What I'm shopping for & what I recommend from the Kokoist Black Friday Sale! - UPDATED NOV 2023!!
Kokoist is having their Black Friday sale this weekend! It's 20% off everything! Get ready because I have a bunch of recommendations for you!
I'm *also* having a sale! Save 40% on ALL of my courses!!! Read below to see which courses are right for you! OR send me an email and I'd love to help! <karanaileditbusiness@gmail.com>
Unfortunately, my code doesn't stack with this discount :( but I would TRULY appreciate if you shopped from the links on this blog post. It costs you nothing and gives me a small commission on your sale. Thank you for supporting me!! Use my link to shop here, or shop from any of the links in this post!
Outside of this sale, be sure to use my code KARA10 for 10% off ALL Kokoist products! :)
First, lets start with some helpful blog links:
If you're totally new to Kokoist... READ THIS POST FIRST - Gel Products 101 + Breaking Down the Kokoist System
Builder Gel + Base Gel EXPLAINED! - Did you know not all gel is created equal?
How I'm Growing My Nails With Gel - Explaining my favorite gel manicure process that has helped me grow my nails so long!
Kokoist x Nail Thoughts Summer Color Gel Collection - My review & swatches of the new collection!
Kokoist x Nail Thoughts Builder Base Gels Review & Swatches! - A full review of all of the builder gels that I LOVE USING!
How to Mix Regular + Gel Polish - My FAVE process for keeping my nails strong and using my regular nail polish collection still!!
My EXACT Gel Manicure Process - Going over how I use my e-file for fills, use builder gel and how I make my manicures last as long as possible!
Courses that use & explain how to use Kokoist products:
My Gel Manicure Painting & Removal Course - Perfect for DIYers and anyone looking to improve!
My NEW Gel Manicure 2.0: E-File, Gel Manicure Prep, and Builder Gel Application Course - My EXACT Builder Gel + E-File Fill process that I do every single time I do my nails. It over an hour long and you'll know exactly how to do my process after watching!
Ok here are a bunch of product recs!!!
KOKOIST x NT BUILDER BASE GELS:
Quick Facts:
- They’re a base gel, a color, and a builder gel all in one, and they’re pure gel.
- This means you can do a full builder gel manicure with two products (the builder base color gel + a top coat) instead of four products (base gel, builder gel, color gel, top coat).
- They come in 18 colors and a clear version if you just want a clear base which I also love doing!
- Since they’re a base & a color, I find that it doesn’t really chip because it’s not like you’re doing layers upon layers for your manicure, it’s just one or two layers!
- You can use them to build an apex for a plump, healthy nail look, and they make your nails so strong – Make sure to check out my builder gel application course for my exact method for applying these products!!
- Becuase of this, you can grow your nails without them breaking!!
- (This is the only product that has really helped my nails grow ***without breaking*** that’s the key.)
- You can in-fill the builder gel – file off the top layers, leaving a thin layer of the gel (which keeps your nails strong but also gives your new manicure something to grip onto) and re-prep and then re-apply the builder gel! – Make sure to check out my e-file & builder gel tutorial course for my exact method of this process!
- This is a really efficient way to do your manicures week after week and I just love it so much!!
THE COLORS!
Let’s get into all of the colors offered! I honestly use these like every manicure I do. I pick a base color and then I’ll add something on top for fun like a glitter or a chrome powder or some little art. It’s so easy and always looks amazing!!
Ps - I don't have photos of all of them but when I do I'll add it :)
Berry Base - A sheer berry purple. I just used this on my friend and I’m OBSESSED! It’s such a fun sheer purple for spring!
Peachy Base - My ALL TIME favorite base gel :) A sheer, peachy neutral
Strawberry Milk Base - A sheer, milky pink!
Milky Base - Sheer, milky white!
Clear Builder Base (I JUST used this on a broken nail to fix the crack so I didn’t need to cut of my entire nail! I have a video about it HERE!)
Taupe Base - This is way more opaque than the other bases! It’s like a neutral taupe color + some super subtle gold shimmer. I love it!
Hard Candy: This is a BRIGHT red, but it’s sheer/jelly and it’s amazing!
Strawberry Lemonade: This one is IT! It’s my ideal hot pink. It’s sheer, it’s jelly, it’s EVERYTHING!
Cotton Candy: This one is like strawberry milk’s hotter cousin. It’s milky hot pink. YUM! This is my favorite sheer pink! It’s really pigmented while still looking sheer, it’s just so good!
Milkshake: A true baby pink!
