To begin stamping you'll need four things. As basic as they are, choosing just the right materials will make things either exponentially easier, or exponentially more difficult! Nothing like trial and error to drive a person crazy. In this post I will cover the items you need to stamp.
1 - The Plate
A lot of companies make stamping plates and just like everything else, some are better than others. To begin, I'd chose one that is more deeply etched and has a bigger image area. Deeply etched means that the actual recess of the image on the plate is deep. It should 'catch' your skin when you rub your finger over it gently. It will hold the polish and hence the image easier.
Plate I love for beginners are:
Plates from Bundle Monster annoy me because you often have to use a lot of polish and scrape multiple times and the actual images are so small, you have to be super precise. So while they're nice, I wouldn't brand them for beginners.
Larger images are easier for beginners because it's less fuss positioning them and no one will fault you when the stamp goes over your nails along the edges. You can clean that up and not have to worry about lining the image up carefully, risking the polish drying on you while you do.
2 - The Scraper
Use an old credit card or one of those rewards cards that fit on your keys. Seriously, it's that easy. The metal scrapers often included in kits can scrape and mar the images. An old card is the perfect perfect tool for this.
3 - The Stamper
There are so many different shapes and textures out there, this is a pretty subjective area. What works for some might not work for others based on not just their nail length, but the shape and curve. Generally, a firm stamper is best for flatter nails or reverse stamping, which is something I'll cover later. A softer stamper is best for those with curved nails. It's softness ensures the pad molds around the nail to stamp all of the nail evenly.
Obviously, you'll also need to match the stamper to the length of your nail. Longer nails need a larger stamp.
You really might have to collect a few and just test them out to see what you can control and what works best for you. One thing is true in most cases, though; the cheaper the stamp, the less quality of the image you'll end up with. And at no time should you have to 'sand' the stamper.
4 - The Polish
To begin with, use something incredibly fool proof like the solid creams from Just Rica. I am in no way affiliated with the company, but they just honestly make some of the best polishes I've used. Konad sells their own brand, but it SMEARS when you add a top coat, which no one wants.
Ultimately, you can use a lot of different polishes, and you can always test to see if something works. In general, thicker opaque polishes are easier, however thin holos are spectacular. You cannot use anything with glitter, and jellies are... yeah. Not worth the aggravation!
Again, it's mostly trial and error. Keep in mind, as I mentioned with the Konad polishes, just because it stamps well, doesn't always mean it won't smear! Always test your stamping with a top coat before you commit to using it on your nails.
The Extras
Lots of lint free wipes. Fuzz from cotton anything will collect in the etchings of your plate when you clean them! Using paper towels designed for glass is best.
Acetone. Don't use a remover with any additives to clean your plates, stamper, or scraper. They have oils in them that will prevent the next images from holding well. Pure acetone is quick and dries in a flash.
Patience. You will need a lot of it when you start!
I'll tackle the basics of actually stamping next!
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