Painting your nails is more intricate than applying makeup to your face because you have a smaller area to work with. Therefore, the nail brush should have comparatively smaller bristles. So which size should be perfect for a nail brush? Though there is no exact answer to this question, nail brushes are available in multiple sizes. This article discusses the various sizes and helps identify the perfect size for the nail brush.
Different sizes of nail brushes
Nail brushes are available in 12 sizes starting from 2 to 24. The thumb rule is that the larger the number, the bigger the brush. So much depends on the makeup artist’s skills in using them. The ideal size for beginners is between 6 and 8. Generally, these are the sizes that sell the most. Nevertheless, other size nail brushes also have excellent utility for specific purposes. Let us discuss how these nail brushes of varying sizes can prove helpful.
The Best Nail Brush size for beginners
Nail painting requires tremendous skill. A beginner is less skillful than an expert. Hence, the best sizes for beginners are 6 and 8. These sizes are perfect because they help cover the entire nail and let you go into detailing. Generally, the 8-sized brush has a broad belly with a tapering tip. It allows you to pick up sufficient product and water to ensure a smooth finish. The plump belly allows you to spread the product evenly on your nail.
Once you perfect the nail painting technique with the 6 and 8-sized brushes, you can graduate to the larger brushes, like the 10-size and above. The bigger sizes allow for a quicker application of nail polish than the smaller ones. On the other hand, the smaller brushes, like the 2 and 4-size, are ideal for nail art.
The Best Nail Brush Size for experts
Generally, the larger-size brushes are more challenging to use on your nails because the painting surface area is small. So any kolinsky nail brush size of 10 and above requires special skills. So if you are an expert nail painter, you can easily try the bigger sizes. Nail extensions offer more space and hence allow you to use bigger brushes. The larger the brush, the more product it can accommodate. Since nail extensions require the application of more products, using bigger sizes is advisable.
The Best Nail Brush Size for Nail Art experts
Nail artwork requires extreme precision. So the thinner the bristles, the better the nail art design. Therefore, the ideal sizes for nail art are the 2 and 4-size models. However, painting your nails with such thin brushes requires tremendous expertise. These thin brushes have slender bristles with tapered ends. It enables the brush to pick up as little paint as possible and allows for precise detailing on the nails.
This table should put things in proper perspective.
| Size | Ideal for | Purpose |
| Sizes 2 and 4 | Nail art experts and qualified technicians | These sizes are perfect for nail art designs and other detailed paintwork like in-fills. |
| Sizes 6 and 8 | Beginners should find these sizes the easiest to use. | These sizes are ideal for general nail painting. However, you can use them for detailed work, as well. |
| Sizes 10 and above up to 24 | Experienced nail professionals are ideally suited to use these large-sized brushes. | Since these brushes have more prominent bristles, they are best for quick applications and nail extensions. |
Ideal shapes for nail brushes
Facial makeup brushes are available in different shapes and sizes. However, though nail brushes come in various sizes, they usually have similar shapes. Therefore, there is little scope for experimenting with nail brush shapes because it will defeat the purpose of the brush.
Nail brushes have tightly packed bristles with a pulpy belly and tapered ends. The tapering edges allow you to swirl the bristles inside the product and pick up sufficient quantities to form a delicate bead, and the oval shape allows you to spread it over the nails. At the same time, the tip enables delicate nail art painting to enhance your nail’s beauty.
The ideal bristles for a nail brush
The best bristles for a nail brush are made of kolinsky sable hair. Kolinsky hair is smooth and delicate. In addition, they are soft enough to ensure an excellent job of painting your nails. Simultaneously, these bristles are sturdy and durable. However, the kolinsky weasel is an endangered species. Therefore, obtaining its hair for making high-quality nail brushes is challenging. Besides, this animal is only found in Siberia and North China. Therefore, the difficulty in obtaining this hair makes the brush extremely expensive.
However, synthetic fibers are available today that guarantee high-quality nail brushes. These bristles also taper towards the ends, but the belly is less pulpy than the kolinsky hair brushes.
Can you use the general makeup brushes as nail brushes?
Generally, you do not use regular makeup brushes as nail brushes because they are better suited for applying facial makeup. Brushes like foundation and kabuki brushes have bigger and denser bristles. These brushes are not ideally suited for applying on small surface areas like your nails. But the eyeline brush is perfect for your nails because they resemble kolinsky nail brushes more than any other brush.
Does the brush size affect nail polish application?
Yes. The nail brush’s size affects the nail polish application. The larger the size, the bigger the brush and the more area it covers. So any kolinsky nail brush size from 6 onwards should be perfect for your regular nail polish applications. Sizes over 10 are best for nail extensions and applying polish over extensive nail areas. The smaller brushes, like sizes 2 and 4, are perfect for sketching delicate nail art designs.
Call to Action
Queen Brush offers an extensive array of nail brushes of different sizes to cater to every nail job requirement. We use high-quality kolinsky hair to manufacture our nail brushes. We procure our requirements from China. At times, we also import them from Russia. Besides, we produce excellent eyeline brushes that can double up as nail brushes if necessary. Wholesale buyers can order their consignments from us and get the best-quality nail brushes.
Final Thoughts
We have seen that nail brushes are available in multiple sizes, from 2 to 24. Each brush size has its specific requirement. The tiniest brushes are perfect for nail art designs, whereas the more prominent sizes from 10 onwards are suited for quick and extensive nail applications. But the most preferred kolinsky nail brush sizes are 6 and 8. These sizes suit all users, beginners, experts, and professional nail art designers.
