(Part 2) Best products from r/RedditLaqueristas

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!

I don't know that I'll be much help, since I'm not familiar with UK vendors, but a couple of general questions:

• About how many polishes does she have? This will drive how big of a box/rack/set of drawers she needs.
  
• Do you live near an Ikea? If so, and if she has a ton of polish, these drawers are incredibly popular for people with large collections. They can hold approx. 500 bottles of polish!
  
• Is she able to wall-mount anything where she lives? For example, spice racks like these are fairly popular for polishes, but (obviously) she needs to be able to wall mount it.
  
• Are there any particular brands that you know of that she likes? Does she wear a lot of bright, glittery polishes, or does she tend to be fairly conservative with her nails?
  
  If she likes doing nail art, you may want to check out MoYou London. They have stamping plates and other nail art supplies. Nail stamping is the process of applying polish to an engraved metal plate, scraping excess polish off of the design, and then picking up the polish left in the design and transferring it to the nail.
  
  If you think stamping is something she'd be interested in, you could pick up a few of the image plates from MoYou (they have a TON of different designs, and are good quality), as well as a stamper like this one or this one. Those same stampers can be found cheaper on Amazon or Ebay (direct from Hong Kong or China), but they'll probably take longer than 2 weeks to get to you. MoYou took less than 2 weeks to get from the UK to the US when I ordered, so it should be pretty quick for you.
  
  I'm sure she'll love whatever you pick up; all of us love having S/Os that support or enable our nail habits :)

I know some fun tools to start with would definitely be dotting tools. I got that set cheap when I had free Prime shipping, and I did the same for these brushes. I'm sure you can shop around and find what fits your budget (I'm pretty cheap/broke myself), as some people also find it cheaper/easier to get tiny craft brushes, like from Michael's (and they almost always have like 20% coupons weekly).

It takes some practice to freehand stuff, so the dotting is nice to begin with. A lot of people, beginners and not, also like stamping. You don't have to get the legit Konad plates, but people tend to recommend the Konad stamper at least, and then get knockoff brand plates like Bundle Monster or others. There's so many tools to use, but you can choose whatever fits your preference and/or your budget to begin :)

And yes - follow blogs for awesome tutorials (people even post a lot of their own on here), and YouTube has lots of amazing videos for things like water marbling, or gradients with makeup sponges. I hope it helps - have fun! :)

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.

Inspiration credit: Magda W nails. I came across an awesome nail design on Pinterest and gave it a try. I did a quick search and it looks like Magda W is a salon with an FB page. Full design/inspiration credit to them.

I tried dotting sometime last year with a ballpoint pen and was pretty happy with the results. I haven’t really done any freehand nail art since.

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, got some chips and 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. This time I’m really, really, really going to soak the crap out of it before trying to remove it.

The colors are Born Pretty PP04 Meet You. It’s the perfect soft bubble gum color to make the white pop. It’s my first time using this color and I love it. Black is Born Pretty Black Gel. Takes only one coat for solid coverage and even though it’s regular gel, it worked great for dotting! Gelish Sheek White. Great for French tips! It’s great color, but mine’s getting a bit old.

I painted the base coats and then used a wooden cuticle pusher as a dotter. Don’t be like me and have to repaint your nails three times! Start with the pinky and ring fingers first, work inward because those are the nails you’re most likely to smudge. Next, just do one color’s worth of dotting, set it, and then do the next color.
On the left hand, I did the perfect job and was reaching for the nail dryer when I accidentally scraped two fingers against the bottom of the lamp. I tried to leave the other two nails untouched as I fixed them, but wound up having to wipe it all off and start again. The second try, I was on my last nail and tried to “just fix one tiny thing.” Holding a cotton ball with wet paint is a recipe for disaster. Of course I had to start again. On my left hand, I did the white dots, set the nails and then did the black. I didn’t try to fix anything and tempt fate, either. Ha.

Anyway. I really like how it turned out. I think I'll invest in some sort of dotting tool for more consistent sized dots.

Ohmygosh, I think you might be talking about my nails!

I really like the glitter base you chose, as well as taking the extra time to make the hearts 3D (darker polish color for shadow + outlining them in black + white accents). The lettering could use a little work, but practice makes perfect! I'd recommend investing in some smaller detail brushes like these because they will make it A LOT easier. But seriously, your nails look amazing! It's especially impressive you did both hands. Great job!

First, I suggest looking at this helpful post. It's on the sidebar but it's at the very very bottom lol

Catalinahx did a good job overviewing everything. Definitely check out the nail blogs like Rebecca likes Nails, Nailin' it and Nailside for tips on creating perfect nail art!

