First paint your nails and let them dry. Choose a base color that will contrast with whatever colors you have chosen to use to marble. For example, a base color of light pink looks very nice with silver and dark purple marbling. Next, create a polish barrier so that polish won’t get all over your skin and cuticles while you do the marbling. You can use cuticle oil on the skin and under the nail or you can use tape. Now, drop the polish onto the water’s surface from about a half-inch away so that it will disperse. You may have to test several polishes to find the ones that will disperse instead of just sinking to the bottom of the cup.

Once the different colors have made rings in the water, use the tooth pick or orange wood stick to make a pattern. Find what works for you – some people start in the middle and others from the outside to make a nice pattern. Then dip your nail into the pattern right after you finish creating it or it’ll dry on top of the water. While your nail is submerged pull the excess polish away with the stick and then pull your nail out and shake off the moisture. Clean up your finger, and enjoy your marbled nails!