Nail art tools make designs easier, neater and faster than improvising with a toothpick. You do not need a large kit. Three or four inexpensive tools open up most designs, and each has a clear purpose. This guide explains what the common tools do, so that you can buy only what you will use.
Brushes
| Brush | Shape | Used for |
|---|---|---|
| Striping (liner) brush | Very long and thin | Long, straight lines and stripes |
| Detail brush | Short, fine point | Small shapes, letters, leaves, outlines |
| Flat brush | Short, square tip | One-stroke petals; filling areas |
| Angled brush | Slanted flat tip | French tips; curved lines |
| Fan brush | Spread bristles | Dusting glitter; soft striped or airbrushed effects |
| Ombre brush | Sparse, uneven bristles | Blending two colors at the join |
| Clean-up brush | Small, firm, flat or angled | Tidying the cuticle line with remover |
Synthetic bristles hold up best to nail polish and remover. A set of small brushes sold for nail art is inexpensive. Fine artists' brushes work as well.
Dotting tools
A dotting tool is a handle with a small metal ball at each end. Sets include several sizes, from pinpoint to a few millimeters across.
- Use them for: dots, flowers, hearts, animal prints and marbling.
- Extra uses: picking up rhinestones with a damp tip, and dragging colors.
See Dot Nail Art: An Easy Tutorial for Beginners for a tutorial.
Tapes, guides and stencils
- Striping tape: very thin adhesive tape, used either as a decoration or as a mask. See Striped Nail Art: A Step-by-Step Guide.
- French tip guides: curved stickers that mark the smile line.
- Nail vinyls and stencils: cut-out shapes such as chevrons, stars and hearts. Stick on, paint over and peel off.
- Low-tack tape: for color blocking.
Sponges
A dense makeup sponge, cut into pieces, creates gradients and textured effects. See Ombre Nails: How to Blend Nail Polish Colors.
Skin protection
- Liquid latex or peel-off barrier: painted on the skin around the nail before sponging or stamping, and peeled away afterwards. Avoid it if you have a latex allergy. Latex-free versions exist.
- Tape or petroleum jelly are simple alternatives.
Stamping kits
A stamping kit includes an engraved metal plate, a scraper and a soft silicone stamper.
- Paint polish over the engraved design.
- Scrape off the excess.
- Pick up the image by rolling the stamper over it.
- Roll the stamper onto the nail.
Stamping gives detailed patterns quickly. It works best with thick, highly pigmented polish, and it takes a little practice.
Embellishments and how to place them
- Rhinestones, studs and pearls: pick them up with a wax pencil or a damp dotting tool and set them into wet top coat or nail glue.
- Foils and flakes: press onto tacky polish or foil glue.
- Stickers and decals: place with tweezers.
- Loose glitter: apply with a fan brush or a fingertip onto wet polish.
Other useful accessories
- Fine tweezers, for stickers, tape and gems.
- A palette or a piece of foil, for drops of polish.
- Orangewood sticks, for tidying and nudging.
- Lint-free wipes, which leave no fibers.
- A small dish of remover, for cleaning brushes.
- A good top coat, to seal everything.
- A table lamp, for clear light.
A starter kit
| Tool | Why |
|---|---|
| Double-ended dotting tool, two sizes | Dots, flowers, hearts |
| Striping brush | Lines and stripes |
| Detail brush | Small shapes |
| Clean-up brush | Neat edges |
| Striping tape | Easy metallic lines |
| Makeup sponge | Ombre |
With these six items, you can do almost every design in Easy Nail Art Ideas for Beginners.
Regular polish or special nail art paint?
Ordinary nail polish works for most designs. It dries quickly, so work with small drops. Acrylic paint, thinned with a little water, gives more working time and washes off brushes with water. Seal it with top coat. Gel paints stay workable until they are cured under a lamp.
Looking after your tools
- Clean brushes immediately. Dip them in remover, wipe on a lint-free pad and reshape the tip. Polish that dries in the bristles ruins a brush.
- Wipe dotting tools between colors and after use.
- Store brushes flat or with the bristles up, with their caps on.
- Wash sponges and stampers as their makers direct. Clean stampers with sticky tape, because remover can damage the silicone.
- Keep small items in a divided box.
See How to Clean and Store Nail Tools for cleaning and storing all your nail tools.
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Frequently asked questions
What nail art tools should a beginner buy first?
A double-ended dotting tool, a striping brush and a clean-up brush cover most beginner designs.
Can I use regular makeup or paint brushes for nail art?
Yes, if they are small, fine and synthetic. Keep them for nail use only, because remover is hard on bristles.
How do I clean nail art brushes?
Dip them in nail polish remover straight after use, wipe gently on a lint-free pad until clean, and reshape the bristles.