I have brushes by m.a.s.h. I got them from Amazon for an okay price!

Many of the bundle monster sets are available on Amazon, I'm a big fan of their polishes and plates. (The nature and horror sets are my favorites, the blogger collaborations are great as well)


For stampers, I'd recommend something like this: https://www.amazon.com/Transparent-Christmas-Template-Manicure-Accessories/dp/B01MDVI14A/

Or maybe a starter kit like this: https://www.amazon.com/BMC-Beginnings-Nail-Stamping-Starter/dp/B073XY7MFB/


I use a set like this for cleanup: https://www.amazon.com/Plaid-Learn-Natural-Bristle-10-Piece/dp/B00J8HCPC2/


For cheap polishes that stamp really well (that aren't technically stamping polishes) this set is one of my favorites. I don't recommend using them as a base polish, but they are great for nail art and stamping. https://www.amazon.com/Kleancolor-Nail-Polish-Metallic-Bodycare/dp/B00AVP37G8/


As already mentioned, Born Pretty sells a lot of their plate sets/stamping polishes on Amazon. I'm a big fan of those as well.


And this is not for stamping, but it might be something you want for a doticure! https://www.amazon.com/Dotting-Marbleizing-Manicure-Pedicure-Ounce/dp/B004OHQR1Q/


This is the latex I use, I just paint it on with a brush: https://www.amazon.com/Liquid-Latex-16-Fluid-Ounces/dp/B004WCMKA0/ref=sr_1_3_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1504549993&sr=8-3&keywords=liquid+latex

I go back and forth with Kleancolor. I think they have some great colors and they are dirt cheap. My boyfriend bought me this Kleancolor set which comes out to less than $1/bottle.

On the flip side, I personally find them a bit smelly. I can't truly speak to their durability because I tend to change my polish before they have a chance to chip, but I think that if you use a good base and top coat, that in general will extend any polish wear time. As for application, I think this varies per finish. Their cremes go on alright if you wait for each coat to dry, but the glitters I have definitely require me to fish for glitter because the base tends to let the glitter sink. When I applied the neon amethyst base color I did have some goopy accumulation at the tip of one of my nails but when I started over on that nail and used a thinner original coat, I had no issues.

For me, the appeal of the above set was that they would fill out my color palette and I don't regret getting them at all. I think they are worth it for their price and they have some really vibrant colors. Whew, that was long haha sorry! I don't know how to be concise.

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 found that lil oil pens like this one helped me regularly oil my cuticles which helped a lot! Your nails and cuticles are actually quite nice! That color looks very subtle and elegant. I’ve been learning myself on how to maintain my nails with videos like this one :) best of luck and happy painting!

Cuticle cream helps A LOT. It keeps your cuticles from getting dried out and gross, which can be a big problem when you do your nails a lot (nail polish remover dries them out super bad). I use Burt's Bees Lemon Butter Cuticle Cream and love it! it works well and smells good too :)

Also try to use non-acetone nail polish remover rather than acetone as much as possible. Sometimes its hard to avoid (like with glitter) but acetone is much harder on your nails/cuticles. I like to keep a big bottle of non-acetone remover which I use the majority of the time and a small bottle of acetone for especially tough manicures ;)


As for your actual nails, invest in a glass nail file like this. It will help prevent your nails from splitting or breaking. Filing in one direction helps with this as well.

Hope this helps! :)

Ahh! How wonderful! I just did mine recently too over the course of a weekend! It was very satisfying, but I think all the fumes may have killed off a few brain cells (one open window wasn't enough to clear it out).

If anyone here is planning on doing this, I second the recommendation for a cheap (or unused, I had an old, free OPI one that I've never touched) top coat. I also recommend that you let them dry for a while before applying the top coat. I got impatient and painted some sparklies while they were still tacky, and some of the glitter stuck on the brush, so some of my solid colors look like they have a little bit of sparkle.

Oh, I've also noticed that a lot of people have been waiting for ebay/long shipping times from Amazon, but I was able to get a nice set of 200 that came with two-day Prime shipping. If anyone is in a hurry, I liked the ones that I got. They are $10 for 200, which I thought was reasonable, but honestly, I didn't research that much.

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!

Hey! So a couple questions first:

1. Are you sure it isn't "Seche Clear" that you picked up, and not Seche Vite? Seche clear is a bottom coat (I believe) and is not fast drying.
   
