Nail Thoughts Zodiac Collection (Spring 2026)

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It appears the #MagnetMoment continues to be strong as ever in the nail art space and I continue to be here for every second of it. Magnetic gels are a great way to create high-impact looks with tons of personality and depth.

It’s impossible to bring up personality and nail art without thinking of my friend, Katie Masters (aka Nail Thoughts). Katie has always had a gift for creating the most crowd-pleasing, un-fussy nail art. I discovered her instagram around the time I started getting serious about switching from my career in make-up to pursuing nails professionally and she’s one of the reasons I fell in love with Kokoist as a brand. I highly suspect that she may be personally responsible for every Peanut Butter Toffee E-173S color gel purchase in the years 2018-2019. It’s been a treat to watch her grow from her little salon suite in Santa Monica to her namesake brand with gel color and tinted base collection with Kokoist. Her collection now boasts 96 bottled gel colors, 52 tinted bases as well as a slough of speciality and foundation gels and we’re all BIG proud of her.

Come Wednesday, January 28th, 2026 the nail-art stork is about to deliver some new magnet gel-babies to the Nail Thoughts collection: The Zodiac Collection.

I had a chance to chat with Katie about the collection and here’s what she had to say:

Rachel: What inspired the new collection?

Katie: I knew I wanted to add more magnet to the NT collection, but, also try to make something different from what’s already out there. Usually flash glitter is silver, so, we decided to spice it up by adding different holographic and colored flash glitters to each one! We got some samples and Koko added some holographic and different colored flash glitters… it was a done deal we were obsessed. For example, Pisces (my sign) has blue and almost green mermaid toned glitter inside, while Capricorn has more orangey warm toned glowy flash glitter inside.

Rachel: When most people associate Zodiac signs and colors, they go with birthstones. It seems like you took a different approach, what what your process there.

Katie: For the longest time I’ve been dying to do some sort of zodiac themed collection because I am such a sucker for that. [This] collection was legit PERFECT for the theme! The colors of each month was just done with a little research on personality traits of each color and what color I thought would fit the vibe the most.

Rachel: As a November Scorpio, I was stoked to see the that my color leaned more into the dark, mysterious spooky side of the sign. As a fellow water-sign sister, what surprised you most about creating a shade for your Pisces people?

Katie: I alwayyyyys complain about how companies make Pisces blue because I always hated it, yet here I am continuing the Pisces blue cycle. I was looking at myself in the mirror like “am I a part of the problem??” But, I couldn’t help it. I saw this blue with mermaid glowy vibes and all the depth of color and glitter and I thought, maybe I can be the first Pisces blue I approve of.

Now that we have some insight into the collection, let’s take a look at the SWATCHES and as always, use code RACHEL10 when you shop at KokoistUSA.com to save on your order and support the blog.

Manicured hand displaying magnetic nail art from the Nail Thoughts Zodiac Collection. — **Leo (NTM-13)** from the Nail Thoughts Zodiac Collection is a rusty cranberry flash magnet gel color. In direct light, the pearly magnetic effect tones down the depth and brings the magnetic shine to the forefront, for me, the magic happens when you’re just on the edge of direct light when hints of the magenta sparkle peek through.

Close-up image of manicured hand with magnetic nail art featuring the Nail Thoughts Zodiac Collection — **Aries (NTM-14)** from the Nail Thoughts Zodiac Collection is a deep red flash magnet gel color. In direct light, the sparkly effect from red flash glitter and the muted silver magnetic particles looks like rich glittery velvet. Honestly, perfect for Valentine’s Day.

Close-up of hand with short almond nails and sparkly nail art featuring the Nail Thoughts Zodiac Collection — **Libra (NTM-15)** from the Nail Thoughts Zodiac Collection is an earthy brownish, plum-burgundy flash magnet gel with flashy champagne magnet particles and sheer holographic fine glitter. If magnetic gel had existed in the year 1996, this is absolutely what I’m wearing with my Doc Martens and overalls with only one shoulder buckled.

Close-up of hand with gold glittery nails. — **Taurus (NTM-16)** from the Nail Thoughts Zodiac Collection is a jelly deep gold flash magnet gel. When I say gold, I don't mean gilded royal palace, think more like the one of those luxe couches in a boozy 70’s bachelor pad. The jelly gold base is paired with gold magnet particles and pink flash glitter that pops through in just the right light.

