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25 tools & products to aid your artistry

From design planners to dotters & detailers: explore handy nail art products to enhance your kit & elevate your nail designs

1 Gelish Solid Cream Gel Palette in Magnetic Madness £19.99 + VAT www.gelishmorgantaylor.co.uk

Mesmerise clients with Magnetic Madness: a palette of six Cream Gel shades with magnet, that delivers stunning cat eye finishes. Magnet Cream Gel colours have a slightly thinner viscosity than standard Cream Gel, allowing the magnetic particles to pull to the surface for striking results.

Ombré nail enhancements featuring rhinestones, by award-winning nail artist, educator & brand founder, Hazel Dixon.

2 HD Pro Nail Systems Rose Gold Rhinestone Picker Upper & Dotting Tool £9.99 + VAT www.hazeldixonnails.com

This dual tool features a wax head to pick up and place gems, nail jewellery and crystals with ease. Move them around the nail using the metal end, which doubles as a dotting tool.

3 The Manicure Company Ombré Nail Art Brush £10.54 inc VAT www.themanicurecompany.com

This duo fibre brush has split-level hairs of different densities, to enable the seamless blending of gel shades for stunning ombré effects.

Nails by Laura Chree (@chreeative_nails), Artistic Nail Design brand ambassador for Sweet Squared.

4 Artistic Art Paint in Black £3.95 + VAT www.sweetsquared.com

Add highlights and details to nail work with this opaque art gel. Ideal for creating precise, defined lines, the formula offers one-coat coverage and is housed in a jar with a built-in brush wiper to minimise product waste.

5 Precision Nail Technology 3D Carving Gel £14.99 inc VAT www.precisionnailtechnology.co.uk

Bring elegance and dimension to nail designs with 3D Carving Gel, available in White, Rose Pink and Clear. Suited to creating raised textures, delicate florals and detailed 3D nail art, the gel formula is thick and non-runny, so you can carve and shape intricate designs with full control before curing.

NAIL TECH NOTE

“When it comes to nail art, the essential tools are ones that aid precision and creativity,” comments award-winning Norfolk-based nail artist, Scarlett Warren (@scarlett_warrennailartist). “Use high-quality brushes: fine liners for detailing, flat brushes for blending and angled brushes for sharp edges. Dotting tools are essential for details like polka dots and floral centres, and wax pencils are perfect for placing crystals and embellishments neatly. A palette for mixing colours and pigments is another staple. These tools help turn ideas into clean, professional designs.”

6 Cuticleco 3D Flexi Gel £9.99 inc VAT www.cuticleco.com

Enhance nail artistry with this clear, squeezable 3D Flexi Gel. The non-wipe formula is HEMA and TPO-free and has a 60-second curing time.

7 Light Elegance ButterCream in Off With Their Heads £17.95 + VAT www.lightelegance.co.uk

Light Elegance ButterCreams combine great coverage, thin application and the ability to create detailed line artwork in a 5ml jar. Apply a combination of bright, seasonal shades over JimmyGel, Lexy Line Hard Gel or Acrylic for the perfect summer mani or pedi.

8 EL Nail Systems Nail Foil in NF022 £1.49 inc VAT www.elnailsystems.com

Fashion up fingertips with foil! EL Nail Systems offers a variety of patterns, which can be encapsulated into enhancements for fun finishes. Experiment with foil tips, all-over coverage or feature nails to create striking designs in minutes.

9 Kirsty Meakin Abba Dabba Brush £8.39 inc VAT www.kirstymeakin.com

Use with gel paint, gel polish and acrylic paints to create aeropuffing and ombré designs.

Light Elegance educator, Taryn VanAlfen (@taryns.nails), shares a fun, festival-friendly nail design created using the brand’s gel products.

10 HARA Professional Liner Brush £6.99 + VAT www.astonandfincher.co.uk

This precision liner nail brush is ideal for fine line work, detailed nail art and gel application close to the cuticle.

11 Glitterbels Loose Glitter in Mer-Queen £4.50 inc VAT www.glitterbels.com

Available in a variety of shapes, sizes and mixes, Glitterbels’ Loose Glitter range features fine, medium, chunky and multi-sized mixes. The products are ideal for use with both gel and L&P systems to create dazzling, eye-catching effects.

Nails by Moyra UK owner, Vonny Tuckley, featuring designs from the Moyra Stamping Plate in 104 Suede.

12 Moyra Stamping Plate in 104 Suede £9.90 inc VAT www.moyrauk.co.uk

Transform nails at speed with a Moyra Stamping Plate, featuring intricate, high-definition designs. Over 130 plates are available and designed for use with the Moyra Stamper and Stamping Polishes. Ideal for pros who value both versatility and artistry, the plates inspire endless creativity and elevate any nail finish.