   
2. Did you by any chance ask why it was on sale? Maybe the bottles are old, and that could be why they're on sale. Older Seche's get goopy because it is a fast drying polish, so the older it is, the thicker it gets because it's always drying when it hits the air. I'm not sure about the bubbles though, that seems like a new issue to me. I have not seen that so I am sorry that I can't give advice on that!
   
   So, if you do have Seche Vite (and not clear), I would try taking it back and saying you got a bad bottle. Try to return it and say that it's your first experience with it and you expected it to work "up to par," even though it was on sale. Stuff on sale should be there to save you money, not on sale because it's shitty, right? Maybe out of season, but not defective, unless there's some kind of warning on it. So yeah, I would try to return it.
   
   I have gone through quite a few bottles of Seche Vite myself, and I find that buying Seche Restore is super helpful for when it starts to get goopy. It's a nail polish thinnner, designed to keep the same properties as SV (Restore can be used with any polish, but not any thinner can be used with Seche Vite- does that make sense?)
   
   Anyway, this is one huge freakin wall of text, but I hope it helps! Let me know if you have more questions or if something I said isn't clear :)

I got them on amazon They're actually spice racks.. but it does well as a nail polish rack too. hehe

A bit of forewarning: you won't be able to see the colors in the back. If you stagger them, OPI/china glaze polishes will fit 16 per row. Julep fits in rows of 3 without staggering. You can fit a bunch of Julep, but you won't be able to see the two rows in the back.

I'm still pretty okay with this as I've sorted them by brand and remember what colors I have of each so I can quickly find what I'm looking for :)

• Color Polish: FairyGlo Gel Polish, Color 1594
  
  • Amazon in a set of 6 7ml bottles
    
• Stamping Polish: Kleancolor Metallic Aqua 164
  
  • Amazon in a set of 12 15ml bottles
    
• Stamping Plates: Biutee
  
  • This set came with a stamper, scraper and set of 10 plates from Amazon as well
    
• Top Coat: Modelones Matte and No Wipe top coats
  
  • Ring finger matte top coat, other fingers no wipe top coat from Amazon came with both top coats and some other colors
    
    I have been getting into doing my own nails and nail art. Been doing gel regularly for about 8 months at home. Got my first stamping plate set and some new gel to try it out. Since this was my second time stamping i had the hang of it a bit better than the first time but still need practice. Any tips are welcome :). If anyone has any tips on how to shape my nails i would love to hear them. My nail beds are wide and sometimes fan out. I have been just trying to file the edges to make them skinny because I'm not sure what else to do.

I used these sticks:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00SKBXXS2/ref=yo_ii_img?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I don't know if there's better out there. They're a little more uneven than my natural nails, so they made some créeme polishes look worse quality at 2 costs than they do on my natural nails. Clear is a better color choice though. I used to use white, but my sheer duochromes would look much more opaque than they were in actuality.


If you like any color, let me know and I'll be happy to tell you it's name :)

I use spice racks I don't need to see the colors because I have Swatch sticks organized by row of where they are on the racks and you can fit two rows of pretty much every normal .5 oz polish bottle on each shelf. these are the ones I use: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001E8TLKC/ref=oh_details_o07_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
I love the dark iron look and the fact that I can mount them on the wall right by my nail table and light so it's all right there and easy to access. It also helps that they are inexpensive so I can purchase them easily and spend more on polish :D

There is this spice rack that a lot of people on this sub have and use for nail polish storage! It's pretty and cheap!

You say get things are in disarray, if she needs a place to store polish bottles http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B001E8TLKC/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?qid=1410819408&sr=1-3

Otherwise, something to store tools, glue, press on nails, look into Caboodle, I love mine, got it at Ulta for about 25 bucks with a coupon, I wouldn't pay more than 30 and I bet they arw on Amazon too. Ulta website has free shipping over 50 and free returns to store.

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

It's mostly stuff bought from Wal-Mart, Target, or Sally Beauty Supply. Brushes(and more brushes), dotting tools, and striping tape. I've also occasionally cut shapes into scotch tape (but I've found that I have to tape two layers together or it sometimes tears when peeling off).

As for brands, it started with a crapload of Sinful Colors, but I've also used Kleancolor (metallic and neon), Sally Hansen (which I'm really liking for ease of use), as well as Fingerpaints (Chromatic Creation is my favorite and introduced me to the holo effect) and a few bottles of China Glaze. At this point I now have about 118 different bottles (I tend to dive into stuff).