Hand with magnetic cat-eye gel polish on almond nails — **Cancer (NTM-17)** from the Nail Thoughts Zodiac Collection is a stoney, grayish taupe flash magnet gel with holographic flash glitter and a pearly white magnetic effect. There’s just something about taking (what I like to call) the prison of beige/taupe clean-girl nails and throwing in something unexpected like a holographic flash glitter that feels so subversive in the best possible way.

Close up of sparkly nails on blurred background. — **Virgo (NTM-18)** from the Nail Thoughts Zodiac Collection is a true neutral gold flash magnet gel. If Taurus is the 70’s velvet couch kind of gold, Virgo is her more neutral and fancy sister. With a base color that’s more of an opaque sparkle and a nice bold white magnetic effect and fine holographic flash glitter she’ll have you agreeing that more, is most definitely more.

Close up of hand with blue sparkly nails — **Pisces (NTM-19)** from the Nail Thoughts Zodiac Collection is a jelly blue flash magnet gel with pearly magnetic particles and a mermaid blue fine flash glitter. She’s the watery blue, all of the other watery blues wish they were and will definitely come in clutch for summer nail art.

Hand with purple cat-eye nails — **Aquarius (NTM-20)** from the Nail Thoughts Zodiac Collection is a snowy Amethyst purple flash magnet gel that is softened with an intense pearl magnet effect and a lavender flash glitter. Hot take: we don’t talk about purple nails enough, because they are so very pretty and basically look good on everybody.

Close-up view of hand with blue glittery nails — **Sagittarius (NTM-21)** from the Nail Thoughts Zodiac Collection is a bright navy flash magnet gel with find cobalt blue flash glitter and high-frost champagne pearl magnetic particles. If Pisces is an easy-breezy-mermaid- blue, Sagittarius is the deep blue sea that’s *just* dark enough, but not so dark that you’ll have to lock her up until fall.

Hand with glittery purple cat-eye nails. — **Gemini (NTM-22)** from the Nail Thoughts Zodiac Collection is a grape soda purple flash magnet gel with pink and pearl magnetic particles and fine holographic flash sparkles. She is bright, she’s fun, she’s got youthful energy and she’s perfect for celebrating the warmer seasons ahead.

Close up of hand with glittery iridescent nails — **Capricorn (NTM-23)** from the Nail Thoughts Zodiac Collection is a neutral jelly cool brown flash magnet gel with the most gorgeous find pink and holographic flash glitter and a champagne magnetic pearl. I know we aren’t supposed to pick favorites, but she’s my favorite. She’s my diamond of the season, to quote Queen Charlotte from Bridgerton.

**Scorpio (NTM-24)** from the Nail Thoughts Zodiac Collection is a dark blue/black magnetic with flash glitter and holographic sparkle that is giving the best Milky Way vibes. Perfect for my fellow broody-Judy, spooky Scorpio Sisters that are frankly, tired of everything for scorpios being Topaz orange.

Check out my YouTube Channel for videos of the Zodiac Collection in action.

New Work: KatsEye for Teen Vogue

This post contains gifted product and/or affiliate commission codes/links. Disclosure statement linked in bio and also available here https://rachelmessick.com/disclosure

When Teen Vogue calls, I will always answer. I’ve been fortunate enough to count them as a client for a few years now and I was so excited to create these gnarly nail looks for the global pop girl-group sensation, KatsEye.

Special thanks to Marissa Asprer for assisting me.

Kokoist Terra Magnet Gel Collection (Fall 2025)

This post contains gifted product and/or affiliate commission codes/links . Disclosure statement linked in bio and also available here https://rachelmessick.com/disclosure

It’s undeniable that magnet gels are having a moment. With so many ways to manipulate the velvety fine pigments and particles, how could we not love them?

How do magnet gels work? Are they magic? While the effects are magical, magnet gels are simply iron particles suspended in transparent gel. While the iron particles may appear frosty at first swipe, they “stand up” when manipulated with a magnet and once cured, they stay in place.

Kokoist USA was kind enough to send me their upcoming Terra Magnet collection and after swatching all twelve nature-inspired shades I am SO excited to get these on my clients.

Use code RACHEL10 when you shop at KokoistUSA.com and save a lil’ somethin’ on your Kokoist faves✨

Without further ado, let’s get on to the SWATCHES….

New Work: Meg Stalter for Neutrogena

I used customized Aprés Gel-X Extensions and OPI Color Gel in Love is in the Bare topped with OPI Chrome Effects in Tin Can Man.

