I like to consider myself a pretty good stamper, some might say Master Stamper but I'll try and stay humble! Free hand designs are not my best so being able stamp an image helps me create some fabulous manicures. Learning to stamp is not the easiest but totally worth it! Having good plates can, especially ones with brilliant images, make stamping a little bit easier to master. So let's get this party started!
My very first set of stamping plates was the 2010 Bundle Monster set. Since then Bundle Monster has added to their plates and created some pretty awesome images. Recently they have also started selling large image plates individually. I have had a bad image here and there, but they are great at replacing plates. You can purchase the plates directly from Bundle Monster or through Amazon.
I still remember the hype that was going around when the first set of Red Angel plates came out. Everyone was rushing to get them and posting manicures. The images were unique and stamped perfectly. Since then the hype has died down but they did release two other sets. I have never had a problem stamping with these plates because the images are cut so deep. This makes them perfect for someone just starting...less disappointment! You can pick up these sets up through Amazon.
I don't even know where to start with Cheeky! They have so many plates! Between the sets and the Jumbo plates the images are nonstop! The 2013 Jumbo Plates are amazing and some of my favorite. And I can't forget about the GALS sets they released! I love the images and I have not had a problem with image transfer. You can purchase any of the MANY sets and plates directly from Cheeky or Amazon.
I FREAKIN' love my PUEEN plates! These are my most used plates! The images are incredible! I have created some of my best manicures with these images. These plates are also perfect for someone just starting out. The images are cut deeper, like the Red Angel plates, which makes image transfer much easier. You can't go wrong with PUEEN! You can purchase the plates from PUEEN or Amazon.
I still remember the hype that was going around when the first set of Red Angel plates came out. Everyone was rushing to get them and posting manicures. The images were unique and stamped perfectly. Since then the hype has died down but they did release two other sets. I have never had a problem stamping with these plates because the images are cut so deep. This makes them perfect for someone just starting...less disappointment! You can pick up these sets up through Amazon.
I don't even know where to start with Cheeky! They have so many plates! Between the sets and the Jumbo plates the images are nonstop! The 2013 Jumbo Plates are amazing and some of my favorite. And I can't forget about the GALS sets they released! I love the images and I have not had a problem with image transfer. You can purchase any of the MANY sets and plates directly from Cheeky or Amazon.
I FREAKIN' love my PUEEN plates! These are my most used plates! The images are incredible! I have created some of my best manicures with these images. These plates are also perfect for someone just starting out. The images are cut deeper, like the Red Angel plates, which makes image transfer much easier. You can't go wrong with PUEEN! You can purchase the plates from PUEEN or Amazon.
I only own the one set of Shany plates and I haven't used it that much. Actually I have used it twice. I was disappointed with the first attempt, bad transfer, but the second was much better. The images are kind of ho-hum when you compare them to the others and I think that is why I don't use them as much as I should. You can purchase these plates through Shany or Amazon.
Vivid Lacquer, Messy Mansion, My Online Shop, Bunny Nails, Nailz Craze
There is just something that I really like about my MASH set. I don't use them as much as I should. The images are great and they stamp wonderfully, they just fall to the back burner when compared to some of my other plates. They did release a new set that is on it's way to me now! So excited! You can purchase these sets through MASH and Amazon.
The wonderful thing about the Winstonia plates are that they have some fun holiday/seasonal images. If you are looking for images for the holidays these plates are great! They are also great stampers. I never had a problem applying these images. And did you see the new plates?!?! I am dying to get my hands on that flower plate....I think I might go buy it now! These plates are available through Winstonia and Amazon.
I can't do this whole stamping plate post without touching on KONAD. I am not a KONAD fan. I think their plates are over priced. I do own three of that I bought when I started stamping but I have found better designs with other companies. This doesn't mean that they are not good plates, because they are. They just aren't for me. You can purchase these plates through KONAD and Amazon.
The Indie Stamp Plates!
This group of companies are all indie stamp creators. I have gotten some of the best plates/designs from these stores. I won't lie though, I LOVE Messy Mansion! These are my all time favorite stamping plates, right now! The designs that she has been coming up with lately are beyond amazing!
These are fantastic plates with incredible designs. If you are looking for something different than the "big" stamping companies these are the stores you will want to check out!
Now, you might be asking what are the most popular plates...
Currently, the stamping plates on the lips of every nail artist is MoYou! All you have to do is check out their site and you will understand why! I have been putting off purchasing these plates until today.....I discovered that they are now being sold on Amazon! You know what that means!!!! BIRTHDAY PRESENT!!! I can't wait to get them! You can buy your own at MoYou or Amazon!
It is important to mention that these images come in various sizes. Some images don't fit larger nails. It might be important for you to know about image size before buying a set of plates. Thanks to Posh Nail Art I can share image size with you! It is not all the plates but it does have a nice selection!
I hope you have found this post helpful! It can be difficult to decide what plates to buy but hopefully this post will help you narrow it done or at the least give you a place to start! Happy Stamping!
Now let's eat CAKE!
