Frequently asked questions
What is A'DOR Marble Ink?
A thin, high-pigment liquid ink for fluid nail art: dropped onto a cured, wiped base it spreads into stone-like veins and watercolor washes, dries in seconds without a lamp, and is sealed under top coat. ND carries all 24 listings: the twelve-color Marble Ink range in singles and a set of 12, Metallic Marble Ink in brass, bronze, copper, gold, and silver in 10 mL and 15 mL with a set of 5, and Foil Marble Ink in gold and silver in 15 mL with a set of 4.
How do I apply Marble Ink?
Cure the base color and a thin matte top coat over it, which is the surface the ink is made to bloom on; for a softer, wider bleed drop it onto a thin layer of uncured clear gel instead. Touch a drop to the nail and let it spread, nudging it with a brush tip, a dotting tool, or a puff of air for the vein pattern. Let it set, add a second color or a metallic vein, and a drop of alcohol on wet ink opens a cell pattern. Float a gel top coat over the design without brushing back and forth, and cure.
Why does the ink look different on light and dark bases?
The pigment is translucent and shimmery. Over a pale or pastel base the ink reads soft and iridescent; over black or a deep color the shimmer intensifies and the veins turn high-contrast. The same bottle of Metallic Gold gives a subtle gilded vein on nude and a bold one on black, so pick the base first and the ink second.
Which inks does a salon need for the marble looks clients ask for?
White marble uses 09 Silver or Metallic Silver and a diluted 12 Blue over a milky white base; gilded stone uses Metallic or Foil Gold over nude or black; jade and turquoise use 05 Turquoise and 03 Aqua Blue with a copper vein; watercolor florals use 01 Pink, 07 Hot Pink, and 04 Lime Green over a sheer base. The Set of 12 plus the Metallic Set of 5 covers all of them; a white-and-gold-only salon buys 09, 12, and Metallic Gold.
Is A'DOR Marble Ink sold at wholesale?
Yes. Every single and set at ND Nails Supply is wholesale-priced for everyone, with no business license, no minimum order, and no membership fee. The sets put a whole palette on the wall in one order, and a bottle lasts a long time because each design uses a drop or two. Orders $100+ ship free, and in-stock ink ordered before 2pm PT on weekdays leaves the same day.
A'DOR Marble Ink: the liquid ink for marble, veining, and watercolor nails
A'DOR Marble Ink is a thin, high-pigment liquid ink made for fluid nail art: dropped onto a cured matte top coat it blooms into stone-like veins and washes, dries fast without a lamp, and takes a top coat, so a marble or watercolor nail is done in minutes rather than painted stroke by stroke. ND Nails Supply carries the whole line, 24 listings at wholesale: the twelve-color Marble Ink range in singles and a set, the Metallic Marble Ink in brass, bronze, copper, gold, and silver in 10 mL and 15 mL, and the Foil Marble Ink in gold and silver in 15 mL. The ink reads two ways depending on the base: soft and iridescent over a pale or pastel base, high-contrast and shimmering over black or a deep color.
What is on this page
| Line | Colors | Sizes and sets | Use |
|---|---|---|---|
| A'DOR Marble Ink | 01 Pink, 02 Cool Pink, 03 Aqua Blue, 04 Lime Green, 05 Turquoise, 06 Rust Red, 07 Hot Pink, 08 Yellow, 09 Silver, 10 Gold, 11 Rose Gold, 12 Blue | Singles and the Set of 12 | Color marbling, watercolor washes, abstract streaks |
| A'DOR Metallic Marble Ink | Brass, Bronze, Copper, Gold, Silver | 10 mL singles and the Set of 5; Gold and Silver also in 15 mL | Metallic veins over a marble, gilded edges |
| A'DOR Foil Marble Ink | Gold, Silver | 15 mL singles and the Set of 4 | A foil-like metallic vein with more shine than the metallic ink |
How to use Marble Ink
- Base. Cure the base color, then cure a thin coat of matte top over it; the matte surface is what A'DOR specifies for the ink to bloom evenly. For a softer, wider bleed the drop can instead go onto a thin layer of uncured clear gel. It also works over acrylic and dry regular polish.
- Drop. Touch a drop of ink to the nail with the applicator or a fine brush. It spreads on its own; nudge it with the brush tip, a dotting tool, or a puff of air from a straw for the vein pattern.
- Layer. Let the first color set (it dries in seconds), then add a second color or a metallic vein through it; a drop of alcohol on wet ink opens a cell pattern.
- Seal. Float a gel top coat over the design without brushing back and forth, and cure. On regular polish, use an air-dry top.
Because the ink dries fast, the whole set can be inked, then topped in one pass; a marble accent nail adds three to five minutes to a gel manicure.
Designs the ink is made for
- White marble: a milky white base, a thread of 09 Silver or Metallic Silver, and a hint of 12 Blue diluted with a drop of alcohol for the grey vein.
