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EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW TO BECOME AN INSTANT PRO. By Sarah Emick Photography by Armando Sanchez

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Once upon a time, mani enthusiasts relied purely on their own finesse with a brush to lay down extremely detailed prints on nails. Those who could achieve such exacting artistry ... well, let’s just say, they aren’t a dime a dozen. Thankfully, the recent explosion of nail stamping has leveled the playing field. With a stamper, scraper, plate and polish, the possibilities for intricate and practically flawless nail art have become endless (even for those with an unsteady hand). While the technique can be tricky at first, you can ensure fairly reliable results with a little practice and the right tools.

fuss-free frenchMASTER THE BASICS OF STAMPING WITH THIS METALLIC FRENCH MANI!

FOR THE NAMES OF POLISHES AND STAMPING PLATES USED, VISIT NAILITMAG.COM/STAMPING-SECRETS

1 Apply two to three coats of shimmering gray polish. Add a layer of top coat to lock in your base color. Allow it to dry.

2 Select a stamping plate with a French manicure-shape engraving (these are crescent-shape etchings and can be found on certain plates) and paint copper polish across the design that you want to use.

3 Hold the scraper at a 45-degree angle and swipe it across the engraving.

4 Push the stamper firmly down onto the plate to pick up the design.

5 Roll the stamper across the nail, making sure to line up your design with the tip of the nail to create a French manicure.

6 Wait for your pattern to dry and then lightly add top coat without pressing too hard on the actual design.

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Stamping can be as simple or as

sophisticated as you like! Melissa Fisk, the blogger behind Nailrotica, demos six unique

techniques for you to try.

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sunset sashayEASILY TRANSITION FROM DAY TO NIGHT WHEN YOU START WITH A VIBRANT, SPONGED BACKGROUND!

1 Apply two coats of pink polish to the nail. Apply top coat and allow it to dry.

2 Select an engraving that is a stand-alone shape (think: a single flower, butterfly or bird, rather than a pattern the size of a whole nail). Paint silver polish across the etching. Use the scraper to remove the excess lacquer.

3 Pick up the polish with the stamper by pushing down firmly onto the plate. Before you stamp, hover the stamper

above your nail and eyeball where you want it to appear on the nail. A smaller stamping head makes it easier to aim where you want to place small shapes.

4 Stamp similar designs on your other nails, but switch up the placement of each for more visual interest. Use top coat to adhere rhinestones as desired. Finish with another layer of top coat over the entire design.

1 Apply lavender polish to the nail. Add top coat and allow it to dry.2 Select a leaf-like engraving that will cover the entire nail and paint teal

polish across it. Scrape away the excess polish, pick up the lacquer with the stamper and roll the stamper across your nail.

3 Select a small flower engraving, apply fuchsia polish to it, and then scrape away the excess. Pick up the shape with the stamper and roll it across your nail.

4 Repeat Steps 2 and 3 on all nails, mixing up the placement of your flowers. Apply top coat. Add a couple of extra drops of top coat to your accent nail and apply colored studs as an accent. Finish with top coat over the entire design.

silver liningsADD DETAILS TO YOUR MANICURE WITH A VARIETY OF SMALLER STAMPS!

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1 Apply white polish as the base color. Allow it to dry.2 Paint random strips of yellow, orange and hot pink polish onto a makeup sponge.3 Sponge the colors onto the nail. Repeat the dabbing motion, pressing the sponge a little

higher up and farther down the nail each time. Apply top coat and allow it to dry.4 Select a stamping plate with a floral design that will cover the whole nail. Paint black

polish over the engraving and then scrape off the excess polish. Pick up the design with the stamper and roll it across the nail. If you don’t successfully cover the whole nail with the stamp the first time, lightly wipe away the black polish with a cotton pad and acetone, add a new layer of top coat, and try it again. Finish with top coat.

layered to perfectionILLUSTRATE A WHOLE GARDEN SCENE BY STAMPING IN DIFFERENT COLORS!

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Quick Tips• Before starting, lay out all of your

supplies. You don’t want the lacquer to dry on the plate while you’re looking for your stamper.

• Apply a base color and then add a layer of top coat, allowing it to dry before you stamp. If you make a mistake while stamping, use either tape or a lint-free wipe dipped in acetone to lightly remove the design from your nail without having to redo your base.

• Make cleanup faster by applying tape around your cuticle before stamping.

• Acetone can damage soft silicone stamping heads. Instead, use packing tape or a lint roller to quickly clean off old polish from your stamper.