Glitterbels co-founder, Annabel Maginnis, adds loose glitter to acrylic enhancements to create a sparkling nail design.
Nail artist & content creator, Katie Alice, created this summery floral nail design using Lecenté Detail Paints, the Striper Nail Art Brush S1 and Detailer Nail Art Brush D2.

13 Lecenté Striper Nail Art Brush S1 £12.49 + VAT www.lecente.com

Achieve precise, even strokes with this striping brush, made from synthetic hair. Ideal for working on shorter nails, the brush is housed in a metal case with cap.

14 Andreia Professional Spider Gel in 04 Gold £5.99 + VAT www.andreiaprofessional.comwww.salon-services.com

Spider Gel has been developed to enhance artistic designs, and create thin strokes, lines, geometric and abstract patterns. The high viscosity formula is flexible and has a non-wipe finish.

15 CND™ Nail Tip Display Book £29.99 + VAT www.sweetsquared.com

Showcase your nail art creations in this Display Book, so clients can admire your skills and choose designs easily. Ideal for both salon and mobile pros, the book protects swatches, is easy to store and holds 120 nail tips. It also includes a ring stand, and tips can be taken out of the display to rearrange seasonally.

16 Nailed It By Chelsey It Was Never A Phase Emo Brush Collection £29.99 inc VAT www.naileditbychelsey.com

Serve up ultra-thin lines for highly detailed nail art with this five-piece brush set. It features: Gerard 7mm, Hayley 9mm, Avril 11mm, Chester 15mm and Brendon 20mm, housed in nail artist, Chelsey Downie’s signature fun packaging.

17 OPI Chrome Effects Mirror-shine Nail Powder £14 + VAT uk.wella.professionalstore.com

Create cool chrome finishes with a choice of four chrome powders from OPI: Pearl Pressure, Tin Man Can Glaze, Chrome To Mama and Mermaid For Me. To use, apply a thin coat of OPI GelColor No-Wipe Top Coat after colour application, cure, dip the chrome applicator into a choice of powder, and rub over the nail in circular motions. Apply OPI’s Super Gloss No-Wipe Top Coat and cure to finish.

Tieghan Bywater of @nails_by_tieghan, Cambridgeshire, favours the NAILS-LUXE Brush L for its ‘precision and flexibility’. She comments: “It’s perfect for creating soft petal strokes and floral designs, while allowing for clean, controlled detailing.”

18 NAILS-LUXE Brush L £22.95 inc VAT www.nails-luxe.com

Ideal for painting florals, abstract designs and tortoiseshell patterns, the precise tip of this brush allows you to fill in larger areas of nail art designs while staying within the lines. Made from synthetic hair, the brush has a hexagon-shaped handle for comfort and to stop the tool rolling off the nail desk.

19 The Nail Lab Ring Palette £10.50 + VAT www.tnluk.co.uk

Every artist needs a palette! 19 This nail art accessory sits comfortably on fingers to make picking up gel colour easy and quick when creating nail designs. Made from lightweight steel, the ring palette can be cleaned with alcohol or acetone to remove leftover product, without causing damage to the coating.

20 Manicure Roulette Paint Cure Peel Starter Bundle from £28.99 inc VAT www.manicureroulette.com

Create nail art ahead of appointments with an assortment of Paint Cure Peel nail shape kits from Manicure Roulette. Choose from the Sweet Love, Basic Shapes or Lost Love shape guides and place a sheet of Art Film on top. Paint over the shape, directly onto the art film, using a gel nail product. Cure the design and place the protective sheet over for storage. When you wish to use the shape, peel it from the Art Film and apply to the cured, tacky layer of a gel enhancement. Apply top coat to encapsulate.

21 Celina Rydén My Nail Designs Book £53.06 + VAT www.lightelegance.co.ukwww.moonflair.shop

The My Nail Designs book, conceived by nail ambassador & artist, Celina Rydén, features tips and tricks to aid your designs, and space to plan and reference each creation. It serves up inspirational ideas, what to charge for nail art and how to find your personal style. “The rest of the book is filled with shapes of nails and lines to fill in the date, client’s name, products used and inspiration,” Celina shares. “This way, when a client arrives at their appointment with a nail image you posted a long time ago, you can easily find it in your book and recreate it. Use My Nail Designs to prepare sets for your clients to choose from, and keep it in your waiting area for customers to look through.”