Inspo to Reality: Chaotic Tropical

I will always prefer getting inspiration from non-nail realted sources; shower curtains, lampshades, art, etc… There’s just something so special about creating something unique that can hopefully inspire other clients and artists to think outside the box.

Nail Art Tutorial: Abstract Lava Lamp

This post contains gifted product and/or affiliate commission codes/links. Click here for disclosure statement.

Ah yes, the delcious nebulous amorphic nature of the lava lamp. When I was a youth in the 90’s, 70’s nostalgia was in full swing. Claire’s accessories was selling beaded curtains and magic mushroom inspired tie dye candles (that I was NOT allowed to light) and you couldn’t pry daisy motifs and happy face t-shirts out of my ravenous teen hands. Suffice it to say, having a lava lamp was a major indicator of coolness.

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While there are definitely more on-the-nose lava lamp manicures out there, I’m more of a fan of a nod-and-wink approach to inspiration. What better way to modernize the lava lamp vibe than to throw in some #aestheticgirl details and a valentine’s adjacent color palette.

Step-by-Step:

First things first, you’ll want to lay down two coats of E-175S Boysenberry Candy using you rapplication brush of choice (I’m using a Thin Round brush) curing between coats.
Using a detail brush create a larger abstract blob-shape with E-127 Strawberry Latte, cure.
Using the same techniue add another abstract blob of F Gel Color Gel #2 (a dusty coral), cure. Be careful going too thick with super pigmented bottled gels, they self-level really beautifully but it’s also easy to create a layer so thick it can’t properly cure.
It’s ok to cure as you go with this next part, or if you like to live on-the edge and do it all at once- lmay the odds be ever in your favor. Using a dotting tool, start placing your larger oval-ish blobs first using F Gel Color Gel #53. This will help you ensure that you don’t overcrowd the nail and loose the floating lava lamp effect. Cure.
Now that you’ve placed the larger dots, go in and add additional dot detail. Cure.
Whenever I’m working with a raised design, I’ll always apply my top coat a bit more strategically. I always top coat on nail at a time. Using the Ultra Glossy Non-Wipe Top Coat Gel (say that 5 times fast, geez) I’ll scrub in a thin slip layer, ensuring that all the nooks and crannies are acocunted for. While that layer is wet, add a thicker layer of top gel and float it down the nail. Keep an eye on the line-of-light (the reflection of your table light) and watch it start to self level, be patient. Once the self leveling as starting you can start to attack problem areas- usually it’s going to be a little speed bump near the free-edge. Usually flipping the nail updise down for a few seconds and then dragging the product from the free edge to the apex does the trick (you can see me do it in the video).
Let your no-wipe top coat cool down for about 10 seconds, wipe it with a little alcohol (I use 70% or 99%) and then shine it up with some acetone. Turns out we should have been wiping these no-wipe top coats the whole time.

Use code RACHEL10 to save at Kokoist, Zillabeau (F Gel), My Nail Stuff, Hae Nails and Gellyfit.

These are affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you I may recieve a commission if you choose to purchase using my links and/or discount code. Click for disclosure statement.

New Article in NailPro Magazine

Reposting from NailPro Magazine, click here to check it out.

The holiday season is truly upon us. I don’t know what weird thing happens to space and time as I get older, but it seems to come around quicker year after year. Fear not, fellow traveler, you’ve got this. There are a few simple ways you can do to make your holiday salon style easy as (pumpkin) pie.

Deck the Halls

Look around your salon. What color palettes and themes do you notice? Do you keep a cozy warm workspace, or are you more sleek and minimal? As beauty professionals, clients look to us for style inspiration and appreciate a space that reflects that and makes them feel as though they are a part of your world. As a sidenote, co-workers and clients come from all different walks of life, so be open to suggestions and feedback as you navigate holiday décor.

Once you’ve established your vibe, take note of how much space can you spare for holiday décor without encumbering emergency exits and client comfort. Most of our clients are looking for respite from high-stress dinners, holiday travel or family encounters, so it’s important to make sure they aren’t feeling cramped, cluttered or stressed in your space. You’ll also want to keep a cleaning schedule in mind when making your décor selection—a small tree or figurine on your nail desk seems like a great idea, until you have to clean dust and glitter off multiple times a day.

Once you find your perfect décor, it’s one less thing on your plate the following year. My salon has a funky and eclectic vibe, so we opt for a pink holiday tree with a mirrored disco ball and gold glitter ornaments in our waiting area and a cute wreath on our door. The tree goes into storage at the end of the season, not to be thought of again until the following year.

