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:

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.
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

Presto #300 + Presto Matte Top Gel = a match made in heaven

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 really does feel of clay (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 of it. Try the Kokoist Bourbon Brown on it. 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!

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

New(ish) in the Studio - Summer 2025