· By katie masters
What gel colors do you need for your kit?
Written by me, Katie, never AI.
What colors do you need to start with in your kit? If you are a new nail tech building your kit or a nail tech that's new to the Nail Thoughts line and looking to get started on some colors, this blog is for you!
Back in 2020 the gel brand Kokoist reached out to me (Katie Masters, aka owner of Nail Thoughts) and asked if I wanted to start a gel line in collaboration with them and boy was i SCARED. Because I had never had a product line before, let alone in collaboration with another gel brand (which in my head made the stakes feel higher)! I was just so scared it would fail and they would regret working with me and i let them down. But alas, here I am 6+ years later with a thriving collection and alive to tell the tale!
Pictured: Me during the launch of Nail Thoughts Volume one, versus now with over 100 gel colors in the collection!
So let me reintroduce you to Nail Thoughts Volume One, aka our first launch ever.
When Kokoist reached out to me, they were strictly a potted gel line only as this is a Japanese gel brand and most nail techs in Japan ONLY use potted gel. So when they first expanded to the United States in 2014, not only were they not well known here yet, the potted gels weren’t as highly used here as well. So for our collaboration we said , what if we were the first Kokoist bottled gel line and i was THRILLED.
Pictured: Nail Thoughts bottled gel versus Kokoist potted gel.
Bottled gels are most popular here in the US because of the quickness and ease of use so we knew we were on to something special to be able to take the high quality Japanese get and put it in a bottle to make it more accessible for everyone.
So I knew immediately what I wanted to do with this first collection:
Create a starter gel kit for new nail techs or for people getting introduced to Kokoist x Nail Thoughts to begin with.
I started brainstorming the types of colors I wanted for this kit based on my own salon experience of my top used colors. I was basing it off of my most requested colors, and paying attention to the colors that I always run out of. I also knew I wanted to add some other fun colors that I used for a lot of my popular designs.
Pictured: One of my popular designs on clients, amethyst crystal nails.
But I knew using only my salon experience wasn’t enough data. I was in my own private salon suite in Santa Monica, what about everyone else? So i posted a question on my Instagram story to all the nail techs and nail fanatics out there:
“What are your most popular colors in your salon/what color do you always get on your nails”
and the responses started ROLLING in.
Pictured: Some of the responses I got from my instagram story back in 2020!
So i kept all of those answers and tried to find all the patterns and the similarities with my current list as well as ones that i was totally missing. Then i took all of those answers and created a look book to send to Kokoist on what this first kit should look like, and this Nail Thoughts Volume 1 was born!
pictured: my initial look book of the starter kit that I sent to Kokoist.
SO let me reintroduce you to Nail Thoughts VOLUME ONE six years later with a detailed tour of my thought processes and other inspirations behind each color :)
Pictured: Nail Thoughts Volume One swatches
Volume One’s purpose: To create the perfect gel starter kit of 18 colors to get new nail techs started but also to create a nice intro kit for people new to the Nail Thoughts x Kokoist collaboration.
Volume one’s name inspo: Remember, this was launched in 2020, we were all cooped up at home craving anything BUT our living room couches, so I was really locking in to the word “escapism” and finding that in the little things. It also took a little bit of a California twist too (seeing as I am a true California girl). We didn’t fully brand it with escapism in mind because I was just still so new to launching products, but I DID do a little middle of the desert launch video. You can watch it below, it’s so cute to rewatch and read all of the excited comments. I’m also like man times have changed because that like 1 min video of no talking seems so long to me!
COLOR TOUR:
For this tour I will label each one with one of 3 emoji labels so in case you didn’t want to invest in the WHOLE kit you can differentiate between top priority, good to have, or for art so you can base it on your personal needs and style!
Pictured: My very high tech emoji color key guide
But overall, I would say the full kit really gives you a fun and well rounded solid start to your gel kit.
‼️NT-01 Fresh Sheets: This is your classic crisp white gel. This color is TOP priority to have because white manicures and pedicures are always so popular. You also need this for French tips as well! This white is SO creamy and opaque too. It self levels like a dream which prevents streakiness ( a common problem with white gel).
Name Inspo: That feeling you get when you have freshly washed sheets. A simple pleasure. :)
Pictured: Nail Thoughts white gel color in Fresh Sheets
‼️NT-02 Overcast: Milky white is a huge staple in the salon, and this one is nice and opaque for 2 coats of full coverage but a perfect and even sheerness with just one coat. It’s one of those colors you will find yourself refilling a lot.
