This guide will take you through the steps of how to use nail stamping plates to stamp images on your nails. Please note that stamping takes some practice. At the very bottom you will find some tips and tricks in case things don't go as you want them to. ツ

1

Prepare

2

Polish

3

Scrape

4

Pick up

5

Place

6

Clean

Tips & tricks

• Time is of the essence! You have to be quick between the steps. If you wait too long you won't be able to pick up the stamp, or you won't be able to place it.
• Polish matters! If you have problems stamping a plate, try using a different stamping polish. Some polishes are too thick, even if they are supposed to be used for stamping. I always get the best results with Konad black stamping polish. If Konad can't do it, no one can.
• The best stamping motion depends on the stamper. Some stampers work best if you stamp from above, straight down. Other stampers work better if you do more of a rolling motion from one side to the other. To find the best way to stamp will require practice.
• Stampers matter. The best stampers in my opinion are the soft (but not sticky) silicone stampers. However, I mostly use transparent stampers to make placement easier.
• Don't press down hard when you pick up a stamp. A light touch is enough. Pressing down too hard will not pick up better, and can smudge the image.
• Clean your stamper using a lint remover. It doesn't ruin the stamper like acetone or other nail polish remover does, and it cleans away pretty much everything.
• There is a difference between scrapers and scrapers. If you don't get a good result on the first scrape, consider trying another one.
• Use a plastic scraper. Older scrapers are often metal, but they will ruin your plates.
• Placing the image on your nail is much easier using a transparent stamper. They generally don't work as well as the best silicone stampers, but I find that the advantages of being able to see what you're doing outweighs the slight difference in stamping quality.
• You can use regular polish for stamping as well, but not all polishes work. You have to try it out to know. Usually, regular polish becomes more transparent when you place it on you nail, which (good) stamping polish doesn't.
• Want to do reverse stamping? Reverse stamping is when you color the image before placing it on you nail, creating a more "advanced" look with multiple colours. There are many techniques for doing this. Try YouTube and you will find a plethora of tutorials :).

This guide was created by Susanne Lindberg. She also creates nail stamping plates that will soon be for sale on Etsy. Follow the process on Instagram @NerdNailsPlates.