It's the Seche Vite! The acetone-cleaning should help, but using too thick of a layer of Seche makes this peeling happen, I think. Try going easier on the topcoat. If you've had it for a while, and it's getting a little goopy, I'd also invest in a bottle of Seche Restore thinner.

Also, I'm not sure, but is the topcoat peeling off in its own layer as well? Like, leaving the polish under it behind? Because this issue can also be solved by letting your nails dry less before you put the Seche on.

I can barely see them, but I'd suggest using a nail oil like jojoba or vitamin E. Also Bliss Kiss sells a [nail and cuticle oil pen for 7$] (https://www.amazon.com/Bliss-Kiss-Simply-Pure-Cuticle/dp/B00DYMYY2G/ref=sr_1_4_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1499134405&sr=8-4&keywords=nail%2Boil&th=1)

OPI alpine snow for the base, Sally Hansen Insta-Dri in Silver Sweep for the stamping (their whole insta-dri line works really well for stamping, the colors are super vivid and stick well! :) )

The stamps are a random set from Amazon, I believe they were called Gals :)

EDIT Found the stamp set! http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005FK3M46/ref=oh_details_o00_s01_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Seche Vite is one of the best quick dry top coats, and I saw it at Target the other day. Otherwise, it is sold online. You can buy cheap dotting tools on amazon that come with nail art brushes- I use the brushes for clean up because I can’t freehand to save my life. I think that’s a good starter pack for your mani

I second the amazon movement! I picked up my bundle for cheap! Granted it was 9.95 when I bought it and they raised it 5 bucks, of course! But its exactly like the bundle monster. And the stamper I opted for was not the double ended stamper but was still cheaper with shipping than the other example. Also checking clearance anywhere you go. You would be surprised what you'll find.

*The best tip for major nail haul I have been given though, is checking craigslist for polish. When a nail salon closes down, they will sometimes list all their stuff, polish included for cheap! Check this post out! I found one and it should be coming very soon!

Honestly, I haven't done a thing and most of them just last. Some cheaper off-brand or drugstore brand ones that are like 15+ years old have dried but most do not. I have some that are easily 20 years old that my mom gave me and the formula is still perfect. You could also get some seche restore and I have been told it works wonders. I have never tried it personally, though.

I actually used a combination of nail polish and acrylic paints. The nail polish for the base coat and the acrylic paint for the details on top. The acrylic paint allows you to "erase" mistakes with water. The acrylic paint dries super fast and stays permanent with a good topcoat. Also invest in good detail brushes. You don't have to pay a million bucks for them. Start off with inexpensive ones like these that only cost about $4: Winstonia 5 pcs Professional Nail Art Set Liner + Striping Brushes for Short Strokes, Details, Blending, Elongated Lines etc by Winstonia -http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00GD0IQQ6/ref=cm_sw_r_udp_awd_YX-6tb0VMZBMA

This is what's in my kit, aside from the polishes themselves; I [personally] get most of my things from Sally Beauty Supply, Amazon, and local drugstores/Target type places. Polishes come from anywhere I find something pretty.

Migi Nail Art

KISS Nail Artist Paint (Available at most drugstores. Another brand is LA Colors)

Dotting Tools

Nail Art Brushes

Cuticle oil/lotion

Superfine glass/crystal nail file

Nipper tool (I prefer Tweezerman; they haven't gone dull like the Sally Hansen ones I replaced did.)

Nail polish thinner

Little cups for water marbling (my bf brings home Dixie sized cups)

Practice nail wheels

Stamps! I prefer Konad (deeper engravings, the sides aren't sharp, prettier images), but also have BundleMonster (cheaper, more expansive packages; have cut myself a a few times, some images aren't very deep and don't hold much polish/transfer well).

French Manicure tip guides (some girls use hole reinforcements (also good for half moon manis) or tape)

Scotch tape

Vaseline (for water marbling)

Wedge makeup sponges (for gradient manicures)

Nail glue

Silk Wraps (available online or at a beauty supply store) What Are Silk Wraps?

Mixing palette (or paper plates, etc.)

Angled brush for cleanup (I also have pointed qtips, but the brush is much, much more precise.)

Tiny coffee straws (for splatter/drip manis, etc.)

Loose glitter, rhinestones, fimo sticks

Ummmmm....quick, someone else keep the list going!

I got a whole set of winstonia nail art brushes for pretty cheap! I’ve had them for two years and they still work super good.

Link: Winstonia 5 pcs https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00GD0IQQ6/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_2-1XBbJ8T6V55

After watching and reading lots of stamping plate reviews I realized it's a very personal choice. How much money are you willing to spend? Which designs do you like?

