The Best Nail Polish For Water Marbling
If you want to make a statement with your nails, consider water marbling. This popular, stylish nail art technique is easy to do at home and leaves you with a marble-like design on your nails.
But to water marble your nails correctly, you need the right nail polish. Let’s take a look at the best nail polish for water marble nail designs and any other tools you might need to create the perfect water marble effect.
What to consider when choosing the best nail polish for water marbling
Polish consistency is the key to water marbling your nails. But it’s not the only thing you need to consider. Picking the right nail polish is imperative to the process.
Choose a nail polish with a creamy, smooth consistency
Pro tip number 1. For water marbling, it’s very important to choose a nail polish with a creamy, smooth consistency. Look for nail polishes that are specifically designed for water marbling and have a thicker, gel-like texture.
Avoid those that are too liquidy or those that are too thick, as these will be hard to work with and won’t create the desired marble effect. When using multiple colors, make sure they are compatible and won’t separate when they hit the surface of the water.
Avoid polishes with glitter particles
When shopping for the best nail polish for water marbling, it’s important to avoid polishes with glitter particles. While glitter polishes often look great, they can create chunks that can disrupt the marbling effect. Stick to solid base colors for the best marbling results.
If you want to add some sparkle to your marbled design, you can always go for a shimmer polish instead. Or once your marbled look is set, you can add a clear, glitter top coat.
Select a polish that isn’t too thick
When selecting your nail polish, it is important to choose one that is not too thick. You will want to use a formula that is thin enough to spread on the water’s surface, but thick enough to keep its shape.
The consistency of the polish should be similar to that of honey or syrup. If the consistency is too thick, it won’t be able to move and spread on the water’s surface, making it difficult to create your desired pattern.
Additionally, if your polish is too thin, it will spread too quickly and you won’t be able to create the intricate designs of water marbling.
Select a nail polish that isn’t too thin
When selecting the best nail polish for water marbling, it’s important to choose one that is not too thin. A thin polish won’t be able to hold the design.
Instead, opt for a nail polish that is creamy but not thick. This will allow you to create the most intricate designs and beautiful patterns.
Also, make sure the polish is not too thick or it won’t spread properly in the water. Finding the perfect nail polish can take a bit of trial and error, but with patience and practice, you’ll find the perfect polish.
Don’t choose a quick-dry nail polish
You need time to create the design you want, so you don’t want to choose a nail polish that dries quickly.
Many brands now offer specially formulated polishes that go on smoothly and dry quickly, so there is no need to worry about smudging or smearing the design. You should avoid these options completely.
Nitrocellulose is the chemical that causes quick-drying polish to dry fast. You should look at the ingredients of your polish and make sure this one isn’t included.
Choose vibrant colors
Water marbling doesn’t work as well with light colors that might be hard to see once they’re on your nails. Stay away from clear polishes, pastel colors, and nude colors. Instead, choose colors that are vibrant, bright, or dark.
5 best nail polishes for water marbling
OPI nail lacquer
OPI nail lacquer is known for being high-quality polish. It’s not too thick or too thin, and it’s available in a wide range of colors.
They even have shimmer polish, which is great for anyone who loves a glittery design because it shimmers without adding glitter. You can even use shimmer polish in a bright shade on your accent nail.
Eternal polish set
The Girls Just Wanna Have Neons nail polish set from Eternal has five neon nail polishes ideal for water marbling. Choose two or three colors for your design, or make a bold statement by creating a design with all five shades.
Sally Hansen polish
Sally Hansen polish is also popular for water marbling. The company has a wide range of polish colors available. However, they do specialize in quick-drying polish so be sure you are purchasing the regular polish instead.
Abitzon nail polish set
The Abitzon nail polish set is great for beginners because it has 10 bright shades. If you’re new to water marbling, this kit gives you several options to choose from.
SHANY Cosmopolitan nail polish set
The SHANY Cosmopolitan nail polish set has 24 color options. You’ll find fun, bright colors and darker colors – all of which will stand out when water marbling your nails. It even has white nail polish that you could use for a base coat.
Other items you need to water marbling
Nail polish isn’t the only thing you need for water marble nails. Below are some other things you need to have on hand.
Basic manicure supplies
Before water marbling your nails you need to prep them. To do this, file your nails, use an orange stick to push back your cuticles, and clip any excess cuticles. You’ll find everything you need to do this in a basic manicure kit.
Good base coat
A good base coat is super important because it keeps your water marble nail art in place as long as possible. If you want a clear base coat, OPI’s Natural Nail Base Coat is a good option.
However, if you want the different colors you used to stand out, you should consider using white nail polish as a base coat. The white base creates a nice contrast with the other color combinations you’ve chosen, making them stand out.
If you want to use white polish as a base color, OPI’s Nail Lacquer in Funny Bunny is a good option. Remember, keep your base coat thin. And let it dry thoroughly before you begin the marbling technique.
Liquid latex
Before you water marble your nails, you want to put liquid latex on the skin around your nails. This way, you can easily pull off the polish around your nails after you remove them from the water.
Marbling tool
A marbling tool is a dull-pointed device used to make marbled designs with nail polish. To use it, gently place it in the water and drag the colored polish to make the marble style you love. This can include many different designs and shapes.
Top coat
Once the marbled polish dries, you need to finish off your nails with a top coat. You can choose a matte top coat or a shiny one. Consider getting a quick dry top coat so you don’t accidentally mess up the design. Sally Hansen’sDries Instantly Top Coat is a great option.
Bowl of room temperature water
The temperature of the water is extremely important when doing nail polish marbling. If you use cold water, the nail polish will start to harden. You can also use filtered water if you’d like.
Cotton swabs and paper towels
Cotton swabs and paper towels are always great to have nearby when you’re doing your nails.
Use a cotton swab to remove any excess polish and place the paper towels under your hands to prevent a mess. Plus, when you lay a paper towel down before you start to work it makes the clean up process a lot easier.
Conclusion
The great thing about water marbling is that there are so many different ways you can create fun and unique patterns. The first time might take some trial and error, but once you get the hang of it, the results are definitely worth it.
The best way to get perfect results is to use nail polish specifically designed for water marbling, The ones we have listed above are all great options. With the right nail polish and nail polish colors, you can create a stunning and intricate design that will be sure to turn heads.
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