Name Inspo: Maybe it’s the California girl in me who just craves a cozy overcast day since it's so rare, but is there not just something nice about an overcast chilly day where you just snuggle on the couch and don’t need to go outside??
Pictured: Nail Thoughts milky white gel color called Overcast
‼️NT-03 Desert Road: This is a nice warm/tan/ nude with a little shimmer in it! It’s sooo freakin CUTE. I experienced a lot of clients who wanted fun nails but couldn’t because of their jobs, so the way we went around it was doing a neutral cololr like this but the shimmer almost felt like our little “ secret fun”. Nude colors of any tone are always something to have in your kit and to build on, because there are sooo many. Full coverage after two coats, it’s not really sheer.
Name Inspo: Going a lot with the escapism I was just craving being in the open air in the middle of no where. I was also feeling really anxious and I felt like i needed some grounding and just to stand on some desert dirt. Woo woo i know!! I even took this pic to give the vibe of it.
pictured: me standing on a literal desert road just to give the vibe. idk but doesn't it give Tumblr vibes?
pictured: The Nail Thoughts color Desert Road in gold hour lighting.
‼️ NT-04 Pink Sand: This is the sister color of Desert Road. Going along with what I said above about a lot of clients not being able to get fun colors, this is PERFECT for them as well because it’s a neutral white pink color that also has a little shimmer in it. White pink is SOOOO popular in the salon so this is an absolute must. Fun fact- this is one of Giada DeLaurentiis' go to gel colors in her rotation. You can read more about her top fave nail colors in THIS BLOG here.
Name Inspo: Inspired by all the dreamy pink sand beaches! I needed something escapism for this name and the shimmer in this color gave the vibe of “sand” and i just felt like it made sense! Just like desert road has a shimmer it gives like…sand/dirt texture vibe? But i didnt wanna say that the color is like dirt … so forget i said that. You know what i mean!!!
Pictured: Nail Thoughts color in Pink Sand
Pictured: Giada Delaurentiis wearing Nail Thoughts Pink Sand gel color
‼️NT-05 Parisian Bakery: This is a must in the salon too because it adds a different version of pink to the table. This is like a nice neutral mauve color with a cooler tone to it. It’s sooo good for those clients with more cool undertones in their skin. Fun fact: I just recently used this color on Lady Gaga!
Name inspo: This color (to me) really gave a cute muted pastel bakery in Paris. But the me right now as I am typing this, am like wait this also kinda gives “i have a lil cottage in the woods with a garden and i collect flowers in a basket”. Which also ties in with the escapism and being somewhere else.
Pictured: Nail Thoughts in the color Parisian Bakery with my pretend cafe props around it
‼️ NT-06 Rose Quartz: Yes you absolutely need a milky pink in your collection and I think you knew that! There are so many milky pink options out there but trust me, you kind of need a lot in your kit because clients are PICKYYY with their nudes! If you want more pink options as well, check out my blog HERE all about popular pinks in my collection,
Name inspo: this one was actually inspired by one of my most popular nail designs, rose quartz! So yes, this the perfect color for that design as well. You can watch my tutorial here.
Pictured: A hand wearing the Nail Thoughts color Rose Quartz
🎨 NT-07 Spritzer- This is a really pigmented magenta jelly color! A jelly color is basically a color that is sort of see through like glass! I labeled this as palette because since it’s so sheer yet pigmented it’s amazing for art like watercolor, rose quartz nails, etc. Also check out this instagram tutorial video here to see how I used this and the color pool float in a gorgeous watercolor blend.
name inspo: tying in with escaping into the pleasure of the little things, who doesn’t love a nice little bevy!
Pictured: A hand holding the nail thoughts color in Spritzer
‼️NT-08 Venice Beach- I would say this is a must have mainly because it’s pink. It’s basically a neon as well. Both neons and bright colors are always good to have in the salon. The color straight out of the bottle (before curing) is more neon than the actual final cured color, so make sure and always use your nail swatches as opposed to just inside of the bottle!
Name inspo: This one was more connected to me and where I started my whole journey all around Venice Beach and Santa Monica. I knew i needed to include some California touches here and there while also still keeping to the theme of escapism and dreaming of being somewhere.