Hazelnut Creamer: This one is like peachy base’s more opaque cousin! SO GOOD. This is by far my favorite base color ever!!! I use it the most and it looks amazing every time
Cantaloupe: This one is also similar to peachy base… A little more peachy than Hazelnut! I just used this for the first time and I loveeee. It’s so pretty and has a slightly peachy/orange hint but it’s so subtle! *this image below has velvet glitter on it! read more about it on this post!!
Mauve: A sheer, moody mauve!! **this has velvet glitter on it too :) I'm obsessed lol
Iced Latte: A warm, peachy brown with a jelly consistency!! *this has velvet glitter on it too!
Nutmeg: A warm, rich, brown
Mocha: A deeper almost cooler brown!
Champagne: If peachy base had gold flecks in it, this would be it!!
Rosé: A sheer, rosy pink with sparkles!
Volume 3 Swatches (the newest launch that came out in October!):
CONFETTI CAKE BASE
Sheer rosy pink base with chunky rainbow colored glitter!
SHAVE ICE BASE
Clear base polish with glowy golden chunky glitter
SUGAR GLAZE BASE
Warm peachy pink sheer base with golden shimmer
MOCHI BASE
Cool toned sheer pink base with rainbow shimmer
BUBBLY BASE
Milky pink sister to Mochi Base. Sheer milky pink with rainbow shimmer
CHAI LATTE BASE
Sheer neutral light brown polish
BABY CAKES BASE
Sheer peachy neutral pink base
HONEY TEA BASE
Peachy sheer polish. Like Peach Base but much more sheer!
SWEET TEA BASE
Warm rosy pink sheer. Like your nails are blushing!
LIP GLOSS BASE
Glassy barely there pink sheer polish. Almost like clear base with a drop of pink added!
JUICY BASE
Glassy sheer light lavender polish. With two coats, the purple would really pop!
BLUEBERRY MILK BASE
Sheer juicy baby blue polish! Would also pop with two coats.
My TOP favorites: Peach Base, Clear Base, Hazelnut Creamer Base, Cotton Candy Base, Iced Latte Base!!
And we cannot forget the TOP COAT! I always use and recommend the Ultra Glossy Non-Wipe Top Coat! There is a top coat in the NT line, but I prefer the UGNW one so much more. It’s really easy to apply and I love that it’s non-wipe, so you KNOW when it’s done being cured when it’s not tacky anymore!
Don't forget to SHOP USING MY LINK! ILY :)
CLEAR BUILDER BASES:
A quick moment of appreciation for clear builder gel because sometimes a nice clear manicure is just as beautiful as a color or nail art in my opinion! I also LOVE using clear as my base for regular polish or art over the top too!
I love using the NT Clear Builder Base. It's got a thick consistency but not so thick that it's hard to work with! It self levels at a good pace too so you can quickly build an apex for a beautiful overlay! I think this is great for beginners because it self levels so nicely which makes for an easier apex build. It's not quite as hard as the gel below, so it's perfect for short to medium length nails!
Recently, I've been LOVING the new Platinum Filler base... It's SO GOOD. It's also a clear builder base gel but the consistency is a bit thicker than the NT one. I think this makes it good for beginners because it self levels a bit slower, which gives you more time to perfect your apex. I do think this cures a little bit harder than the NT base too, which is better for longer nails because it will give you extra extra strength.
I've gotten a lot of questions of which of these I prefer/would recommend and it's so hard to say! I've been using the Platinum Filler Base alot recently, but I still love the NT CBB and would recommend both! I think it just depends on which one sounds better for your nails/your skill level. Ultimately, I don't think you can go wrong!!
Honorable mention for MEGASTICK BASE! This is a soft gel, so it doesn't build as much as the ones above, but it's a great option for a super adhesive base coat for those of you who don't want to use builder gel or who need extra adhesion to prevent lifting when you are using builder gel!
If you do struggle with lifting gel, you can do a coat of Megastick Base, cure it, and then apply the builder gel like normal over the top. This is just extra insurance that your gel won't lift if it's applied correctly!
Kokoist x Nail Thoughts just released a NEW collection of gel colors for spring/summer 2023 and it’s no surprise… I’M OBSESSED!!!
Let’s get into some fast facts about this collection:
- Kokoist is pure japanese gel polish (it’s not hybrid – read this post to understand the differences!), so it’s really pigmented and usually looks completely opaque in 1-2 coats depending on the look you’re going for!
- It can also be used for nail art
- You need to apply a base coat before you apply these colors, they are not the same as the tinted builder bases, these are JUST gel colors :)
- Learn more about my favorite tinted builder bases here!
- You can apply a regular gel base coat (my favorite is Megastick Base) or a builder base (all of my faves are linked here!!)
