Sable and kolinsky are small forest animals related to badgers, weasels, ferrets, wolverines, and minks — and they are valued for their fur.
> They have been favored amongst artists for hundreds of years, most notably for their superior strength and resilience. But to ensure a prolonged life and optimal performance, proper care and maintenance must be observed.
> Avoid skin contact with the bristles whenever possible. Oils from the body can deteriorate the bristles over time.
> Use monomer for cleaning sable and kolinsky acrylic brushes whenever possible.
> Do not use acetone. Even just one washing in acetone can dehydrate the bristles enough to affect their performance. Acetone strips the brush of its natural moisture. Once the bristles become dehydrated, they will be unable to hold liquids, rendering the brush useless. Acetone will also dissolve the glue that holds the bristles into the ferrule (the metal band that holds the bristles and attaches them to the handle).
> Keep a separate bottle of monomer that’s used only for cleaning brushes — not for nail services.

Synthetic bristles are a favored choice for working with gel. They are durable and hold up well to commercial cleaners. They also don’t have to be cleaned as thoroughly as a sable acrylic brush. Alcohol can actually be used to remove most of the gel from the bristles, and the brushes can always be stored upright as alcohol evaporates much more quickly than monomer. To clean a gel brush, simply swish it back and forth in cleaner or alcohol and press dry between two pieces of paper towel.

Nail art brushes are usually thinner for more detailed work. Some are as tiny as four or five hairs thick. Extreme care must be given to these types of brushes. Some cannot afford to even have one or two bristles mangled. How you clean these brushes depends on what they’re used for. For example if you’re using detail brushes with nail polish, it’s recommended that you purchase a set of inexpensive ones, as the only way to remove nail polish is with polish remover or acetone. This will of course deteriorate the bristles. If you’re using the brush with a water-based medium, swish it slightly in soapy lukewarm water, rinse in cool water, and reshape with a dry paper towel.