Pictured: The Nail Thoughts color Venice Beach in the most gorgeous lighting
‼️NT-09 My Favorite Red- the name says it all. This is her. This is my number one. My favorite red is a bright orangey red, NOT your classic blue toned red. This was a very popular color with my clients because it’s just one of those colors that gets compliments and catches everyone’s eye. It’s warm and perfect. Idk what else to say besides the fact that it’s an absolute cult classic now, and a MUST. You also can't have enough red options. People are very picky about reds as well.
Name inspo: i just had to name it that. Because it’s true. And no other name would’ve sufficed for such a show stopping red. And then it’s fun cause when people read it out loud they’re like “ this is MY favorite red now too!”
Pictured: My tweet with some gorgeous swatched of my clients wearing Nail Thoughts My Favorite Red
👍🏻NT-10 Desert Door- This is a bright almost neon orange. I labeled it as good to have because you never know when clients are going to want this bright vibe for their summer mani or pedi . It was one of those colors that I didn’t have in my kit for a while and weirdly I would get a good amount of requests for it in the summer so i knew i needed to have this sort of thing on deck.
Name inspo: Palm Springs ( a popular vacation desert city here in CA) is known for it’s modern architectural homes and specifically pops of colors on the front doors to each house, like literally the color of this gel is a popular door color. It’s such a fun phenomena that they made an actual door tour to see a bunch of the best ones. So i loved the way that tied into the dreaming of other places theme.
Pictured: My friend wearing nail thoughts Desert Door
👍🏻 NT-11 Isla Vista: This is a fun almost neon orange-y coral color. I was torn between this being a “must have” or a “nice to have” because i personally didn’t get a lot of coral requests in my salon, but a good amount of people responded to my instagram story saying that coral was a big color in their space. So you can be the judge of whether it’s a must or not! Just know that you will probably need to get multiple corals because I noticed a lot of my clients had different ideas of what a coral is to them (pink vs orange, salmon vs sunset tone, etc).
Name inspo: This is named after a small town in Santa Barbara, California that I used to spend a lot of time in. It’s a SUPER chill college beach town with cute coffee places, people riding skateboard and bikes everywhere, just so California… & picture jack johnson playing in the background as well.
Pictured: Nail Thoughts Isla Vista
🎨 NT-12 Tortoiseshell- This is a jelly burnt orange color that i add specifically for one of my TOP salon design tortoiseshell. Long story short, I’ve been doing this design since 2015 and showing people how it was done by mixing colors, discontinued colors, etc. It was always such a hassle trying to perfect this design that i decided I needed to just make my own color to make things easier. This is truly one of my TOP sellers for that reason because people are constantly needing to restock it since it’s truly such a popular design still. If you are planning to do art in your salon, you need this, but I recommend buying the actual tortoiseshell design kit i created with all the colors and a brush on how to get them perfect every time.
Name inspo: the design! I knew i couldn’t name it anything else BUT this. I thought about naming it something else with the theme and i was like no i need everyone to know what this color is for.
Pictured: Hands wearing the color Tortoiseshell from Nail Thoughts.
Pictured: Nail Thoughts Tortoiseshell design kit
‼️NT-13 Window Breeze- THIS is a must. Pastel baby blue was such a top responded color to my instagram story. It was actually shocking how many people said this color because my clients had never gotten it or requested it! This is why im glad i asked every one else too because i would’ve never thought to include this in my starter kit.
Name inspo: this is one of my favorite colors and name combos actually. It’s inspired by the simplicity of seeing the curtain on your window just blow and move with the breeze. I had a moment back then where i was coming off of a panic attack and just sitting on the couch staring at the window calming down and the way the curtain blew in the wind so quietly gave me such a peaceful moment i will genuinely never forget! And now i have that feeling and the color bottled up into window breeze. Escaping into the little things!
Pictured: Nail Thoughts Window Breeze
👍🏻 / 🎨 NT-14 Pool Float- This color is a milky sky blue! I would say this is a nice to have as well as a good color for art. Since it’s a sheer color you can use it for watercolor, layering, or even as a solid color blueberry milk nails manicure!. It’s funny because i remember a few people back in the day saying to me that this specific color felt like a random and unnecessary color choice for this collection, and now I feel like this color has become so popular with the whole blueberry milk nails trend! And honestly sheer and milky colors in general have become sooooo popular now which makes me so happy because i feel like pool float was ahead of her time and now shes thriving.
