Finding the right acrylic manicure brushes can be a challenge, and not because there’s a lack of products on the market. In fact, there are so many manicure brushes out there that it is easy to be vulnerable to poorly designed brushes that just don’t deliver. Since you can’t deliver an excellent manicure without excellent brushes, it’s important to find a nail art company that uses experienced professionals to vet their products.

In our decades of experience in excellent manicures and pedicures at Nails Plus, we’ve learned a few things about quality manicure brushes.

Here are our top two tips for how to find them:

First, Kolinsky hair doesn’t always indicate a high-quality brush.

True Kolinsky brushes—thought to be the gold standard for nail art—are made from the hair of a specific type of Siberian weasel. That doesn’t sound particularly glamorous, but a good Kolinsky brush allows for incredibly intricate artwork, as it will not lose its shape or shed hair.

So, how do you know if you’re getting a Kolinsky hair brush that’s worth your money? Do your research! Talk to experienced nail techs who have used a variety of Kolinsky brushes, and ask them to share their favorite brands. Then, research the brand. Do they stand behind their product? Are their 100% Kolinsky Hair claims accurate? Unfortunately, there are a lot of fake Kolinsky brushes circulating on the internet, so be sure you’re working with a trusted seller in order to get the real deal.

To see manicure brush recommendations from Nails Plus nail artists, just keep reading!

Second, you must crimp your acrylic nail brushes.

A high-quality brush salesperson will crimp the brush for their customers, or they’ll be sure they’re selling brushes that are already properly crimped by experts. If the barrel at the base of the acrylic nail brush is round, you will have no control over the acrylic bead. Because precision & brush control are essential for excellent manicures, you need to be sure your acrylic brush is shaped and crimped by someone who knows what they’re doing. Unfortunately, this doesn’t always happen with the lower quality brushes often sold on eBay and Amazon.

So, keep in mind that even if a brush says it is crimped, crimping is often done incorrectly. Each batch of brushes is different in the way the hair is placed in the barrel, so crimping is not a practice that can be done the same way every time. It’s an art form that must be done by an expert.

So, which brush does Nails Plus recommend for beautiful manicures?

We’re glad you asked!

Our goal with this blog is to point out that the acrylic brush market can be difficult to navigate. But by doing your research, you’ll end up with a great brush and, as a result, a great manicure. We actually have two favorite Kolinsky brushes, and we’re excited to share them with you.

Here are our recommendations:

Ultra Plus Kolinsky Hair Acrylic Nail Brushes

The Ultra Plus brand is the Nails Plus brand of choice. This is a high quality Kolinski hair brand that makes the nail tech’s job much easier. We recommend starting with this #14 Rosewood brush, but there are several other sizes available, depending on your needs.

Kiara Sky Kolinsky Acrylic Brushes

These Kiara Sky Kolinsky Brushes aren’t just high-quality, they’re also beautiful to look at! The crystal cut acrylic handle is gorgeous and easy to grip, and the 100% Kolinsky hair brush comes in sizes ranging from #10 to #20.

Have questions about our recommended brands? We have answers! Contact us directly with all inquiries—we’re always thrilled to hear from customers.

Good luck with that perfect set!

Beautifully Yours,
Kim Phan, VP