When I first starting nail stamping, I only used the Konad Special Polishes. Granted, I started out with only black and white, but they seemed to be the best options. Since then I’ve learned that there are some other polishes that work, too. :)

Metallic Polishes

Chrome or metallic polishes. Most silver polishes like Sally Hansen Insta-Dri in Silver Sweep, or China Glaze Millenium are great examples. Also, all the polishes from China Glaze’s Romantique collection from a couple years ago stamp very well. I picked up those from a seller on Amazon.com a while back.

Opaque Quick Drying Polishes

Sometimes regular old polish will work. When I discover that a polish I already own will stamp sufficiently it’s like finding buried treasure! :)

Most of the Sally Hansen Insta-Dri polishes will work. There are just a few that I’ve found that do not (Going Grape, for example). And the best part is that the Insta-Dri line of polishes is sold in drug stores and what I lovingly call “The Mother Ship” aka Ulta Beauty. ;)

Sometimes darker Zoya or Essie polishes will work. Really, the best thing to do is to just try polishes out.

Your Online Nail Buddies to the Rescue!

I came across this list not too long ago. A bunch of avid nail stamping fans have been compiling a list of non-Konad polishes that work for stamping. It’s definitely worth checking out, even though it hasn’t been updated for a while. :)

New to stamping? What to get first…

For brand new nail stampers, I would suggest the following polishes:

• Konad Special Polish White (haven’t found a white as good)
  Konad Special Polish Black (many blacks work, I just use this since I have it)
  Sally Hansen Insta-Dri Silver Sweep
  Sally Hansen Insta-Dri Presto Pink

Those are my most used stamping polishes, although I do have a few more that I love to use.

All in all, it’s really about trying out different polishes to see what works for you. I’ve read on some nail blogs that they’ll find an old dried up polish, try it out with stamping, and it will work beautifully. So don’t be afraid to do some experimenting on your own. :)