29 Nail Art Tools & Supplies For 2025

Here are some of the best nail art tools for your DIY nails and also for at home nail salons. We are going to discuss some basic tools for nail art like dotting tools and then also some ideas that you may not have heard about yet, like an autoclave sterilizer.

No matter if you are a beginner nail artist or someone who is looking for some different nail design tools to stock up on, you have come to the right place.

Whenever you need to create nail art at home or looking for a nail art kit as a gift for that person in your life who loves creating nail art, this list is going to help you with some new nail art ideas.

Finding new and exciting nail stuff like nail stickers, nail art brushes and finely milled loose glitter for designs is so much fun.

When I am doing my own nails, I always start by grabbing my gel polishes and nail tape. My favorite way to do my nails is with cat eye nail ideas.

Let’s get started and find some cool tools from your new favorite beauty supply stores!

Best Nail Art Tools & Supplies

1. Nail Mixing Palette

If you love mixing and blending your nail polish colors, then you need a geode mixing palette in your life!

These pretty resin palettes come in many sizes and shapes, including palette rings that fit on your finger.

Create custom colors, or use it to mix glitters into your gel polishes. Also, this will help create thin lines for your nails.

2. Holographic Glitter For Nails

Add a little sparkle to your nails with nail glitter. Glitter for nails comes in a ton of colors and shapes to choose from, so you can make the perfect look for any occasion.

I love to mix glitter into regular nail polish or put it onto gel polish before curing.

Holo glitter will change with the light, while super fine glitter gives you a subtle shimmer to your nails. 

3. Rhinestones For Nail Art

Rhinestones can make your nails sparkle and look more stylish. You can add them to your nails in fun patterns or on just one nail for a special touch. They are an easy way to make your nail art stand out.

I like to place rhinestones along the tips of my nails for a simple yet elegant look. I also enjoy creating patterns with rhinestones, like flowers or stripes.

4. Dried Flowers For Nails

Dried flowers for nail art give you an easy way to get pretty, spring or summer inspired nails. They can be used on their own or combined with other colors and materials to create beautiful designs.

5. Builder Gel For Embedding Objects

If you’re looking for nail art supplies that will help you achieve strong nails that last up to 4 weeks, look no further than builder gels.

Builder gels are specially formulated to create strong and long-lasting manicures on natural nails and nail tips & forms. 

And if you are embedding objects like flowers or polymer clay elements, builder gel is what you would need for that. Read up on the best builder gel for nails.

6. Manicure Set

No matter what kind of nail kit you use for a manicure, you always need to prep your nails properly first. Look for a nail art tool kit that has really small and sharp cuticle scissors.

Professional manicure sets will be made from good quality stainless steel so that they can be cleaned properly. See my article how to clean metal nail tools

7. Fineliner Brushes For Gels

Whenever you need to make a tiny nail art design, you will need a thin fineliner brush. These brushes will also be used to make sure that the gel polish will go right up to the cuticles so that there isn’t a ridge between your cuticle and gel.

A brush that is very thin is one of the best striping brushes to have for a professional manicure at home.

Even if you are using other brushes like a gel brush or acrylic brush, a brush with fine and long bristles is one of those must haves for a salon or home salon.

Tip: To prevent any of your gel brushes from hardening, clean them after each use and store them away from UV light.

8. Metallic Gilding Flakes For Nails

You can get gorgeous shiny nails by adding some here and there or going all out. Foil flakes are one of those fun things to have on hand for doing your own nails. 

It’s easy to apply with either UV nail glue or best nail glue to get a gorgeous reflective color to your nails. You can find all kinds of foil nail art kits in metallic colors like gold, red, silver and rose gold.

9. Nail Art Stickers

What nail art tool list would be complete without nail stickers and waterslide nail decals! There are literally endless ideas that you can use for your DIY designs.

Some really popular ones right now are unicorn and fantasy themed stickers. You can also use SVG nail art stickers with your Cricut Machines.

There’s also cool 3D and holographic stickers too in all kinds of nail art themes. Check out some ideas on what you can do in the Nail Art Ideas section.

10. Nail Stickers Storage Book

With so many sticker packs to choose from, you might need a nail sticker storage book to keep everything organized by color or theme.

These are definitely one of the must have nail decorating tools to have so that you can just look through your book when inspiration strikes.

11. YN Acrylic Nail Kit

Acrylic nail systems are for creating strong, durable, and long-lasting nails. They can be used to extend the length of natural nails, add custom shapes, or create designs.

Acrylics are fantastic for those who want their nails to last longer and withstand everyday wear.

Young Nails has some of the best acrylic nail systems and they are known for their high-quality products.

12. CANNI Gel Polish

A gel polish kit typically includes a selection of gel nail polishes, which are applied in layers and cured under a UV or LED lamp. These kits are great to have in your nail supplies.

13. Nail Striping Tape

Whenever you want to get a perfect line when using your gel polishes, that’s where striping tape comes in. This nail art tool can be used for making lines and then also for adding dimension and color to your nail art ideas.

14. Fine Liner Nail Polish

Looking for a new way to add some fine lines to your nails? Try a fine liner gel polish. This innovative polish is perfect for creating squiggly lines and painting on a perfect French line.

With so many fun colors to choose from, you’re sure to find the perfect one for your style. Gel polishes require a cure lamp.