Personally I bought the Cheeky set and a Konad stamper because I liked the Cheeky designs and they were cheap. My sister has the Salon Express kit so I use that one a lot too. I've just used nail polish I have in my collection for stamping, some work great, some don't. Trail and error.

You may want to find a nicer one that comes with a little case maybe. Something like this http://www.amazon.com/Crystal-Glass-Inches-Carrying-Sassella/dp/B00283O7LK/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1394848897&sr=8-2&keywords=glass+nail+file+with+case

That way it's secure in your purse or wherever you keep it. I don't think they break that easy though.

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'm not currently home but it's from the Shany set I just got in the mail yesterday... http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004DK0UDA/ref=oh_details_o00_s01_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I can update you with the stamp number and polish names when I get home later. I'm super excited with how it turned out but I definately still need more practice.

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.

Cheeky 2012 plate set. It's the only set I have. :) It's a very good set for patterns and has a few "decal"-type stamps but not many.

As you can see the fine details on the plates come out very nicely in real life.

Hi I have these winstonia brushes from Amazon which I really love. I honestly find myself really only using the middle one and the second one from the right in the picture though.

thank you!! I freehanded it with diff acrylic paints - I also used this super cheap set of nail art brushes

Kleancolors Metallic Mango might be that orange one your looking for! I recently purchased this and I fell in love with all of the metallics! If you have extra money to spend I would highly suggest it. Kleancolor's charcoal (which I also received) is very similar to iron butterfly and stone cold. (:

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!

You're welcome! I was the same way-I used to buy those drug store ones and wondered why glass files were supposedly amazing if they wore out so quickly.

I really like this one: to amazon!
It's slightly pricey (6.49) but comes with a carrying case (silly but surprisingly useful).

Textured polishes are very thick, so sponging wasn't really an option. I wiped as much as I could off of the brush, and applied the polish carefully over the stencil. I love how it turned out! and after it dried, it was like having 3d leaves on my nails!

Products used:
China Glaze Sea Spray
Seche Vive
Zoya Chita
Monstera Stencil

I’m in love with this top coat as of late.

https://www.amazon.com/Seche-Vive-Effect-Coat-Ounce/dp/B01CW9UUQK

As a rule, the morning after I give myself a manicure, I apply a second coat of whatever top coat I use. I find it helps.

Definitely not bad for a first attempt!

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

Thank you! I linked them below. For the flowers, I used a small flat brush and dipped it in multiple colors to create dimension. I sort of used it on it’s side in a sweeping motion. It doesn’t apply much product which is nice to keep it smooth and flat. Some flowers I did have to do a few coats. For the leaves and other small details, I used the tiny detailed brush that came with the mission control gels. It’s so small, like only 5 bristles or so.

Brushes from Amazon

http://www.amazon.com/Brushes-Dotting-Marbling-Detailing-Painting/dp/B00LBMK2KO/ref=sr_1_10?ie=UTF8&qid=1409020302&sr=8-10&keywords=nail+polish+dotting
This is the brush and dotting tool set, and it looks like it is still on sale.
http://www.amazon.com/Nail-Polish-Table-Display-Bottles/dp/B004W8XLAM/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1409014093&sr=8-1&keywords=nail+polish+rack
This is the table holder, and it looks like it is still on sale as well.

Funny I just got these which appear to be exactly the same under a different name.

I wish it came with some extra rings though. I want to break my stuff up into more than four categories!

Dotting tools for sure! Similar to toothpicks but with different sized balls and way easier to clean/reuse. Also striping brushes so you can make any polish a "striping" polish.

If it helps, this is the set I have :) It comes with a dotting tool, too!

it's a 15-piece MASH nail brush set. got it from amazon. also helps that the bf is an artist so he knows how to use the brushes to make those tiny lines. he's teaching me :)

I have the pens and a refill bottle of the oil, and I love it. You can buy a single pen to try it out from [Amazon]
(https://www.amazon.com/Bliss-Kiss-Pure-Cuticle-Nail/dp/B00DYMYY2G)...

They are totally amazing try these I just got them today

It was a fun vacation project, just marathon watched movies in between coats.

The swatch wands I just grabbed from Amazon, I only used about a third of the order though (wishful thinking I had that many polishes hah)
Clear Tips Acrylics

I got this one https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00LBMK2KO/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1


its $14 now but it was $10 when i got itm its nice!

