Nail Art Tools!

A few people have asked me lately how I do my nail art designs so I've decided to tell you all exactly what I use so you can try them out yourselves!

 

1. Dotting Tools

Dotting tools are easily found pretty much anywhere on the internet. You can pick up a nice varied set of them for as little as €1.15 on ebay like these. However, if you for some reason don't like using your credit card online like me then you can pick up the above set in the Art & Hobby shop in Stephen's Green shopping centre in Dublin for about €3, I'd imagine you should be able to purchase them in any craft shop for a reasonable price.

Dotting tools are just double ended sticks that have metal pins poking from either end. These pins have various sized spheres at the end of them. These spheres are then dipped into your nail polish and dotted on your nail. This leaves a perfect circular dot on the nails surface.

Alternatively if you decide you don't want to commit to spending your precious euros on an artistic whim, here's a few examples of handy household items that you can use instead of a dotting tool:

•  cocktail sticks (for smaller dots)

• Bend a bobby pin out (you can use either end to dot with)

• Stick a pin into the eraser of a pencil (you can use the end of the pin to dot away)

2.  Striper Brushes

Striper brushes are again, easily found on the internet. If you want a large varied set that have brushes for different textures and techniques look here. They're for as little as €1.15 on ebay again. However, if you've searched high and low for a shop that sold them in Ireland search no more! Hairspray down Henry Street in Dublin has a wide variety of good quality striper brushes for about €5 each.


Striper brushes are paint brushes with thin heads that create perfectly smooth lines and stripes on your nails surface. I personally prefer a thin short brush head as it gives me more control when painting designs but it's really up to you what brushes you decide to invest in. Bigger brush heads like the fan brush above create different textured surfaces which leads to some creative nail art designs.

 

There are, as always, easy to find household items that double for striper brushes too. Although, I must admit even having just one proper striper brush in your collection is a great asset as it is handy when you want to do fine lines. However here are a list of alternative tools you could use instead of a striper brush:

• cocktail sticks (dip in paint and draw along in the desired line, however cocktail sticks don't make the neatest lines because they have one wooden tip as opposed to smooth bristles)

• thin paint brushes (i find that the bristles don't work as well with nail polish/remover in these)

• nail polishes with striper brush heads built in, instead of the usual flat ones

3.  Masking Tape

This is an easy tool to find at home and is a great thing to have when you want to create a geometric design on your nails. You cut the tape into strips at the desired width and length for your design. After your base coat has dried fully you just place the tape where you want to and paint over it. Before this new coat has dried you remove the tape and see your new clean cut, geometric design.

4.  Cotton Ear Buds

We all have them in the dark recesses of some bathroom cabinet but have you ever thought to use them for cleaning off those messy outside the line bits of nail polish around your finger nails after you've painted them? Well now you know that when painting your nails cotton ear buds are definitely a must. However you could use a cheap make up brush dipped in nail polish remover and sweep it around your nail bed to remove that mess and clean up your manicure!

5.  Sponges

Sponges are great for creating soft textures on your nails and cute designs, for examples check out my tutorial that uses a sponge here. You can see there that I used a sponge for a quick and easy nail art look, which is what makes having a sponge with you when doing nail art a great idea. Your sponge needn't be pricey, I bought this set in Penneys that came with three nice sized sponges for €4 but you can literally use any sponge at all, sure chop off the corner of the sponge in the kitchen sink!

I hope this helped all you fellow nail art lovers in your quest to have the craziest nails.