· By katie masters
NEW: Nail Thoughts “The Perfect Blend” Breakdown
Affiliate links are present in this article.
NEW Nail Thoughts Product Alert!
Written by me, Katie, NEVER AI.
Guess what!! I am officially introducing a new product to the Nail Thoughts world! Welcome to The Perfect Blend. Our new innovation of pat pat gel. If you are new here, my name is Katie the creator of Nail Thoughts and I have a gel line in collaboration with the gel brand Kokoist, and here is our new product addition!
Pictured: Nail Thoughts cushion gel line "The Perfect Blend" in the Barista Series colors on top of NTB-24 Baby Cakes Base
What is The Perfect Blend?
Finally get the perfect ombre gel blend every time with the new Nail Thoughts cushion ombre gel line: The Perfect Blend. Our first kit, The Barista Series, comes with 8 individual cushion gel colors, and a mini sponge and grabber tool set! Each gel compact opens up to a built-in cushion sponge that is already soaked in a gel color giving you evenly distributed color from the start. Use your metal grabber to get a dabbing sponge, and pat the sponge on top of the cushion. The pre-soaked cushion allows for a much more even and buildable ombre application for those who want more control over their blending and to waste less gel in the process.

Pictured: An individual compact of the Nail Thoughts cushion gel line "The Perfect Blend", in color Raspberry Syrup.
The mini sponge and grabber kit comes with a box of white and pink mini cube sponges (for ombre) as well as a little metal sponge grabber. Think of the metal grabber almost like a clicky pen mixed with a mini claw machine. We did two different color sponges in the kit, not only because it’s cute, but also so you can make sure to see the different colors you pick up! For example, if you are picking up one of the white gels, use a pink sponge so you can see how much product you are picking up! Same as for using a pink gel, grab a white sponge!
Pictured: Using the Nail Thoughts Sponge and Grabber Kit dabbing into the color Raspberry Syrup from the Barista Series
The mini sponges are perfectly dense enough to grab on to your gel color with minimal product absorption into the sponge. Sometimes with pat pat gels and loose gel, the sponge absorbs too much of the color you lay out or unevenly blots it. This minimal absorption leaves you with the perfect application sponge that leaves you with great color pay off on to the nail and less product waste in the process.
TOUR TIME
So what do you think about a quick tour? Our first color launch is The Barista Series which comes with 8 classic blending colors for french ombre nails, for concealing the natural nail underneath sheer colors, and giving an overall seamless natural nail look to clear extensions! These colors apply thinner than painted on gel leaving you with a smoother and less bulky ombre finish in the end.
Pictured: Nail Thoughts cushion gel line "The Perfect Blend" in the Barista Series colors on top of NTB-02 Strawberry Milk Base.
For your viewing pleasure, I swatched each individual cushion gel on three of my most popular bases so you can see how they look on top of each one to really see the color of them and how they interact with different colors. I recommend swatching them out for your clients as well because the sponge alone looks darker than the actual color pay off, so you don’t want to scare them away!
Starting with…
NTC-01 (NTC stands for Nail Thoughts Cushion, aka NT Cushion Gel!) AKA Steamed Milk. This color is your classic white ombre gel. It’s an absolute dream to use for your French ombre nails aka Baby Boomer nails. I just did this on top of Nail Thoughts Strawberry Milk Base on my best friend and it turned out adorable.
Pictured: Nail Thoughts Cushion Gel in the color Steamed Milk on top of three different Nail Thoughts base gels.
Pictured: Nail Thoughts Cushion Gel in the color Steamed Milk on top of NTB-02 Strawberry Milk Base
NTC-02 Splash Of Cream. This cushion gel color is an off white to help mimic the look of the natural nail. This makes it great for a few different things. You know how sometimes your client’s natural nails can have little imperfections in the free edge that end up peaking through sheer colors (white spots, discoloration etc.)? Let this color be the little concealer for their nail. The second thing it’s great for is creating a faux free edge color on top of gel extensions! Now you can easily put sheer colors on top of clear gel extensions without worrying about seeing the nail underneath!
Pictured: Nail Thoughts Cushion Gel in the color Splash Of Cream on top of three different Nail Thoughts base gels.
Pictured: ONE coat of Nail Thoughts Cushion Gel in the color Splash Of Cream on top of a clear gel extension (right) next to a clear nail with no gel (left) to create the illusion of a natural nail.
NTC-03 Pink Cold Foam. This is a cutie baby pink color. This could also blend really nicely into the natural nail bed color. With it’s lightness, it gives a very no make up look. Another great one for blurring the line between the free edge and the nail bed.
