A Non-Exhaustive List of Nail Colors I Cannot and Will Not Be Without

As a nail tech, I buy plennnnnnnty of gel colors. I haven't counted lately, but if I had to venture a guess, I’ve probably got somewhere in the ballpark of 250 colors available for my clients to choose from. And while there's a few that sit mostly untouched (though hardly unloved), most get used with some regularity. There are a handful, though, that are such staples in my collection that I make sure to have a backup on hand *at all times* because it would ruin an appointment if I needed it and didn't have it (ok, maybe not ruin, but you know what I mean).

Whether you’re just starting to build your collection, or you’ve already built one and, like me, are always looking for the next greatest thing, or you just like reading about nail polish (hello, welcome), here are a few of my all-time faves—the heavy hitters, the must-haves, the “who knew I'd use this one so much” and the “of COURSE this gets used constantly”—that I make sure I never run out of.

NOTE: This is not an ad, or sponsored, or commissioned; I just really like these colors. If any of these brands wanted to send me some of the goods, though…I would not protest. 

ANOTHER NOTE: This list doesn’t include staples like a basic white and black liner for outlining and such. For those, I use Kokoist’s Blackest Black and Bluey White. They’re great, but they’re not as exciting to write a paragraph about. Need a silver or gold liner? Look no further than Presto 153 and 154.

OKAY! Without further ado, in no particular order:

1. Kokoist’s sheer nudes

   These are my forever first choices for art that needs a neutral base, for clients who like a seamless grow-out, for a clean and crisp French manicure and for those of you who want “just a little something” instead of a clear nail. Shades like Peanut Butter Toffee, Soft Cashmere Toffee, Neut Pink, Rose Tea Toffee, Pink Beige Toffee and Sand Beige Toffee (am I forgetting anyone? Probably. I use SO MANY of these)  all look so similar in their jars, but they pick up on everyone’s skin tone a little differently and, as such, every client who uses them here has a favorite (which I keep written in their client file notes). The formula is incredible—they brush on SO smoothly without streakiness and it's just *chef kiss* every time. I simply cannot go without them. Kokoist, if you're reading this, please never ever ever ever discontinue these.

2. Nail Thoughts’ My Favorite Red

I’m not much of a solid-color manicure gal myself. I almost always have some kind of art on my own nails, but if I don’t—because I wanted to spend one hour and not three (honestly: five) on my manicure—there’s a 90% chance I’m wearing this color. Aptly named, it really is my favorite (and a lot of my clients’ favorite) red. It’s almost neon, a little orangey but not too much, and so saturated. You can’t go wrong. If you’re not into wearing red nails, try this one—you may find yourself, like me, a convert.

3. Presto #300

If you, or any of your clients, want to try out a ceramic-y nail design, Presto has a line of colors that mimic the finish of pottery. I have several of them, but #300 has a milky white base, gray and black speckles and the faintest, FAINTEST shimmer (even if you don’t like glittery shades, I promise you will still like this one). I’ve used it in both shiny and matte designs, and with a matte topcoat (I like Presto’s), it gives a look that mimics clay pottery or ceramics (also: apologies to anyone who works with ceramic, clay, and pottery, as I am sure I have misused the terminology here).

4. Presto SC-168

This is a weird one. Unfortunately, Presto discontinued this one a while back and I am currently on the hunt for a suitable replacement (and I’m slightly sweating because my last bottle is getting low, so…if you know of one, please do holler at ya girl). 

It’s a greenish-yellow, yellowish-green. It’s snot-green, baby-poop chartreuse, bright-but-not-neon olive, it’s somehow opaque and translucent at the same time, and when I got it, I *never* would have guessed how frequently I’d reach for it. I don’t know how to describe it. It adds depth to floral/botanical sets, it’s great for a base color against other brights, it’s just… I dunno, man, it’s just excellent. I need it in my life. Presto, if you are reading this, please please please bring it back. It’s practically got its own fan club, and we nail artists would be eternally grateful.

5. Grani 025 (now #19?)

Ok, in compiling this list out of my all-time favorites, I’ve realized a big problem, which is that this neon mac-and-cheese color I bought years ago has seemingly vanished from existence. Grani 025 no longer exists as I know it, but it looks like perhaps #19 might be its replacement. Unfortunately, I cannot read Russian, so the jury is out on whether I’ll be able to restock this one. So, um, again…if you have a color that is the color of the powder in boxed mac and cheese…let me know. I have a client who loves this color so much that we try to incorporate it into almost every set, so I need to find a bottle (or five).

6. Apres - Birnam Wood

The name of this one reminds me of that one contestant on Project Runway.

