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Nail tech approved gel products 💖💅
38
items As a licensed manicurist and nail artist who has received a LOT of PR, I have tried and tested a TON of nail products. Here is what I genuinely recommend as my favorites and what I use on my clients. My clients often have 4+ week retention and absolu...
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Sweetie Nail Supply | save 10% off! with SHOPHOUSE10
Kokoist | save 10% off! with SHOPHOUSE10
Function of Vex | save 10% off! with SHOPHOUSE10
Kkookie | save 10% off! with SHOPHOUSE10
Classique Nail Supply | save 5% off! with SHOPHOUSE
Zillabeau | save 10% off! with SHOPHOUSE10
MPF Brush Supply | save 10% off! with SHOPHOUSE10
Sections
9
Nail Prep
Base Products
Builder gel
Color collections
BEGINNER Mag gel collections
ADVANCED mag gel collections
Nail Prep
Prepping your nails is the MOST IMPORTANT STEP to great retention! Here's what I use to clean up the cuticles, dehydrate the nails, and prep my clients for having super high retention!
Your nails need to be stripped of any oils before applying polish! I use this on all my clients. Generously pply it to a lint-free wipe and wipe all your clients nails. Make sure it's fully dry before you go in with your primer.
Swipe, 8 oz Nail Dehydrator & Cleanser
This is the only nail primer you need. It's tried and true amongst the nail community and will help greatly with retention. Make sure to use a THIN LAYER of this, as too much of it can cause your base coat to shrink.
Protein Bond, 1/4 oz | Nail Bonder for Acrylics and Gels
Staleks are my favorite for cuticule pushing. They're sharp and effective. Find the one that works for you, they have a ton of options and profiles for whatever your style is!
Cuticle Pusher
The only cuticule bit I use. I use it at 4k RPM to remove any stubborn cuticule before I go in with my nippers.
Russian Flame
THESE ARE SHARP!! I love them because they come in many sizes, they're sharp as all heck, and they're very affordable. I've been using Nghia since the beginning of my nail career and have never looked back.
Nghia Cuticule Nippers
Base Products
Your base gel is arguably your most important gel. This, in combination with your nail prep, will keep your clients happy with their retention. Here are the base gels I've found the most success with!
This is one of the most underrated base gel products on the market. It's affordable, excellent at retention, HEMA-free, and has a low heat spike. Also, the brush is so good and I WISH other brands would use this brush!! It makes such a huge differenc...
Doi Base Gel
This base coat is magic - it works on 95% of my clients, is SO GOOD AT RETAINING, and you can also build some structure with!! I can't get over this base. I love it so much. I personally don't like the bottle because it's such a thick formula, so I d...
YOGO Zombie Base Gel
Leafgel's base products are some of the best on the market,, and their smooth base is no exception. I didn't like their original base gel because it was too ‘watery’ for me. This one is a bit more viscous and can be used to smooth out lumps and bumps...
Leafgel Smooth Fit Base Gel
Builder gel
Builder gel is an optional step, but is necessary for clients (or yourself!) if you want to grow your nails longer. Builder gel adds structure to your nail, allowing it to grow longer and stronger. Make sure to choose the right builder gel for you!
This builder gel is PERFECT for softer nails. I have a lot of clients who have naturally flexible and thin nails, and sometimes builder gels can be too hard and they separate from the nail plate. This builder is great because it's flexible enough for...
Show Me Korea - Geukan Builder Gel
This is my favorite “Goldilocks” builder gel. It's not too soft, it's not too hard - it's just right. I use this on my clients who have medium-hardness nails. It can also be used with a nail form to create extensions.
Leafgel Sculpting Gel II
This is the hardest builder gel I use on my clients. This is for my clients who have naturally hard, inflexible nails. It lasts super long! It does have a higher heat spike, so be wary with your sensitive clients!
