A needle assembly 10 for a liquid applicator includes a housing 40 comprising a tubular longitudinal channel 420 and a guide/inner surface 122. The channel comprises an upper open end and a lower open end. Liquid storage grooves 110 for storing liquid by capillary action extend generally transversely in the guide/inner surface above the lower open end. A needle bundle 200 is mounted in the housing. The needle bundle comprise one or more needles longitudinally reciprocally movable in the channel and being biased against the guide surface, or towards the inner surface, across the grooves such that, during longitudinal reciprocal movement of the needle bundle, the needle bundle maintains contact with the guide surface and the liquid stored in the grooves, or maintains a capillary gap between the needle bundle and the inner surface, for drawing the liquid out of the grooves by capillary action.