Name inspo: this name was less about an actual pool floatie and more about the activity of floating in a pool. Just letting the water hold you and floating around with nothing to do. So relaxing and wonderful honestly. Maybe im just being a Pisces.
Pictured: Nail Thoughts Pool Float
‼️NT-15 Lavender Milk Bath- this is a light pastel lavender! It’s like the sister color of window breeze because this was also a color that people listed a lot as well, which is why i am naming it a must on your list. It’s a classic salon color.
Name inspo: I mean this one is self explanatory! It really ties in with the act of relaxing/escaping and self care.
Pictured: Nail Thoughts Window Breeze next to Nail Thoughts Lavender Milk Bath
🎨 NT-16 Amethyst- This is another jelly, but this time it’s a jelly purple! This Is a good color for art because again, jelly’s make for great watercolors designs ( or solid color mania as well). I did a lot of geode/ marble designs in my salon on my clients and amethyst was a popular one so i decided to include this.
Name inspo: the crystal !! And it’s my birthstone :)
Pictured: A hand wearing Nail Thoughts Amethyst
‼️ NT-17 Midnight Peace. This is a deep dark plum color that’s almost black. It’s a HUGE must. This Type of color comes around every single year in the fall and winter during the cool months and takeS OVER. It’s a must must must. I don’t know what else to say about it but just know it’s important.
Name inspo: you know that feeling you get when you feel like you’re the only one awake in the world and everything is nice and quiet just for a bit? That’s what this name was inspired by.
Pictured: The prettiest pic of the color Midnight Peace against a desert sunset
‼️NT-18 Boba Date- This is a true black gel. It’s so opaque and wonderful. Black and white are always a good place to start in your kit, so always make sure you have those. Black is not only good for solid color main’s and pedi’s but also for line work and art too. You will end up needing black more than you think.
Name inspo: sometimes all you really need to heal is a little boba date outing with your girls. A fun bubble tea, and some giggles, The simple things.
Pictured: I loved this pic we took of the color Boba Date back then
Pictured: Yes that's Lady Gaga herself wearing Nail Thoughts Boba Date
BONUS ROUND:
(Other bonus must have colors that came after Nail Thoughts Volume 1)
If you are realllllly looking to add more classic must have colors to your kit, here is another good list of salon classics that I believe you would also reach for a lot. And if you specifically maybe are looking for some more pink nude colors to add to your kit head to THIS BLOG about my top selling pinks after to get some swatches of a few more!
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NT-25 Lemon Drops. It's a pastel yellow color. Clients do love an opaque pastel and this yellow is super popular for pedicures and spring/summer vibes.
Pictured: Nail Thoughts in Lemon Drops as a pedicure - NT-33 Movie Night. This is one of my top sellers almost every month during the cool months because deep maroon red is SO popular with clients. It's a staple. Fun fact, I used this color on Nicole Kidman for the AppleTV show Margo's Got Money Troubles! Read about that here.
Pictured: Nail Thoughts Movie night on my client (top) and on Nicole Kidman (bottom)
3. NT-55 By The Way. This is the PERFECT milky nude pink for the background of a French tip. And like I said earlier, you must have multiple pink options for your clients.
Pictured: Nail Thoughts in By The Way underneath the cutest little French tip
4. NT-56 I mean... This is a GREAT sheer nude/neutral color option to have for your kit. It's sheerness helps it blend well with any nail bed color and give your clients a very no makeup-makeup look.
Pictured: Nail Thoughts in the color I Mean... on my client. How gorgeous.
5. NT-19 Rose Red. This is your classic blue toned red that's VERY important for the salon! People are very picky about their reds, and if they like a more classic less orange toned red then get this one.
Pictured: Me wearing Nail Thoughts color Rose Red
6. NT-84 100% Cotton. This is the perfect in between of a sheer milky pink/milky white. Like I said above, you can't have enough of these types of colors. Fun fact, I used this color on Michelle Pfeiffer for the AppleTV show Margo's Got Money Troubles. You can read about that here!
Pictured: Michelle Pfeiffer wearing the Nail Thoughts color in 100% Cotton
WHEW, that was my tour. I know it was a long one but hopefully it helped you out even just a little bit! Thank you for getting this far!