Ah okay, this might work for you then! I really like it, I actually got another one for my kitchen to hold spices.

Here's the link: http://www.amazon.com/Spectrum-Wall-Mountable-Black-Scroll-Spice/dp/B001E8TLKC/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1411612651&sr=8-1&keywords=scroll+spice+rack

I went ahead and got a set of Kleencolor polishes from Amazon - 48 polishes for $42. There's a good range of colors, it's decent quality, and it's kept me busy!

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B005H8PTR4?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_title

I also use Orly Bonder base coat with SV for my top coat. I get a full week out of my manicures almost without fail. I get the giant 4 oz bottle of SV on eBay and decant it into the smaller 0.5 oz bottle, and I keep it fresh with Seche Restore.

I use a different, much thinner/pointier brush to do designs like that. Kinda like the long/thin ones in this set: http://www.amazon.com/MASH-Professional-piece-Nail-Brush/dp/B005BG02BU

I used a thin brush from this set and just went quite slow. With the brush being so thin you have a bit of leeway to wobble as you can just make the line a little thicker. Also when you put the next colour on you can straighten up your last line. I drip the colours onto a palette so theyre a little tacky when painting them on and do one colour at a time. This seems to stop them from running into each other.

Hope that helps!

Dotting tools are like paint brushes for your nails, but instead of doing lines with a brush you dot the polish on with the metal tip to create a design. Here are what they look like.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00LBMK2KO
It's a 20 piece set that also comes with a free eBook to explain how to use them all.

I just use the two thinnest brushes from a really inexpensive set off amazon to fill in larger areas and the small areas like the flowers I used the smallest dotting tool

Yimart 20PCS Nail Art Design Dotting Painting Drawing Polish Brush Pen Tools https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06X6BCY7K/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_oas0CbA0RWJ8V

It's a Shany stamp set :)

Polishes used:

Sinful Colors "Pink Smart", "Caribbean Cool", and "Sinorita"

Orly "Just Breathe" and "Fresh Start"

Sally Hansen "White On" and "Black Out"

OPI "Worth a Pretty Penne"

Orly Bonder

Seche Vite

Brushes I used

I think they hold well. I have two different types... Three have two screw holes at just the top, and the other five have two screw holes at the top AND bottom. I prefer the ones with four holes, but I've never had a problem with either. I get the swatch sticks on Amazon and I keep an inventory too :D

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!!

For $3 more this one has twice as many swatch sticks. I just ordered these for myself last week after I spent some time trying to fine the most I could get for the cheapest amount.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00SKBXXS2?psc=1&ref=yo_pop_mb_pd

It was part of a 15 piece set I got from Amazon, here it is.

I ordered them off amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00SKBXXS2/ref=mp_s_a_1_1_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1505761759&sr=8-1&keywords=nail+swatch+sticks&dpPl=1&dpID=51gkqw3rEyL&ref=plSrch

Sorry, that was the website on the box.
Here's a link to the stamp set on amazon.

http://www.amazon.com/Gals-Princes-Stamping-Manicure-Accessories/dp/B005FK3M46

Restore?

Here ya go.

This is the set that I got!

I'm just going to take a guess and say that you got this set?

http://www.amazon.com/MASH-Professional-piece-Nail-Brush/dp/B005BG02BU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1343042988&sr=8-1&keywords=mash+nail+art+brushes

That's the set that I just got in the mail last week (YAY!) I don't really have an explanation to why you get two, but when I got that set my sister asked me what the bent brush was for, because its basically the same same as another brush, but bent.

This is the same set I got

Oops! Just went digging through my stuff to check and realized these are actually not Konad... It's Cheeky #29. This bundle has it, in the big picture it's the 4th row 4th column: http://www.amazon.com/Collection-Stamping-Nailart-Designs-Cheeky/dp/B006OMHR1S

It's a brand of plate, not an adjective. This is an example of cheeky brand plates.

Red and Gold are from this set: https://www.amazon.com/Kleancolor-Nail-Polish-Metallic-Bodycare/dp/B00AVP37G8/ref=sr_1_3_s_it?s=beauty&ie=UTF8&qid=1482549035&sr=1-3&keywords=metallic+nail+polish

In the winter I'm never more than 15 feet from one of these:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00DYMYY2G/

I have about 7 of them.

Did you get this set? I just ordered these because they were so cheap and someone on here recommended them not too long ago. If so, what was wrong with them?

Also, if these suck, my next step will be somewhere like Michael's to get tiny brushes. Also heard that ELF eyeliner brushes work well.