&sr=8-19&keywords=nail+dotting+tools

I use this one and really like it!

http://www.amazon.com/Bottles-Nail-Polish-Wall-Rack/dp/B002WVBEH8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1371604768&sr=8-1&keywords=Nail+polish+racks

)

Yes they do!

http://www.amazon.com/Restore-002001-Seche-2-0oz-Treatments/dp/B000QUI920/ref=pd_bxgy_bt_img_b

yeah, I ordered mine from amazon for 93 cents. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0069FDR96/ref=wms_ohs_product?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Album Link: http://imgur.com/a/KQhm9

Products:

Go For Gold - Sally Hansen

Juliette - ILNP

XO - ILNP

Seche Vite Fast Dry Top Coat

Hearts Vinyls - What's Up Nails

I found a nice big pack on eBay.

But if you don't feel safe buying on eBay, here's a link to a listing on Amazon.

D

Sure! http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B002MZ8BK2
See if that works.

It was something like this on amazon.

Looks like this.

Get yourself some dotting tools - http://www.amazon.com/MASH-Marbleizing-Dotting-Manicure-Pedicure/dp/B00631JA8S/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1358469927&sr=8-5&keywords=nail+art+dotting+tool

Brushes - http://www.amazon.com/MASH-Professional-piece-Nail-Brush/dp/B005BG02BU

Stamping plates - http://www.amazon.com/MASH-Nailart-Stamping-Manicure-Accessories/dp/B0080GV0Z0/ref=sr_1_11?s=beauty&ie=UTF8&qid=1368487380&sr=1-11&keywords=konad+stamping+set

A butt-load of make-up sponges, a box of fake nails (for practice), and acrylic paints!

Have fun on your shopping spree!!