Frequently asked questions
What does the brush number mean?
It is the size of the belly, and the belly decides how much liquid and powder one pick-up carries. A #8 or #10 makes a tech work in three smaller beads, which suits fills, detail, and natural-length sets. A #12 or #14 is the everyday size in most salons and covers a nail in two beads. A #16 and above carries a whole nail in one bead, which is faster on sculpted extensions but less forgiving, because a bead that is too wet has nowhere to go.
Why do professionals use Kolinsky hair?
Because an acrylic brush has to do two opposite things: hold enough liquid to carry a bead and snap back to a point every time it is lifted. Natural Kolinsky hair does both, since each strand is thicker in the middle and fine at the tip, so the belly acts as a reservoir while the tip stays sharp. Synthetic holds its shape but carries less liquid and releases it differently. Nineteen of the 35 listings on this page are described as Kolinsky.
How do I make an acrylic brush last?
Clean it in monomer or brush cleaner, never acetone, which strips the natural oils and leaves the hair brittle and splayed. Wipe rather than stir in the dappen dish, wipe the brush on a lint-free towel between clients, reshape the hair to a point by hand at the end of the day, and store it flat or bristles-down so liquid cannot run into the ferrule and dissolve the glue. Never use the same brush for dip base or gel, which contaminates the hair.
How many brushes should a salon keep?
Two per tech rather than one, used alternately, because a brush that cannot be cleaned properly between clients is a brush that hardens, and two used in rotation outlast four used singly. A busy salon should also keep one unopened spare, since a brush that fails mid-shift with a client in the chair is the most expensive one in the drawer. Most stations end up with a middle size for everyday work and one larger brush for extensions.
What is on the acrylic brush page
35 acrylic brushes at wholesale from five sources: 11 Kolinsky-branded crystal-handle brushes, 8 from LAVIS, 6 from Chaun Legend, 6 from Kiara Sky, and 4 dual-ended tools. Sixteen are out of stock as this page was written. Nineteen of the 35 are described as Kolinsky brushes, which is the hair type professional acrylic work is built on, and the range runs from a #8 through to a #20, plus a crystal-handle kit.
The brushes by line and size
| Line | Sizes listed | Handle | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| LGND (Chaun Legend) | #8, #10, #14, #16 | Wood | 100 percent Kolinsky, sold singly |
| LAVIS | #10, #12, #14, #16, plus an ombre brush | Pink | Kolinsky hair, the value end of the page |
| Kiara Sky | #10, #12, #14, #16, #18, #20 | Branded | The widest size run, including the largest brushes here |
| Kolinsky crystal handle | #14, #16, #18, plus a kit | Crystal | The kit is the multi-size option |
| Dual-ended tools | Gel pen brushes | Mixed | Listed here as well as on the poly and builder brush page |
What Kolinsky hair actually does
Acrylic is applied with a brush that has to do two contradictory things: hold enough liquid to carry a bead, and snap back to a point every time it is lifted. Natural Kolinsky hair does both because each strand is thicker in the middle and fine at the tip, so the belly of the brush acts as a reservoir while the tip stays sharp. Synthetic hair holds its shape but carries less liquid and releases it differently, which is why most professional acrylic work is still done on natural hair, and why a Kolinsky brush that is cared for outlasts several cheap ones.
The trade is care. Natural hair is damaged by acetone, by being left to dry with product in the ferrule, and by heat. A brush that is cleaned in monomer, reshaped by hand, and stored flat or bristles-down will last a year or more; the same brush left standing in a jar of acetone is finished in a month.
Size, and what it changes at the table
The number is the belly size, and the belly decides how much liquid and powder one pick-up carries. A small brush makes a tech work in more beads, which suits detail, fills, and short natural-length sets. A large brush carries a whole nail in one or two beads, which is faster on long sculpted sets but unforgiving, because a bead that is too wet has nowhere to go. The practical answer for most salons is two brushes: a middle size for everyday work and one larger for extensions.
Three brushes from the page
Specifications at a glance
| Attribute | What to look for | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Hair | 100 percent Kolinsky on the main lines here | Carries liquid and returns to a point; synthetic does neither as well |
| Shape | Oval or round belly with a fine tip | The belly holds the bead, the tip finishes the cuticle line |
| Size range | #8 to #20 across the page | Belly volume, and therefore beads per nail |
| Ferrule | Tight, no movement between hair and handle | Liquid running into a loose ferrule dissolves the glue and sheds hair |
| Handle | Wood, pink, or crystal on this page | Balance and grip; a heavy handle tires the hand on a long day |
| Cap | Supplied on most brushes | Protects the tip in a drawer, never used for storage with product in the hair |
Choosing a brush for the work
- #8 to #10: fills, natural-length sets, detail work, and techs who prefer to place several small beads.
