Have you ever wondered what nail tools you should keep from all of those nail care/nail art gift sets? Do you feel overwhelmed by the vast variety of nail art and nail care tools on the market? Today I am going to share with you what I keep in my nail bag and what I think are important tools to keep at hand for happy and healthy (and pretty!) nails.
Nail art brushes
The first nail tools in my nail bag are an assortment of nail art brushes. You can do so many tasks with a nail art brush, including striping, painting designs or french tips, applying glitter, cleaning up nail polish from your skin with acetone, etc. Talk about a staple tool!
Electric nail tool tips
Second are tips or attachments for an electronic nail tool. I hardly ever use this tool, but the different tips are used for filing, buffing, and pushing back your cuticles.
Magnetic nail polish magnets
Third are magnets for magnetic nail polish. I am sure you remember this trend where you can make designs in your nail polish with magnets. I do not think I even have any more magnetic polishes in my collection so it makes more sense to pitch these.
Nail art dotting tools
Fourth are a variety of nail art dotting tools. These are simply the best because you can do so much more with them than just dotting. Depending on the size of the dotter, you can create stripes or other types of designs. These are staple tools as well.
Nail art brush
Fifth is a larger nail art brush. I like this brush in particular for dusting glitter onto tacky nail polish. It works great due to the size, especially for doing a glitter accent nail. Otherwise, I really do not use this brush for much else.
Cuticle pushers
Next up for nail tools we have cuticle pushers in the wooden variety. Some people call these “orange wood sticks.” I find these to be more effective than silicone cuticle pushers because they have enough backbone to push the skin without hurting you. While you do not need as many as I have, these are nice to have around.
Nail care tools
Here are some pick tools for nail care. These are mainly used to clean dirt from under your nails.
Nail cleansing brush
Continuing on, I have a nail cleansing brush. This is designed to scrub your nails clean during a manicure where you are soaking your nails in soap and water. You simply slide your hand through the curved handle for grip and support.
Tool to pick up nail art gems
Here is a tool that is designed to pick up nail art gems. It is not sticky, but the curved rubber ends stick to jewels/gems and other charms so that you can easily pick them up and place them.
Rubber cuticle pusher
Pressing on, I have a rubber cuticle pusher. Like I said above, these do not work as well for me as wood or metal pushers do. The rubber has too much give to appropriately push the cuticles.
Assorted tweezers
Next up I have tweezers of assorted sizes. These are great for picking up nail polish strips, jewels, stickers, etc. You can peel nail art from plastic backing without destroying your manicure!
Toe separators
Here are some toe separators! These are intended to keep your toes separated while painting your toe nails so that you do not make a nail polish mess! Honestly, I never wear these because they are uncomfortable and hard to get around the toes. I have no issues with painting my toe nails without separators.
Nail files or emery boards
The last nail tools in my nail bag are nail files, otherwise known as emery boards. You should avoid using these to file your nails because they create microscopic tears in the nail that leads to chips and breaks. If you absolutely need to file with these, be sure to file in one direction only. Perhaps these are best used on stubborn toe nails. While I hate these so much, no matter how many I get rid of I just seem to accumulate more.
Wow, that is a lot of nail tools crammed into one small bag! It is definitely bursting at the seams. Keeping a variety of tools on hand allows you to create any look that comes to mind at a moments notice. Remember, a great manicure starts with healthy, clean nails, treated with some T.L.C.! I hope that this post will give you some ideas on what tools you need to suit your personal nail purposes. That is all I have for now. Keep letting your true beauty shine and I will see you next time!