15. UV Nail Glue

UV nail glue is used for gluing down flowers, gems, glitter and polymer clay embeds. To use this glue, you will need a UV lamp to cure it.

16. Pro Gel Polish Kit

Gel polish kits are fabulous for pro nail artists. Kits like these have all of the nail design colors to start making long lasting nails right away. And the nice thing about kits is that they come with many different nail polish colors to try.

For someone who is just getting into nails and wants to try gels, look for a kit that has lots of color choices and is good quality, like the Venalisa gel kits.

17. Cat Eye Polish

Here is an exciting nail decorating tool. Cat eye gel polishes are so fun to use and you can create so many different effects with just one set.

The magnetic polish creates a multi-dimensional effect depending on how the light shines onto it.

Just remember that a gel polish cannot be removed with regular nail polish remover unless you are getting the regular nail polish kind like the cat eye polishes from ILNP brand.

18. Cure Lamps For Gel Nails

Cure lamps are one of the things that you need to cure gel polish. Professionals always have these in their studios. The best cure lamps will give you a quick cure time.

We have a super helpful article on how to pick the perfect nail lamp and give you some great options for your nail art designs.

19. Nail Dip Powder Kits

Nail dipping powder is a powder that you dip your nail into for a long lasting manicure. The powder is like a grittier glitter.

When the activator is applied, the powder will dry hard on your nails. This will give you a hard surface that will last for about 3 weeks.

Dip powders come in unlimited colors. Glitter dipping powder kits are really popular for giving gorgeous glittery effects that shine in the sun.

20. Matte Top Coat

One of the staples to have in your stash is a matte top coat for matte nail designs. This is for those times when you don’t want any shine at all. A matte topcoat can be used on top of the color coat.

A matte top coat can be used on all of the nails, or just a couple when you want to have a different design on each nail.

21. No Wipe Glossy Top Coat

And here is another must have tool, and that of course is a no wipe glossy top coat.

Sometimes we find that even though some gel polishes say, no wipe, there is still a tiny bit of sticky that is left behind. If that happens, you can just remove it with some Isopropyl alcohol.

When applying a gel polish, do be sure that the polish doesn’t pool into the side walls of the nails. There’s some helpful tips for how to use gel polish properly.

22. Paraffin Wax Machine

These are great to have on hand for making your hands and nail super soft. A paraffin wax machine is a must-have for a nail salon because it offers a luxurious treatment that can raise your monthly income.

Here’s a helpful guide on how to get more sales for a nail tech.

23. Silicone Practice Hand

Silicone practice hands are a helpful tool for aspiring nail artists. Whenever you have an idea, you can just insert your tip and get busy with your creations.

Check out this article about some of the best practice hands for nails that we recommend.

They are made of soft, flexible silicone that makes it easy to apply your nail products and adjust your nails.

Plus, the non-slip grip provides extra stability when you’re working on your next masterpiece. Look for a hand that has realistic looking fingers.

24. Nail Drill Or E-File

Nail drills are used to get gel or acrylic off your nails. You can even use them for different nail effects on nail tips and designs. Here a helpful article about the best efiles for nails.

Nail drills are a must for nail techs because they save time and make the job easier. They help shape nails, remove old polish, and smooth surfaces quickly and efficiently.

With different drill bits, nail techs can achieve professional, precise results for every client.

25. Carbide Nail Drill Bits

Nail drills are important for nail techs, and the bits you use can make a big difference. Carbide nail bits are strong and last longer, even with a lot of use. They work well for removing gel or acrylic and don’t heat up as much as other bits.

26. Nail Dust Collector

Read our article best nail dust collectors

As a necessary step in both gel and acrylics, dusting off excess powder is key to ensuring a flawless finish.

But anyone who’s ever done their own nails at home knows that this simple task can quickly turn into a nightmare with dust powder getting everywhere.

Traditional methods like using a brush or your hand can leave you coughing and sneezing for hours afterwards, not to mention the risk of inhaling potentially harmful particles.

Enter the nail dust collector: a must-have tool for a manicurist who wants to keep their lungs healthy. This innovative device helps capture excess powder so you can breathe easy during and after your manicure.

27. Autoclave Sterilizer

For at home DIY nail artists, this might not be a tool that you need. But for an at home nail tech or professional this is definitely something to be on your must have tool list.

An autoclave sterilizer for salons kills bacteria. It will sterilize objects that have different shapes and crevasses that can’t be cleaned by hand.

So after your appointment, you can run your metal nail tools in the autoclave to keep them clean in between nail clients.

28. Nail Train Case

A train case for a nail tech is a must have for nails on the go or for storage. Look for a kit that has plenty of room for your nail polishes, buffers, nail drills and other essential must haves.

These are a way you can stay organized in your salon or nail art room.

The large train cases are on wheels for easy maneuvering. The trail case has a locking system and plenty of drawers and dividers.

29. Portable Nail Art Printer

Nail art printers are great for parties, special occasions, or just for fun to have in your nail studio. The machine prints directly onto your nails, and then you apply a top coat.

In Conclusion:

✅ Hope you found this article helpful and can find some amazing new ideas to try out. You’ll probably want to watch some YouTube tutorials and practice too, of course.

Whether you decide to invest in some more expensive items or just get started with the basics, they can make painting nail art easier (and better).

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