Vetro Extension Clear II
Color collections
COLORS ARE SO FUN, and I just love all things color. Here are my favorite collecitons!
I absolutely LOVE these glass gels. Kokoist really is the best when it comes to glass gels. These are transparent gels that have color, and are super fun and layerable!
Summer Collection E202S-E211S
If you're a nail tech and are interested in carrying Japanese gels, the Kokoist color collection is the best place to start. These gels are super high quality and are easily some of my favorite color gels.
Kokoist FULL Color Set
If you're looking for a neutral/nude syrup collection, this is the only collection you need. The color diversity, variance in tones, and pigment is unmatched. Yogurt nail syrups are HIGH VISCOSITY, so please apply in thin layers!
Yogurt Nail Blossom Ending Collection - Full 12pc Set/Individual Bottles
I love darker colors, and these syrups are the perfect fall/winter dark colors. They're highly pigmented with just a little bit of transparency, very buildable, and absolutely gorgeous. These are a HIGH VISCOSITY, so apply in thin layers!!
Yogurt Nail Tanghulu Syrup Gel Collection - Full 10pc Collection/Indiv
If you're looking for that “clean girl” aesthetic, look no further than the Doi nudie syrups. These are low pigment and an extremely natural “my nails but better” look. I use these on my clients who love a simple, sophisticated look.
NailBayo Doi Nail Gel Polish - Your Favorite Korean Syrup Gel Polish
BEGINNER Mag gel collections
I'm addicted to magnetic gels, I can't help it! They're too pretty! I don't care if they go out of style, I'm going to use them until they get icky and crusty and are unusable!! But they can be a little hard to use, depending on the formula. Here are...
No matter how many new brands and products come out, Icegel will ALWAYS be my recommendation for people who are new to mag gels. These are especially forgiving (little to no streakiness), extremely bright, and come in a variety of gorgeous colors. Th...
Mist Star Galaxy [1511~1518]
If you're looking for the perfect selection of nude mag gels for your clients, then look no further. These satin gels are absolutely gorgeous, easy to magnetize, and are extremely layerable. I would liken these to a silky magnet, meaning the magnetic...
Satin Magnet Collection
This collection is really special to me - it's the first magnet collection I purchased that gave me the confidence that I could do mag gel nail art. F Gel magnet gels are easy to use in general, but these are extra special because the colors are supe...
F Gel Deep Sea Collection - 8 Magnetic Color Set
If you're looking for a super bright, GLITTERY magnetic gel set- then girl, these are for you. These magnetic particles are slightly larger than average, making them extra bright and glittery. This means they're easier to magnetize as well!
Velvet Magnet Gel Set
My&bee is one of the most popular mag brands in Japan, and rightfully so. Their formula is so forgiving and bright, you really can't go wrong. I love the colors in this collection as well! Every client I use these on is absolutely smitten with th...
my&bee - Honchan Mag (HC001G-012G)
ADVANCED mag gel collections
Mag gels are so gorgeous, but aren't always easy to use. Here are some collections I think require a bit of learning, but are absolutely worth it and will set you apart from other nail artists
These chrome mags are some of the most gorgeous, highly complimented mag gels I have, but they have a tendency to be streaky. The high ratio of mag particles to gel causes this to happen, which makes this harder to use. Despite that, the payoff is wo...
Cleto Chrome Mag Collection
This set is unmatched in its uniqueness, quality, and beauty. I love this collection so much, but it can be hard to use. Riposo magnetic particles tend to dissipate really quickly, meaning you need to QUICKLY cure it in place before the magnetic part...
riposo Pulling Autumn Collection - 10 Magnetic Color Set
Nail art products
Sometimes we want to get a little fun and funky with our nail art. Here's a few of the products I use frequently with my clients to give them the art they love.
These are my favorite nail brushes on the market. They're modular, have sterilizable handles, so many variations of thickness and length for the brush head… you can't go wrong. Don't sleep on these, they're too darn good.
