Hey Whispies!
If you’re new to the Kokoist x Nail Thoughts collaboration brand, I’m here to give you the inside scoop.
Katie Masters (@NailThoughts) is a widely recognized and respected name in the industry, and has collaborated with Kokoist USA, creating her own brand of gels and nail products geared towards the Western market.
This collection has exploded in popularity over the past few years, and has grown to a vast collection of 3 brushes, 30 tinted builder shades and over 75 gel colors.
Obviously for someone starting out, buying the entire collection can be quite the investment. No shade! Let’s talk starter kit.
Here is a list of products that you can purchase from her line with Kokoist that will get you off to an amazing start!
BUILDER BASES
The Nail Thoughts 3 in 1 Builder Bases are truly the claim to fame for the brand. They are among the top selling products for the entirety of the Kokoist USA collection. I use these on the majority of my clientele.
They are designed to be a base, a builder and a color all in one- when combined with a top coat, it makes for a 2 step manicure process, saving you time and money! This builder is semi hard, but on the softer side, which means it flows and self levels like a dream. It’s extremely user friendly.
There are 29 shades and counting (as well as clear!), which is definitely a lot. If I had to give you my top 5:
Definitely the “bubble bath” of this line.
Award winning, amazing on just about anyone.
Just a perfect light beige-y nude.
Milky Base - Everyone needs a milky white. Amazing for under neons.
The sweetest ballerina pink to round out this list.
PRO TIP:
Though this is technically a base, I always start with a thin coat of Kokoist’s Mega Stick Base for optimal adhesion. Softer gel = more stick and shock absorption.
GEL COLORS
Katie’s gel color collection is so fun. Every time she’s ready to do a new collection, she puts the selections to a vote on her social media. This line is truly made by nail techs, for nail techs. For that reason, every one of the colors in the line is going to be useful.
This line is still 100% Japanese Gel, even though these colors are bottled, and a lower viscosity than traditional potted Japanese gel colors. For that reason, you’ll notice a super buttery consistency and really amazing application.
This line is expanding quickly, at already over 70 colors. I’ll give another top 5:
The best general painting black, I gravitate to for a full nail application.
OK honestly this is more orange to me… but damn is she ever punchy!
She’s light, she’s bright, she’s playful… What more could you want?
No notes. The best cobalt blue. Kind of jelly, but just enough to give it depth.
Very unique- Often described as a “Sunset Brown”. The undertones here are unreal.
PRO TIP:
The viscosity of these is amazing for general painting and “vibey” kinda of blendy designs. For more structured things like linework, consider investing in some potted Kokoist colors for added sharpness.
3. Brushes
At Kokoist, our brushes are all certified calligraphy grade, handmade in Japan. The same rings true for the Nail Thoughts brushes. Using these three brush shapes gives you endless opportunities to express your creativity. I particularly love the application brush- Super springy and has a kind of rounded square shape, which gives you the best of both worlds.
PRO TIP: Building a collection of brushes is personal- I highly recommend trying out lots of shapes for different applications, picking your favorites, and “allocating” them- Base Brush, Black Color Brush, Glitter Brush, etc.
So there you go! A quick overview of some of my faves that you could employ as a “starter kit” to the Nail Thoughts collection. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate!
And don’t forget that you can save on all of these products by shopping with my discount code TNW10 on the Kokoist USA website 🙂
We have also rolled out Nail Thoughts Certification courses! If you want even more in-depth knowledge and practical education, be sure to check out my in person classes to find one near you.
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