- Gilded stone: a nude or black base with Metallic Gold or Foil Gold veins.
- Watercolor florals: drops of 01 Pink, 07 Hot Pink, and 04 Lime Green spread with a wet brush over a sheer base.
- Aura and smoke: a single color dropped in the center of a pale base and pulled outward with the brush.
- Turquoise and jade: 05 Turquoise and 03 Aqua Blue with a copper or gold vein.
Why a liquid ink rather than a marble gel?
A marbling gel stays wet until it is cured, so the tech has time but the pattern only forms where the brush drags it. A liquid ink moves on its own: it spreads, feathers, and beads into cells the way real stone forms, dries in seconds so it can be layered without a lamp between colors, and sits so thin that the top coat stays level over it. The trade-off is control: ink is the tool for organic patterns, and a liner gel is still the tool for a deliberate line. The two live side by side on ND's line art gel page for that reason.
Stocking Marble Ink for a salon
The Set of 12 covers every color pattern on the menu, and the Metallic Set of 5 adds the veins; between them a station can do white marble, gilded stone, jade, and watercolor without a second order. A salon that only sells the white-and-gold marble buys 09 Silver, 12 Blue, and a Metallic Gold and is done. A bottle lasts a long time because a design uses a drop or two, so the singles are the reorder unit and the sets are the opening order. Store bottles upright and capped; the ink thickens if left open.
Common marble ink problems and the fix
- The ink runs off the nail: too much ink for the surface, or the nail was held at an angle. Use a single small drop and keep the hand flat until the ink sets.
- The pattern disappears under top coat: the top coat was brushed back and forth and dragged the ink. Float one generous coat of top over the design and cure without working it.
- Colors turn muddy: too many drops in one spot before the first set. Let each color dry for a few seconds before the next, and use fewer, larger drops.
- The metallic vein looks dull: the base was too pale for the metallic to contrast. Metallic and foil inks read best over black, navy, or a saturated color; over nude, use the colored inks instead.
- The ink has thickened in the bottle: it was left open. Cap between uses and store upright; a thickened bottle can be revived with a drop of alcohol.
Marble ink through the year
Marble ink is a summer product first: the beach and tropical months (July and August) are when clients ask for stone, sea-glass, and watercolor nails, and the twelve-color set plus the metallic veins covers that whole request. It carries into fall as the gilded-marble and tortoiseshell look over nude and mocha bases, and into the holidays as a white-and-gold marble over a milky base. Spring is the watercolor floral season, where 01 Pink, 07 Hot Pink, and 04 Lime Green are dropped as petals and leaves over a sheer base. A salon that stocks the Set of 12 and the Metallic Set of 5 in June has the art it needs through December.
Marble ink for the tech who does not paint
The reason this ink sells to salons without a dedicated art station is that the design makes itself. A drop on a matte top spreads on its own, a second color dropped beside it pushes the first into veins, and a puff of air or the tip of a dry brush finishes the pattern; there is no brush control involved and no two nails come out the same, which clients read as hand-made. The Metallic Marble Inks in gold, silver, copper, brass, and bronze are the volume sellers in the line for that reason: a metallic vein dragged through a wet drop turns a plain marble into gilded stone, and a newer tech can produce it on her first day.
Pairing the ink with the rest of the art station
- Matte top coat: the surface the ink blooms on; keep a dedicated bottle so the gloss top stays free of pigment.
- LAVIS Blooming Gel: for the softest watercolor spread, a drop of ink into wet blooming gel bleeds wider and lighter than a drop on matte top, and a second color dropped into it feathers like paint on wet paper.
- Chrome and foil: a light pass of aurora chrome over a dried marble, or a foil transfer pressed onto a cured tacky vein, adds the metallic lift that photographs for social posts.
- Non-sticky clear gel: a clear encapsulation over a marble accent turns it into a glass-look nail with the pattern sealed inside.
- Diamond Top: the final seal on every marble nail; float it on rather than brushing back and forth so the dried ink does not smear.
How long a bottle lasts, and how to store it
A marble nail uses one or two drops, so a 10 mL bottle covers a season of accent nails at most salons, and the Set of 12 is bought for the range of colors rather than for volume. Keep the bottles upright and capped between drops; the shimmer settles, so roll the bottle in the palm before use rather than shaking it, which puts air into the ink. Wipe the dropper tip on a lint-free pad after each nail so the next drop is clean, and keep the inks on the art tray away from the lamp, because the ink is UV and LED curable and a bottle left open next to the lamp starts to set at the neck.
Wholesale pricing at ND Nails Supply
Every Marble Ink single and set is wholesale-priced for everyone, with no business license, no minimum order, and no membership fee. The Set of 12, the Metallic Set of 5, and the Foil Set of 4 put a whole palette on the wall in one order. Free shipping on orders $100+, and in-stock ink ordered before 2pm PT on weekdays leaves the same day.