The holidays are also a great opportunity to customize the client holiday experience, adding that little something special that keeps you at top of mind into the new year. Our goal is to make clients feel special while keep our costs of operation reasonable.

Jingle Bell Rock

We like to work holiday music into the rotation at the salon by creating a playlist mix of holiday and non-holiday music that we love. Keep it upbeat and stay away from anything too serious. My best strategy is one holiday tune for every four non-holiday songs—or just throw it all in there, hit shuffle and let the algorithm decide. As a bonus, if you create your playlist on a common streaming platform like Apple Music or Spotify and share the link with your clients, so they can take a little bit of your salon essence with them on the go.

More Peppermint, Please

Adding seasonal lotions and scrubs is a low-cost way to exhibit high-impact thoughtfulness. Your clients’ eyes will light up when you give them the choice between regular lotion or the cinnamon pumpkin lotion, to get into the holiday spirit! Pick up some flavored syrups and a box of herbal tea with holiday spices to offer clients if you have a coffee or tea station.

Mistletoe Mood

Take some time to create a display of your go-to holiday and client-favorite nail looks and colors. Grab an acrylic display board and showcase your collection where clients can see. It’s a great way to add to the ticket and help clients visualize what they want. Be sure that your go-to colors and art supplies are quickly accessible. As I mentioned earlier, clients depend on us to guide their style and will appreciate this. Keep the displays and use them year after year, storing when the season ends and adjusting as trends change.

Merry and Bright

The last big holiday tip I have for you may be the most important one yet: take care of yourself. January is a notoriously slow season for nail salons, and that pressure to perform over the holidays is very real. Be sure to take breaks, stay hydrated and set aside time to eat and stretch. I personally love the Wrist Wandfor a good stretch. Make an effort to stay away from your phone when you get home so you can truly disconnect and rest. Keep your space tidy, and don’t procrastinate on cleaning and disinfecting your tools at the end of the day.

I wish you all a healthy and prosperous holiday season!

Be sure to tag @nailpromagazine with the hashtags #nailproholidaystyle to show off your holiday décor, tips and nail art.

About the Author: Rachel Messick (@rachel.messick) is a salon owner, industry educator and session manicurist with a passion for natural nail care and innovative nail art. When not on set or in studio, she enjoys spending time with her family, attempting to garden and hanging with her menagerie of pets.

New Work: Amazon Holiday Campaign

Amazon | Director: Gary Salter | Nails by Rachel Messick at Celestine

New Work: Society 6 Holiday Campaign

Society6 | Photo by Alex Cayley | Nails by Rachel Messick at Celestine Agency

Nails by Rachel Messick / Celestine Agency

It’s the razzle-dazzle holiday season and I’ve got a bunch of new work coming out. As a session manicurist and commercial nail artist, I always enjoy anything with a little sparkle. The Society6 Holiday 2022 campaign was a mix of fun holiday looks AND casual looks. We opted for a natural nude nail with a soft glitter fade at the tips and of COURSE we had to play with some matte black nails too.

New work in Harper's Bazaar Singapore

Vacation Nail Collective Featured in Plaza Review

Earlier this year, my salon was featured in Old Towne Orange Plaza Review.

Swatch and Review: ICEGEL Dalmatian Nudie

Korean gel is definitely having a moment and rightfully so. I’ve been using ICEGEL since last year and I just love the creative color ways and specialty finishes. This collection features their ultra-popular speckled dalmatian formula but in muted neutral tones. You can snag them from their US distributor, Nashly Nails here.

1276: Semi-sheer cool-toned Ivory with black flecks. If you have the original Dalmatian set, this one is a little more gray than the original speckled white.

1277: Cool milky mid-tone pink with black flecks. This is gorgeous on warm skin tones.

1278: Rosewood with black flecks- reminds me of the JANE lipgloss I used to wear in the 90’s.

1279: Warm bone ivory with black flecks. This is one of my favorites- really unique and super flattering on all skin tones.

1280: Muted Lavender with black flecks. Love this one too, a client gave and gorgeous on olive skin.

1281: Don’t let the sticker on the bottle deceive you, this one’s a deep warm pink with black flecks.

Dapper French

As much as I wish I had a super quick french manicure hack, the truth is, it’s a little different for every nail shape and length. I find, for me, the best way is to sketch out the smile line, fill in and then perfect with a tapered clean up brush.

The real show stopper here is the Ultra Diamond No-Wipe Top Coat, it’s such an easy way tp add a nice even layer of glitz for the holidays.