- #12 to #14: the everyday size in most salons, enough belly for a full nail in two beads.
- #16 and above: sculpted extensions and high-volume work, where one bead covers a nail.
- A kit where a salon is training staff or wants a size for each type of service on the table.
- Dual-ended tools for gel and poly work rather than for bead sculpting.
Breaking in and caring for a new brush
- Remove the gum. New brushes are shipped with the hair gummed; work it out gently in monomer rather than pulling it apart dry.
- Flush with monomer. Two or three loads dipped and wiped, to clear any residue before the first bead.
- Wipe, do not stir. Wipe each side of the brush against the dappen dish rather than stirring, which whips air into the liquid.
- Clean between clients. A wipe on a lint-free towel and a fresh load of monomer, never acetone.
- Reshape by hand. Draw the hair to a point with the fingers at the end of the day.
- Store flat or bristles-down. Standing a wet brush upright lets liquid run into the ferrule, which loosens the glue and sheds hair.
What ruins an acrylic brush
Acetone is the first offender: it strips the natural oils from Kolinsky hair and leaves it brittle and splayed, which is why brush cleaner and monomer are the only liquids that should touch it. The second is cured product in the ferrule, from a brush that was put away with a load still in the hair, and once that hardens the brush never points again. The third is heat, from a brush left on a sunny window sill or beside a lamp. The fourth is a tech using the same brush for dip base or gel, which contaminates the hair and ends its life as an acrylic brush.
Where a brush has partially hardened, soaking in brush cleaner and working the hair gently sometimes recovers it. Where the hair has splayed from acetone, it does not come back and the brush is a spare.
How many brushes a salon needs
One per tech is a false economy, because a brush that cannot be cleaned properly between clients is a brush that hardens. Two per tech, used alternately, doubles the life of both and means a set is never started with a brush that still has product in it. A salon running training or a busy weekend should also keep one unopened spare, since a brush that fails mid-shift with a client in the chair is the most expensive one in the drawer.
Buying a brush kit versus singles
The crystal-handle kit on this page is the multi-size option, and it suits two situations: a salon setting up a new station that has no brushes at all, and a tech who wants to find her preferred size without buying four brushes at full price one at a time. For everyone else, singles are the better purchase, because most techs settle on one size for everyday work and one for extensions and never touch the rest of a kit. The test is simple: a salon that already knows which size its techs reach for should buy that size in pairs, and a salon that does not know yet should buy the kit once and then reorder singles.
Kits also make sense for training. A new tech given a range of sizes learns quickly which belly suits her hand and her speed, and that decision is hers rather than the salon's, because two techs of equal skill often work comfortably at sizes two numbers apart.
Handles, balance, and a long day
Handle material is the part of a brush nobody thinks about until their hand aches. A wooden handle is light and warm and is what most techs learn on; a crystal or acrylic handle is heavier and sits differently in the hand, which some techs prefer for control on larger sizes and others find tiring after six sets. Weight matters more than looks: a brush that is front-heavy makes the hand grip harder, and gripping harder is what causes the wrist and thumb pain that ends a shift early. If a salon is buying for several techs, buying two handle styles and letting people choose is cheaper than replacing a set of brushes nobody likes.
Length is the other variable. A longer handle gives a wider sweep and suits a tech who works with the whole arm; a shorter one keeps the hand close to the nail for detail. Neither is better, but a tech who has learned on one will be slower on the other for a week, which is worth knowing before a salon standardises on a single brush for everybody.
Reading the bead through the brush
Most of what a tech learns about acrylic is learned through the brush rather than through the eyes. A bead that is correct sits on the belly and holds a dome while still moving; a bead that runs down the hair is wet and will shrink and lift; a bead that drags and leaves brush marks is dry and will be brittle and full of air. The brush tells a tech all three before the bead touches the nail, which is why changing brush size mid-service is disorienting: the same ratio feels different on a different belly.
This is also the reason a salon should keep the same brand and size on the table for a whole set rather than mixing. Training a new tech on one size until the ratio is automatic, and only then adding a second size, gets her to consistent sets faster than giving her a kit on day one.
Where a brush fits beside the rest of the station
- Dappen dish: glass rather than plastic, emptied at the end of each day, never used to store the brush.
- Brush cleaner: kept beside the station so a brush is never taken to the acetone jar out of convenience.
- Lint-free towel: for wiping between clients; paper shreds and leaves fibres in the hair.
- A second brush: so one can be cleaned while the other works.
- A cap or a flat drawer: for storage, with the hair pointed and unsquashed.
Wholesale pricing at ND Nails Supply
Every brush on this page ships at wholesale pricing for everyone, with no business license, no minimum order, and no membership fee. Free shipping on orders $100+, and in-stock brushes ordered before 2pm PT on weekdays leave the same day.