MPF Brush
GIRL DO NOT SLEEP ON THESE GELS, they are the PERFECT gel for chrome isolation or for creating some super fun texture!! I use these on literally all of my clients. My favorite colors are Slip and Bone.
FinePrint Non Wipe 3D Art Gel // Terra Collection 5g Slip
These gels feel like a nail artist's worst kept secret. They are EXCELLENT at creating fun shapes and textures, they're non-wipe so they work with chrome, and they self-level JUST enough to make sure your designs are smooth and also shapely. They hon...
Tude Taem embo gel
Girl I know, fluffy stuff on your nails? YES FLUFFY STUFF ON YOUR NAILS!!! I was not a believer at first, but now I am. It dries quickly, is super soft, and is so much fun to touch. I've been using it nonstop since I got them and I need other people ...
Pushu Pushu FLUFFY 01 White
This is the most innovative, nail-artist-first pigment palette you'll find on the market. I use this all the time to create gradients. It's simply the best! There is no competition!
Parallelo Palette
If you're looking for a non-wipe gel that does NOT self-level and allows you to create awesome brush-stroke texture, then look no further. I've received countless gels like this in PR, but I keep going back to this one. It is so reliable and easy to ...
Nyran nuance gel
This is my favorite gel for creating volume, 3D looks. I can use this either under or on top of a top coat. Sometimes when you use these 3D gels on top of a top coat, it can flake off. Not this stuff - it sticks like glue. The texture is super viscou...
my&bee - Non-wipe Caramel by YUMA 10g
Chromes + Chrome products
Remember those Hailey Bieber nails that were trending years ago? Yeah, that was chrome. And ever since then, chrome has been a non-stop trajectory upwards as one of the most popular nail art requests. Unfortunately, chrome LOVES to chip and flake. He...
This is the only matte top coat I've used that successfully repels chrome CONSISTENTLY. If you want to do isolated chrome nail art, then look no further. It's got a super thin consistency, which is perfect for layering. I can't recommend this stuff e...
Slick Matte Topcoat
This is the only gel I use when applying chrome to the entire nail. It's so reliable. It's fairly thin in consistency. It self levels wonderfully. I will continue to buy this for as long as I'm doing nails
Daily Charme Chrome Effect No-Wipe Gel
If you're concerned about your chrome chipping, then look no further! Apply a layer of this on top of your chrome and then top coat. You can thank me in 4 weeks when your chrome still looks perfect <3
NTB-Clear Builder Base
You truly cannot get a better bang for your buck with chrome than these chromes by MPF. You get a MASSIVE amount of product and the chromes are super high quality. I use these all the time on my clients and they LOVE them!
MPF Nail Chrome Powders, Moonstone
Ok I'm going to be so real with you - these are insanely priced. They're so freaking expensive for the amount of product you get. But whether I like it or not, these chromes are actually the most vibrant duochromes I've ever used. My clients are cons...
SunSet Glow Powder Set [GW-18~GW22] (Free Gift_Powder Top Gel)
These are some of my favorite metallic chromes. They're super shiny and you get a TON of product! There is something about GiU Chromes that feels luxurious and higher shine than other metallic chromes I've used.
GiU Chromes
Top coat
I live in SF, and the girlies here want to have cute nails and also rock climb, go outdoors, spend a lot of time typing, etc. My top coat has to be RESILIENT. Here's what I've found that keeps the nails looking shiny and gorgeous, even after 4 weeks.
My go-to, my ride or die, my everything. I use this on all my clients. It's simply the best. I'd recommend it to literally anyone.
Ultra Glossy Non Wipe Top Coat Gel 15ml
This top coat is BULLET PROOF. It's longer lasting than the Kokoist one, but it is slightly harder to use and comes in a very small bottle (fine for individual use, not great for nail techs). This product is viscous, so it's kind of annoying to use i...
YOGO Zombie Top Gel