You can save 10% off your Kokoist USA goodies when you shop using code RACHEL10. This is an affiliate link, disclosure statement here.

Swatch and Review: ICEGEL Flash On / Off

When ICEGEL released the first round of Flash On / Off gels I was absolutely smitten. They are a very subtle sparkle in natural light but when you put them under a light or flash they transform into an ultra-reflective finish. The original collection was more on the cool-side, lots of blues, purples, silvers- so I was super psyched to grab the more neutral pink and beige collection.

As far as application goes, they are super smooth and the glitter levels really nicely in the gel- no weird scratchy spots. I have a feeling these are going to get a lot of action this holiday season.

1225: Taupe nude with cool beige undertones

1226: Cool grey nude with silver undertones

1227: Honey nude with copper undertones (my personal favorite)

1228: Pink nude with berry undertones

Double Moss Arte Review: Palette Ring & Primero Brush Set

I’ve been following Betina Goldstein for years now- you probably have too. She’s kind of the queen of the gorgeous DIY manicure videos along with a crazy long list of celeb clients. Long before I put down the makeup brush and picked up the nail file, I was following her on insta. She’s got an effortlessly chic aesthetic, perfect hands and her beautiful videos are absolutely swoon-worthy. She’s also as sweet as pie and gives me those classy cool vibes- like, I firmly believe she is somebody who can wear all white, eat tacos and not spill anything and I’m here for it.

I’m always looking for ways to elevate my nail kit and the Primero Brush Set was calling to me. I tend to gravitate towards products created by working manicurists. It’s clear from the craftsmanship that she put a lot of thought and refinement into her creations. The majority of my work on set is with traditional polish and the field of brushes for traditional polish is always a little, how to put it softly, TACKY. Lots of glitz, the weird handles with beads in them, cheap imports, plastic and lots of bright bright colors.

What stood out to me most was the design. They are made of brass (which is gorgeous but most importantly, acetone resistant) and have caps that screw on and off.- which is a literal godsend since I’m the Queen of crushed and bent bristles. The weight in hand is lovely and very easy to work with, like a fancy pen. They came in a gorgeous velvet storage case that can be used to set my station as well for extra wow factor.From a functionality standpoint you can easily transition from thin to thick lines with a bit of pressure, my most used brush by far is Arte 2 (here’s a video of me using it in a tutorial), but Arte X comes in clutch for cuticle clean up and finessing lines. In general, as an artist, I prefer longer bristles so while I haven’t reached for Arte 1 as often, I could see it being great for fine detail work.

The palette ring is as gorgeous as it is functional- I find that I work best with it on my left thumb (if you’re a lefty, you’ll be better with it on your right). Super easy to clean and to be honest, fashionable enough to wear as a statement piece on its own.

Neon Matisse Nail Art Tutorial

Modern art has always had a place in my heart and, as I was growing up, the walls of my family home. While I’m not necessarily taken by everything Gen-Z is reviving (sweater vests and low rise jeans are a hard pass for me) the renaissance of respect for Henri Matisse’s cut outs is right up my artistic alley.

The key to the bulbous ends on the leaves is to put just a little too much gel on the edge of your brush and place the edge first and drag towards the steam. I’m using my favorite detail brush by Narina Chan. You can definitely use any color palette you like, I just love the juxtaposition of the muted rust orange and the pop of neon pink.

Products used:

Kokoist Color Gel E-218 Smoky Persimmon & E-23 Neon Toy Pink

Nail Thoughts x Kokoist Application Brush

Narina Nails Detail Brush

Kokoist Velvet Matte No-Wipe Top Coat

You can save 10% on your Kokoist purchase when you use code RACHEL10. This is an affiliate link, you can read my disclosure statement here.

Autumn Abstract

As a full-time salon owner and manicurist, finding time to create content is equal parts chaotic and intentional. Generally speaking, I keep a list of ideas and just kind of chip away in my spare time. However, sometimes ideas come on the fly and you just gotta go with it. This was one of those ideas.

I wanted to create a super easy and impactful autumn-ish design. Something easy to do on myself or clients.

Step 1: You’re going to start with a coat of Presto SC-300. Most of the time one coat is enough, but if you need two- do two. Cure.

Step 2: Using a square brush apply Kokoist Color Gel in E-219 Midnight Burgundy. Start at the free-edge and sweep upwards, softening your pressure as you go to get that painterly look. Cure.

Step 3. Use the inhibition layer as an anchor for your gold foil. The foil is really delicate, you’ll want to encapsulate with Presto Pre Art Gel before moving forward. Cure.

