Konad Set Starter Kit for Stamping Nail Art

I came across this product when my 12 year old cousin asked for the AS-SEEN-ON-TV item called Salon Express. I saw the pretty bad reviews that product got and stumbled upon this one. Did some YouTube tutorial searches and saw this product in action. Decided I'd buy my cousin one and get one for me too! The starter kit is perfect! Including the nail polish, scraper, stamper and two plates is everything you need to get started for a very economical price! After doing my nails the very first time like a pro (it seriously is that easy!), I quickly came on Amazon to thank the community for reviews and to buy a 21 piece plate kit. I'm hooked!! The nail polishes are in small bottles, but for the little bit that you use per nail, I can see even the small bottle lasting plenty of time. I haven't bought the nail polishes individually so I don't know if the starter kit sized bottle is actually smaller (5 ml). I read online that you can use any nail polish.. haven't tried yet, but I also saw many reviews that the Konad polish is BETTER.And this vendor sent it to me practically instantly! WTG! Anyway, I highly recommend the kit as a gift for your loved ones and yourself!Happy Holidays to all!

Frustrated with this product. Have tried to use it many times and still will not stamp. I've tried the suggestion to file the rubber stamp and still not successful. I had bought a set (diffrent brand) years ago at those mall carts with 5 plates, the rubber stamp, scraper and 3 nail polishes that worked so good but I gave them away and now that I got back into nail art I can't seem to find such a good deal, easy to use, and that actually does what is intended. The scraper scratches the plates. One of the reviews suggested using old credit cards to scrape instead.. But Again, still not doing what it's intended to do and you have to find alternative ways to make it work for you. Sadly for me I haven't been successful. Disappointed.

I give konad 3 stars for the reason that it drys to quickly. At first it's difficult to use. I recommend using a credit card or dunkin doughnut card to swipe the polish on the stencil plate. I do it this way and my disc plate doesn't scratch up anymore. I find konad to be fun to use... I recommend from the age of 9 years of age and up. You basically roll the konad stamper over your nail. I also recommend using 99 cent clear polish. You don't need to use konad nail polish. I can't stand the smell of the konad polish makes me nausicious well I use 99 cent nail polish and works just the same opi nail polish a little more expensive polish works great too. My nails always look great and I have the nail salon feeling. konad is my secret <3;o)

I couldn't get the polish to adhere to the stamper until I read on some obscure blog that you need to file the stamper with a medium file (100 grit) to rough up the stamp so the nail polish has a not-perfectly-smooth-surface to attach to.The scraper is a piece of crap. It scratches the plates the first time it's used. Use an old plastic card, like an old library, old credit, old hotel check in key-card, or save a gift card with $0.00 balance so you can just permanently store it in your manicure kit.Polish is great. I even bought a separate black Konad special polish and that worked beautifully. I also tested out my own regular pink nail polish (Finger Paints brand, Wannabe Warhol color) and it worked ok, but I definitely had to try a few times to get the perfect pattern to transfer onto the stamp.Plates aren't etched deep enough on some patterns, like the stars, to be able to pick up the polish from them either. I was able to use the flower on the outside, but not the flower pattern that is in the center. The little patterns aren't etched enough. I have 4 other plates from 2 other companies that are about to be shipped and hopefully those will work better. (If I remember, I will update this review with the usability of those plates.)To clean the stamper use a lint roller. Works wonderfully. It cleans the stamper perfectly, and the lint roller isn't damaged by the nail polish (the polish coat is so thin it doesn't get through the first layer of sticky lint paper). Trying to clean the stamper is like trying to peel off a stubborn sticker. Life hack - use lint roller to clean stamper.It took me about 2 hours to figure out how to get the polish to stick to the stamper. Then about an hour to get the scraping motion just right, need speed and moderate pressure. Then once I got the hang of it and a routine (below) going it took 3 minutes down to 1 minute to do each stamp. So about 3 - 4 stamps per finger takes about 30 - 60 minutes to do a full set of some very nice pretty nails. So patience and determination is a virtue with this art!My routine:- Get your work station set up with polish(s), plate(s), scraper, stamper, dish of acetone, dish of nail polish remover, q-tips, cotton balls or cosmetic sponges, paper towel to scrape onto, and whatever else you use. Have your nails prepped and ready with the base coat fully dried (at least use a clear base coat).- File stamper with 100 grit file. Wipe clean with a q-tip and acetone.- Q-tip dip into acetone, swipe plate pattern to clean, use cotton ball to wipe dry.- Nail polish onto plate, don't need too much.- Quickly swipe excess nail polish off with moderate pressure at a 45 - 30 degree angle. Then very quickly press or roll the stamper onto it.- Align with the nail (only take less than 8 seconds to this or the polish will dry, suggest asap) and roll or press it onto nail.- Roll or press stamper onto lint roller to clean any remaining stamp nail polish off.- Fresh Q-tip in acetone, swipe plate pattern to clean, use other end of q-tip in acetone to wipe clean again (this double clean really helped with getting a full pattern every time), then use a cotton ball to wipe dry. Use the q-tip to wipe the scraper edge clean (cleaning the scraper every time helps with wiping off the nail polish perfectly everytime). Throw away.- Repeat at Nail polish onto plate step until nails are fully stamped. Don't need to file the stamper every time, just when the polish starts to not stick to it any more -about every 10 - 20 stamps.- Clean any excess nail polish off the skin around the nail with a q-tip dipped in nail polish remover.- Apply any other nail art, (dots, glitter, etc.) and a top coat to preserve the nail art (I used Finger Paints and it didn't smear the art, amazing).- Marvel and be proud of the wonderful art you've created!

I ordered this starter kit after reading about nail stamping online and watching a few tutorial videos. Instructions are limited to info on the back of the package, so I suggest you watch some tutorials to really get a hang of it. I tried it for the first time today, and it was so easy and worked the first try. I suggest using the special polish included in this kit for the stamp image because it is thick and holds the image on the stencil very well. Don't use the special polish as the base color, because it is too thick and would take too long to dry. I had no problems with it smearing when I added the topcoat because I waited quite a while to be sure the stamped image was completely dry and then I added a very THIN and LIGHT topcoat. The results look so nice, I can't wait to get more plates and polish colors!

Product was shipped in a timely manner, but I would not recommend for children. I tried to use it and you have to be very quick before the nail polish dries on the plate. Hopefully with more practice it will be more fun.