• After stamping, give your nail a moment to dry. When you add top coat, do so in as few strokes as possible and allow it to “float” over the design; don’t drag the brush. This can smear your design.

• When using your scraper, don’t scrape the plate too hard, as it can pull out too much polish from the engraving.

• Be sure to press the stamper firmly down onto the plate to pick up all of the color.

• If you’re having a tough time transferring large designs, turn your stamp into a decal. First, paint a thin layer of top coat on wax paper, let it dry, then stamp your design directly over top. Once dry, use tweezers to carefully remove the thin layer of polish from the paper and adhere it smoothly to the nail.

beach beautyINFUSE YOUR MANI WITH COLOR USING THIS ADVANCED STAMPING TECHNIQUE!

wearable watercolorSCORE THIS STAINED-GLASS EFFECT BY FILLING IN YOUR STAMP WITH TRANSPARENT COLOR POLISHES!

1 Apply one coat of gold glitter polish.

2 Paint white polish across the portion of the plate you want to use. Scrape away the excess polish and then pick up the design with the stamper.

3 Painting directly on the stamper, fill in the outlines with rainbow colors using either nail polish or acrylic paint. Do this as quickly as possible in order to transfer it to your nail before the color dries.

4 Stamp the filled-in design onto your nail with one fluid rolling motion.

5 Add a summery charm as an accent, and finish with top coat.

1 Apply one coat of white polish to your nail.

2 Paint black polish across the plate. Scrape away excess polish and then pick up the design with the stamper.

3 Like a coloring book, fill in the outlined design that’s been transferred onto the stamper using thin jelly nail polishes.

4 Roll the stamp across your nail. Finish with top coat.

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How to Pick the Right ...

STAMPERS ARE THE TOOLS YOU USE TO TRANSFER the design from the plate to your nail, and they come in various levels of firmness with different degrees of “stick.” Squishy (read: soft and sticky) stampers are a favorite for those with long or curved nails, but the softness can distort the image if pressed too hard. “If your nails are short and flat, you might be better off with a harder rubber stamper,” says Alena Belozerova of The Polishing Life. Size matters too: The small head of a double-ended stamper is best for accurately placing small designs on a nail. Even color comes into play: A white stamper is good when using dark polishes, while light-colored lacquers show up better on dark or red stampers.

SCRAPERS HELP YOU REMOVE EXCESS polish from the stamping plate prior to transferring the polish design to the stamper. Most stampers come with their own metal or plastic scrapers—some even look like business cards. Metal scrapers are durable and come standard in many sets, while plastic ones tend to conform better to the plate. What you choose to use comes down to preference. Serene Wohlgemuth from Copycat Claws shares that her favorites are “bendy but firm,” and if you’re feeling particularly inventive, you can also use an old gift card.

PLATES CONTAIN THE ENGRAVED DESIGNS that you’ll be stamping onto your nails. With many indie brands getting in on the plate-making business, the breadth of what’s available—and the uniqueness of the designs—has never been more extensive. Look for plates that feature moderately deep engravings that are also large enough to cover your entire nail.

MOST POLISHES CAN BE USED to stamp over a white base, but finding a lacquer that works well over a dark base color proves more challenging. Metallics and select creams frequently see success, including those from the Essie Mirror Metallics collection and many Sally Hansen Insta-Dri shades. Brands like Mentality, Konad and Rica specialize in stamping polishes, which are highly pigmented lacquers that still appear bright when applied over black. To test whether a polish you already have will work, first stamp it on a dark sheet of paper before using on your nail.

(Left to right) Messy Mansion Scraper (part of XL Double Ended Stamper kit), messymansion.com.au; Konad Scraper (part of set), konadnailart.com; MoYou London Scraper (part of 6-pack), moyou.co.uk.

(Clockwise from top left) Bundle Monster BM-601, bundlemonster.com; LeaLaC LLC-B, llarowe.com; Pueen

SE03A, pueen.storenvy.com.

(From inner to outer) Essie Mirror Metallics in Blue Rhapsody, mass drugstores; Sally Hansen Insta-Dri Fast Dry Nail Color in Snappy Sorbet, mass drugstores;

Mentality Nail Polish in Wangari, mentalitynailpolish.com.

… STAMPER

… SCRAPER

… PLATES

… POLISHES

(Left to right) Messy Mansion

Soft Stamper set, messymansion.com.au; MoYou London Rectangular Stamp, moyou.co.uk; Konad

Double Sided Stamp (part of set), konadnailart.com.

See our extended list of places to buy stamping supplies at nailitmag.com/stamp-shopping.

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