22 The GelBottle Inc Blooming Gel £17.95 + VAT www.thegelbottle.com

Create effortless watercolour swirls, marble textures and blooming floral designs with TGB’s Blooming Gel. Formulated with a thin consistency, the product is designed to sit between a gel polish base colour and design layer. As you apply colour on top, the gel encourages dispersion, allowing shades to softly spread and merge. It’s ideal for creating tortoiseshell and croc print nails, soft stripes and petal patterns.

Brillbird brand ambassador, @mani.bykb, perfects butter yellow tips and pairs them with pink flower details.

23 Brillbird Smile Line Brush £35 inc VAT brillbirduk.co.uk

Paint slick smile lines with this handy brush, which features natural, cured bristles. Ideal for use with colour gels and hard builder gel, the brush comes with a lid to protect the bristles when not in use.

24 Katie Barnes Tool Range KB French Brush 08 £21.99 inc VAT www.katiebarnesacademy.com

This brush features a curved edge to make creating the perfect French tip quick, easy and precise. Its curved shape tucks neatly into the sidewalls of the nail and is ideal for use with gel products. Crafted with high-quality synthetic hair, the brush is also ideal for nail art using acrylic and watercolour paints.

25 Halo Create Glitter Recycling Tray £3.75 + VAT www.purenails.co.uk

Reduce waste and mess on the nail desk by applying glitter over this handy tray. It catches product as it falls from the nail.

This article appears in June 2026

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This article appears in...
June 2026
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Scratch
Twenty-three years of... ® Issue 278 Editorial &
Scratch
I write this having returned from Stockport College,
Nail NATION
news & views
From conflict to creativity
Ukrainian nail artist, Oksana Viriutina, who scooped a Nailympia gold medal after seeking refuge in the USA, shares her winning work on this month’s front cover
THE SCRATCH scoop
The Scratch team offers an insight into its antics & unveils events, treatments & news from the nail realm
THE HOT List
Scratch scours the industry for the latest nail & beauty products to captivate clients & lend a helping hand to your services
SKILLS SHOWCASE
Go behind-the-scenes at the Scratch Stars Awards practical judging day, at which nail pros in nine of this year’s 19 categories showcased their talents in the bid to win a top title
Manicures for miles
Are you considering starting a mobile nail business? JESS WATTS guides you through what to know before hitting the road
Maltseva masterclass
Esteemed nail artist, ELENA MALTSEVA , shares how to create the mixed media elements of her Nailympia 2026 campaign design
Small canvas: big statement
Explore how one client’s belief led to a nail tech’s involvement in an art exhibition & a new sense of self-worth
The Luxe EFFECT
Elevate your manicure services with the Dermeluxx™ Pro by Zemits: a 15-minute upgrade that offers instant skincare results & high profit potential
LIQUID & POWDER perfection
From salon styles to extreme shapes, master the L&P acrylic system with JESS WATTS’ roundup of expert insight & product picks
NOIRTH AMERICA STAR NAIL ARTIST
Get to know the pros who amassed the most points throughout the contest & placed in the top three with their superior nail styling skills
Through the Keyhole
Take a peek inside salon setups across the globe as Scratch unlocks each door
25 tools & products to aid your artistry
From design planners to dotters & detailers: explore handy nail art products to enhance your kit & elevate your nail designs
Styling with THE STARS
Let your skills sparkle with technical & artistic step-by-steps from Scratch Stars Awards champions
STAR Quality
North America’s Star Nail Artist Season 1 champion, ANASTASIA TOTTY , shares tips & tales from her colourful career
READERS GALLERY
Portsmouth-based nail pro, GRACE WARREN-HOLLAND , shares her career goals & favourite creations
Rich REWARDS
Discover smarter ways to run a beauty business with RICHARD MCCABE , lifestyle salon coach
Success by THE SEA
Michelle Brown, Scratch Stars Home Nail Salon of the Year 2025 winner, shares her journey from self-doubt to triumph & how she’s empowering fellow pros to thrive
Breaking Down
How my neurodivergence has shaped the salon experience I offer
Protective practice CAT’S claws
Scratch Stars Hall Of Fame pro, CATRIONA LEITH , serves up industry insights & advice for nail sector success
BEHIND THE GRAM
Get to know social media nail stars as they offer an insight into their lives & share content creation tips
NEWS
Immerse in competition highlights, interviews & points to note from the Nailympia realm, with its global director,
FOOT notes
Award-winning pedicurist & advanced footcare practitioner, DENISE SPRAGG , shares insights to elevate your treatments
Nail & beauty innovations to note
REBECCA HITCHON gets the scoop on high-tech launches,
NAIL Clippings
#NOWTRENDING Are you in the mood for matcha?
Fingernails in Focus
Celebrate Pride Month with loud, proud & polished nail art designs
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