Step 4: Using a clean cuticle stick and Johen’s Elastic Gel in Black, add your spider-gel detail, cure.

Step 5: This look is great in glossy or matte, so pick your poison. Cure.

Dark Marble

We’re on cruise control straight into Spooky Season. If you’re looking for something Halloween-y that’s not like skulls and blood, this look is for YOU. I love the way the mica flakes pop through the jelly black, creating an oil-slick rainbow when the light hit’s it just right.

Step 1: After you cure your base gel, gently press Green Rainbow Mica Flakes and Blue Rainbow Mica Flakes into the sticky inhibition layer, encapsulate with a thin layer of art gel, cure.

Step 2: Apply two coats of E-206S Black Martini, curing between coats.

Step 3: Apply a thin player of Pre-Art gel, cure.

Step 4: Apply diagonal dots of Black Bleeding Ink, give it about 10-20 seconds to dry out a little and then using the Pointed brush with alcohol (be sure it’s not too saturated) gently pat the ink so that it dissipates in to a marble-ish pattern. Let dry completely and add a thin layer of Pre-Art Gel, cure.

Step 5: Repeat step 4, but place it on the other side of the nail.

Step 6: Apply No-Wipe Top Gel and cure.

You can save 10% on your Kokoist USA purchase when you use code RACHEL10. This is an affiliate link, disclosure statement available here.

Mocha Swirl Gel Nail Tutorial

The verdict is in, we’re all crazy for browns this season. All shades, all opacities- so long as it’s somewhere on the mocha spectrum.

All products by Kokoist unless otherwise noted. You can save 10% on your Kokoist USA purchase when you shop code RACHEL10.

Step 1: Apply 1-2 coats of E-249 Hazelnut Concealer, cure between layers.

Step 2: Using the Long Liner Brush and E-17 Bitter Chocolate, create a diagonal swirl, fill in and cure.

Step 3: Create a parallel swirl using the same method and E-88 Milk Chocolate, cure.

Step 4: Apply a matte top gel and cure.

Step 5: using a no-wipe clear art gel create a third swirl alongside the other two and sprinkle with brown glitter (I’m using Bronze by @youngnailsinc ), cure.

Step 6 (optional but recommended): apply a thin layer of E-0 Art Clear and cure to keep glitter from infiltrating your top coat and also to even out the design.

Step 7: Finish with a top gel, I’m using Nail Thoughts Glassy Top Gel, cure.

Natural Accent Gel Nail Tutorial

Do you ever have a nail art concept that you just can’t wrap your head around? Welp, that was me with chrome accents. Thankfully, when chatting with Marissa (one of the artists at Vacation Nail Collective) and she gave me the tip of a lifetime (I’ll share below). Instead of a matte top coat, you need to buff the surface of the nail. MIND BLOWN. All these months I was trying to use matte top coat to try to sequester the chrome zone and it was driving me full bonkers.

Here are the essentials for creating this look:

Thin No-Wipe Art Gel: Earlier this year Nail Labo repackaged and launched a TON of clear gels and while I was shopping a particular one caught my eye: Pre Art Gel. It’s a no-wipe gel with just a hint of an inhibition layer, so it’s stellar for chromes, but I’ve also been loving it to create a nice smooth surface when I really need to precision paint. Since it’s not a top coat, it’s easy to layer between other products.

Thick No-Wipe Art Gel: I snagged the TOY’S x INITY No Wipe Art Clear High gel from Nail Formula (a Canadian based Japanese nail product import shop). It’s thick and get for creating really raised looks like this one. They also make No Wipe Art Clear Low that I really really love as well.

Sponge Buffer: This is the trickier one, but I really love the 180 grit side of the Kokoist Sponge Buffer Moon, it’s not excessively abrasive so it’s easy to gently buff away the shine without removing color.

Step 1: Two coats of a soft milky pink- cure between coats. I’m using Haven by Luxio.

Step 2: Apply a coat of clear gel- cure.

Step 3: Gently buff the surface of the cured clear gel using a 180-grit or finer sponge buffer.

Step 4: Add an elevated swoop of thick clear no-wipe gel where you’d like the chrome detail, cure.

Step 5: Add your chrome on top of the clear art gel. I’m using @kokoistusaChrome Pen in Silver.

Step 6: Add Charm gel and place your shell.

Step 7: Seal it all in with a thin No-Wipe Art Gel or Top Gel, cure.

Step 8: Complete the look by encapsulating everything with a glossy top gel.