Birnam Wood? It’s a black gel. BUT it gets a place on this list because, let’s be real, black gel can be a struggle sometimes. Some of them can be streaky and too sheer, while others can be TOO saturated and difficult to cure. Maybe you don’t have this struggle. But if you’re like me and you’ve been mildly traumatized by buffing even the thinnest possible layer of crinkled, wrinkled uncured black gel off of clients’ nails while reassuring them it wasn’t anything they did wrong, this gel may be a game changer for you. This one is smooth and applies like a dream while still being opaque—AND IT CURES IN ONE GO. Any way I can save time during appointments is a win, and as such, I’ll be repurchasing this one.

7. Kokoist’s “Summer Collection” (and other jellies)

Again, I promise I’m not getting paid to write this. I WISH! That said, I can’t tell you how many times I have repurchased ones from this collection (plus a few of their other sheer jelly colors). Pink Dragon and Tequila Orange make a super summery ombre. Blue Hawaii is perfect for a pool water look. Black Martini is awesome for layering opaque black linework over (think lace or fishnets). Ugh, they’re just all so versatile! I have a few other jellies from this brand too that I love: Rosso Red Glass (try this over a magnetic/cateye silver, trust me); Khaki Oats Glass (another weird chartreuse-y shade); Beet Roots Glass (a more saturated, slightly more fuchsia version of Pink Dragon); Blu Blue Glass (slightly more teal, slightly more saturated).

8. Presto #001

For some reason, this one reminds me of the nail polishes I loved most when I was younger—holographic chunky glitter mixed in with smaller holographic glitter. I love using this as a topper, but it’s also nice with—you guessed it—a jelly color on top. Try it with Kokoist Bourbon Brown. I know, it sounds weird, but it’s so good!

9. Wildflowers’ White Cateye

There are so many silver/white magnetic gels out there—I have several—but this one is my most-used. It’s sparkly without being glittery (does that make sense?) and it’s unmatched when used underneath one of the aforementioned jelly colors. Try it around Christmas with Kokoist’s Rosso Red Glass on top (or, in summertime, use that same combo for making nails that look like those old-timey strawberry hard candies). It’s great on its own, too. AND, it’s a one-coater—what’s not to love?

10. Presto #089

Last but definitely not least. I could not make this list without including my giiiiirl, Presto #089. This was one of the first gels I bought when I started getting into working with gel, and I’ve probably bought a dozen jars of it. It is a true highlighter pink. If you want it to pop even more, use a white base underneath it. Enough said.

Ok, that’s all for now. I hope you enjoyed this list of my all-time faves (for now, anyway). If there’s a color I NEED to know about or one that’s a MUST HAVE in your own collection, please do not hesitate to let me know about it—shoot me a message on the ‘gram or send me an email!

WAIT!!! I FORGOT ONE.

HONORABLE MENTION: The Gel Bottle Studio Gel in “Last Night”

This one can be a little tricky to work with because it’s a little chonky (that’s a technical term we use in the biz*), but it’s worth it. It’s a dense black base with a TON of reflective black glitter in it that’s a bit gritty until you top coat it, and then it really lights up. It’s on sale right now which makes me nervous that they may be getting rid of it. Run don’t walk, maybe? I’ll take 3.

*no it’s not

Ok, bye for real this time!

New(ish) in the Studio - Summer 2025

One of the biggest things I have noticed since starting to do nails is that, so many times, I’ll buy a new product or color and think, “clients are going to love this”…only to never end up using it. Part of that, I think, is because people don’t know about everything that’s available, and it’s vaguely difficult to communicate what new products are in or how we can use them to create cool sets of nails—especially if the only time those products are mentioned is in the five-to-ten minutes that we discuss what they’re going to do with their nails that day.

To that end, I want to start updating here about new things I get in the nail room so that my clients know what’s available to them. Here are some of the newest things I’ve gotten in this summer:

1) A new airbrush, a bunch of new paint colors and a bunch of new stencils.

If you’ve come to see me before, you might be thinking, “I thought she always had an airbrush”—and you would be correct. BUT, for my birthday this year, my brother gifted me a new one—the Iwata HP-B Plus—and I am, in a word, obsessed. My first airbrush was an Iwata Neo, and it got the job done for what I mostly needed it for, but it didn’t allow for smaller or more precise lines and detail work. If you wanted a gradient french, an aura nail or a quick ombre, that airbrush could handle it, but for more intricate and layered designs using stencils, it fell short, simply because the nozzle didn’t allow a small enough spray radius.

This new one, though. It’s great. I still need to practice more to really learn the ins and outs, but pictured above are just a few quick trials with it. I used some stencils from What’s Up Beauty and Golden High Flow Acrylic Paint (no aerosolized gel + acetone here!), and for just a few thrown-together ideas, I’m really impressed with what it can do. I’m excited to create some really unique sets of nails. For the next few months, if you tell me ‘do whatever you want’ at your appointment, it’ll probably involve the airbrush.

2) Metal Halloween charms

These have been a hit in the past, and I was running low, so a restock was in order. I found these a couple years ago on Daily Charme, and I really like the quality. Plus, if your nails are medium-length, we can combine the skull charm with the ribcage charm and you can have almost a whole skelly right there on your hand. SPOOKY!