Pictured: Nail Thoughts Cushion Gel in the color Pink Cold Foam on top of three different Nail Thoughts base gels.
NTC-04 Strawberry Drizzle. This is a slightly more bubblegum pink color. Much like the rest of this whole collection, it’s another color that can help give the nail a no-make-up look. OR good for a really adorable pink ombre nail.
Pictured: Nail Thoughts Cushion Gel in the color Strawberry Drizzle on top of three different Nail Thoughts base gels.
NTC-05 Cherry Mocha. This is one of the darkest colors of the collection. It’s a nice deep mauve-y pink. But again, like I said above, don’t trust the dark look of the sponge, because swatched out it’s a nice gorgeous deep nude.
Pictured: Nail Thoughts Cushion Gel in the color Cherry Mocha on top of three different Nail Thoughts base gels.
NTC-06 Raspberry Syrup. This one is a nice deep warm pink that could also be great with blurring the natural nail line in once coat especially for those clients that have a really pink nail bed. Orrr it’s a super seamless gorgeous ombre. I used this one on my friend on top of Kokoist magnet gel in Rose Nude and it was the most ethereal looking design.
Pictured: Nail Thoughts Cushion Gel in the color Raspberry Syrup on top of three different Nail Thoughts base gels.
NTC-07 Toasted Coconut. I think this one is low key my favorite… and I haven’t even had a chance to use it on a real person yet!!! Who will be my volunteer?!?!? The color is PERFECTLY toasted light brown, which will be great for blending the natural nail. Also the name?! How cute and perfect. I just feel like she’s a gorgeous angel.
Pictured: Nail Thoughts Cushion Gel in the color Toasted Coconut on top of three different Nail Thoughts base gels.
NTC-08 Brown Sugar. And finally, this is our most brown town color of the Barista Series. It’s a sort of taupe color with a slight pink hue that is great for ombre nails, and concealing the natural nail underneath sheer colors.
Pictured: Nail Thoughts Cushion Gel in the color Brown Sugar on top of three different Nail Thoughts base gels.
Tutorial time!
Step one: Prep for your ombre application by wiping the sticky layer off of the nails with alcohol. This ensures that your dabbing sponge doesn’t leave little sponge pieces behind on the nail and ruin the vibe.

Pictured: Wiping the gel's inhibition layer off with alcohol wipe
Step two: Grab your mini sponge and dip it into your desired cushion gel until the sponge. TIP: There are two different color sponges in my kit for a reason! Depending on the color gel you choose, make sure and get the opposite color sponge so you can really see how much you grab on to your sponge. Ex. If you are using a white gel, grab a pink sponge. If you are using a pink gel, grab a white sponge! It’s just nice to visually see the color you are grabbing :)
Pictured: Dabbing the Nail Thoughts Mini Sponge into the color Raspberry Syrup
Step three: Pat your color onto the nail! These colors will give you a very nice and thin coverage so the opacity is buildable without the nail getting bulky!
Pictured: Dabbing the soaked sponge of gel color on to the nail to create an ombre effect.
Tada!
Pictured: A nail design using Kokoist magnet gel in Rose Nude Water with Nail Thoughts cushion gel in the color Raspberry Syrup blended on top of it. I topped the design with Kokoist Diamond top coat!
What makes these different from other pat pat gels?
So much honestly!
- BUILT IN SPONGE: The average pat pat gel comes solely in potted gel form, while The Perfect Blend comes in a pre soaked cushion. When pat pat gels come in gel form, there are extra steps necessary to get the look, like using a separate brush to grab the gel, a palette to dab the sponge on, etc. The Perfect Blend deletes all of those steps, you simply dab your sponge in the cushion and pat it on the nail. It’s a much quicker process and wastes less product.
- INDIVIDUAL COLORS: Most pat pat gels are sold in full palettes, so if you run out of one color, you simply can’t just refill that one, you have to buy the whole entire palette again. That wastes money AND product. We sell each color individually as well as in a full set, so you have total freedom and peace of mind knowing you can always refill your favorite colors :)
- EASY TO CONTROL: The Perfect Blend cushion gels have pre soaked sponges already have evenly distributed gel color within for easy and controlled sponge dipping. Other pat pat gel processes put you in control of scooping out gel on to a palette and working the gel on to it. This could lead to blotchiness, unwanted dust, and other issues that can ruin your design.
Pictured: Nail Thoughts pat pat gel comparison chart.
PRICING
Buy each individual compact separately for $12.00
OR
Buy the full kit (The Barista Series + The Mini Sponge and Grabber Kit) for $85.00
Hope you enjoy easier ombre nails from here on out!