3) DVOK’s “Chilling” collection

I was *heavily* influenced to buy this collection after seeing a few other nail artists posting about it. Most of the magnetic/cateye gels I’ve used and bought have a gray/silver base, but these have a champagne gold base that felt really unique. Plus, just look at how ethereal they all look when they’re next to each other. They’re so pretty!! No regrets.

4) Kokoist Jelly Top

I love little 3D accents, and I’m always game to try the newest product to do them. Kokoist is a heavy hitter in my studio, so I knew if they were putting out something to do 3D elements I wouldn’t be disappointed. I’ve used it a few times since getting it, and I really like it. It does sself-level, but it’s slower to do so than hard gel (which is what I used to use), so I don’t have to flash-cure each little swoop or blob in between—I can do a full nail at once and then send you to the lamp. We all love a time-saver.

5) Pearl embellishments

I’m not sure if I didn’t have these before or if I had just run out and forgot to restock, but let’s just say I won’t be needing to mix pearl chrome powder into top coat to make DIY pearls anytime soon.

6) Sheer red shades from Rozy

I tihnk we’ve all partaken in the “well, I’m paying for shipping, might as well make it worth it” purchases, and admittedly, these were that when I bought the DVOK Chilling collection, but they’re SO PRETTY. It doesn’t show well in the above photo, but these reds are sheer, yet very pigmented, so they look super juicy (for lack of a better word) on your nails. I imagine they’ll get their time in the sun come fall and winter.

Ok, that’s it for now!

As always, if you see something out in the wild that you a) don’t know if I have or b) NEED me to have for your next set of nails, feel free to let me know about it! I’m happy to make sure I’ve got what we need to help you get the nails you’re dreaming about.

What I Read in May and June

Remember when I said I’d post here at least once a month?? Whoops. I could blame the ~lack of content~ here on being too busy from transitioning to doing nails full time, but let’s be real: I kind of just forgot.

Anyways, let’s check in, in case you’ve been dying to know what I’ve been up to. It finally actually feels like summer here in Chicago (which is to say, every time I go outside I say/think something like, “Wow, it feels like a microwave out here”), and I’m adjusting to a schedule where I’m not working a traditional office 9-5. What this actually means in practice is that I’m trying to learn how to best utilize small chunks of downtime in between appointments. Mostly, I’ve tried to fit in going to the gym during those gaps, but also, I’m trying to get back to reading more. When I worked in an office I had built-in reading time during my morning and evening commutes on the train, and while I don’t miss going to an office, I do miss having that semi-forced time to read.

In May and June, I read five books:

1

Careless People: A Cautionary Tale of Power, Greed and Lost Idealism by Sarah Wynn-Williams

So, we can all agree that the people behind Facebook and “Meta” (who even calls it that?) are pretty corrupt and evil, yeah? Yeah. There were some bananas claims made in this book and if I’m being honest, part of the reason I wanted to build a website for my nail stuff was because I wanted a non-Zuckerberg place to put all of my work. Social media has its uses, but it’s so far removed nowadays from what it was when I was younger. Anyways, if you’ve never seen The Social Network, you should probably go watch it. And if you’ve already seen it, a rewatch never hurt anyone because that movie is a banger.

2

Hey Hun: Sales, Sisterhood, Supremacy and Other Lies Behind Multilevel Marketing by Emily Lynn Paulson

I feel like the title tells you everything you need to know about this one. So many people who have been involved in MLMs have gone on to write exposes similar to this one and y’all, I will read any and all of them. 

3

The Wedding People by Alison Espach

What you may think, based on the cover art, is that this will be a cutesy little romcom of a book. You would be wrong, however (I sure was). I won’t spoil it for you, but the theme of trying to find a path toward actual happiness was, uh…. A little on the nose for me. Anyways, I liked this one.

4

Thank You for Listening by Julia Whelan

Ok, here is the romcom. It follows an audiobook narrator who decides to take on the reading of a ~romance novel~ alongside another (male) narrator, but this book isn’t just a straightforward romance novel. I liked how it kind of played with the different tropes that are in romance novels, while simultaneously calling out that it was doing just that. I’m not entirely sure how to explain this concept. Anyways, if you’re looking for a fluffy book that isn’t too heavy on the ~sauciness, you’d probably like this one.

5

Hello Beautiful by Ann Napolitano

I read this in three days because I could notttttt put it down. It follows four sisters who live in Chicago’s Pilsen neighborhood and where their lives take them. There were like six different types of heartbreak and loss in this book that I can’t really go into too much detail without ruining plot points, but: I looooved this book.

A lot of other things have happened in the last two months (for instance, I had a birthday), but in an attempt to keep this somewhat brief, I’ll stop here. Check back soon for actual nail content—I bought some new colors, charms and chromes that I’ve been loving and can’t wait to show you!