- You then need to apply a gel top coat (my favorite is Ultra Glossy Non-wipe Top Coat)
- Use my code KARA10 for 10% off ALL Kokoist products and shop from my links :)
Ok, now for the colors!
BY THE WAY
“A clean, sheer, milky pink.”
To me, this color is a little less milky than their Strawberry Milk Base and it’s soooo pretty! (I think all of the colors are pretty so just imagine I’m saying that with each review :))
I MEAN...
“A sheer peachy pink nude”
This one is more similar to their Peach Base IMO but a little more sheer. It makes for a wonderful base color for art but also looks amazing on its own!
ENIGMA
“A clear glitter gel”
This polish is literally a clear gel with really pretty tiny rainbow sparkles and slightly larger sequins in it. STUNNER.
BUBBLE WAND
“A frosty iridescent green shimmer gel.”
This is like a shimmery sea foam green with noticeable little shimmers!
MOONSTONE
“A blue, glowy iridescent gel”
This color looks similar to Bubble Wand upon first glace, however it has this really cool glowy quality to it like Supernova does!! It also doesn’t have noticeable shimmer in it, but it’s still super shimmery! It’s more like chrome-y glowy goodness.
LUCKY CHARM
“A creamy sea foam green”
Truly just that! It’s also super opaque and really creamy and gorgeous!
GREEN THING
“A bright neon green”
Enough said!
ONCE UPON A TIME
“A teal green”
I’m lovvingggg this color! I wish it was around during the fall but it’s also very teal leaning vs. navy so it works for warmer weather too! It’s so pigmented and I think it’s going to be amazing for nail art!
JELLYFISH JAM
“An electric grape purple”
To me, this is the gel equivalent of Grape Soda from Olive & June but has a slightly jelly quality to it at the same time! I think it’ll be more opaque with two coats though.
LOLLY
“A neon pink jelly color”
O M G this color is AMAZING! This is my favorite from the collection. Literally a glowing neon sheer jelly pink. It’s so cool. I want to put chrome on it, OF COURSE!
DITTO
“A bright neon pink gel”
This is Lolly’s opaque sister!
WAKE ME UP
“A bright neon orange color”
Sunglasses recommended!
MY FAVES:
BY THE WAY or I MEAN… for sheers. They are just stunning. Catch me using them at all times.
LOLLY for a fun jelly neon color! It’s so unique!!!
MOONSTONE for a truly unique glowy polish. It’s just so cool!
They’re pretty much all of my favorites… It’s too hard to choose! You can’t go wrong!
MORE COLOR GELS!
These are really thick and PERFECT for nail art, like super fine details, lines, or designs! I always reach for these:
Nail Thoughts Color Collection I just love this entire collection!!
You totally can’t go wrong if there is a color that you have your eye on :) But if you need a little help deciding, these are my favorites in general…
Overcast - Sheer milky white
Rose Quartz - Sheer milky pink
Venice Beach - HOT almost neon pink
My Favorite Red - The most perfect orange-y red
Isla Vista - A bright coral!!
Window Breeze - almost periwinkle pastel blue
Butterfly Clips - Such a pretty fuchsia
Supernova - a sheer pink with iridescent shimmer!! Like Pink Goldfish but for gel (IYKYK!!)
Lemon Drops - a perfect pastel yellow!
Blue Raspberry - bright teal/blue - this is like my PERFECT blue polish!
No, Yeah - talk about my FAVORITE color. This is like O&Js Jam, Please but in gel. It’s a GORGEOUS pinky toned lavender.
My new favorite trend: VELVET NAILS!
I wrote an entire blog post about this trend, read it here! It's so gorgeous and it's easy to do!! You basically paint you base color, and then you add a layer of the glitter polish over top, use a magnet to set it, and then VIOLA! Super sparkly nails. I highly recommend picking up some of glitter polishes and you can literally customize your own velvet mani! It's so good.
New! Kokoist Dramatic Magnet Line:
I just used this new magnet glitter line last week on my friend, specifically Dramatic White, and it's INCREDIBLE! I also can't wait to use Dramatic Ruby for the holidays. And I love Dramatic Plum too! You really can't go wrong! Shop the entire collection here!
Kokoist also has a line of gels that come in little pots! These are often more pigmented a little but thicker than the NT colors that come in a bottle w/ a brush. You need a separate application brush to use these, but they have sooo many colors, so this is a great place to look if you're interested in finding something specific!
They are coming out with a new set of hot PINKS for summer that I cannot wait to try out!
This is my favorite application brush! I love the flat end, it really helps get a precise line by the cuticle!
Here are some of my favorite potted gels!!!
VELVET GLITTER! My favorite one is Universal Rose - it's a gorgeous neutral sheer mauve shade with silvery velvet glitter, but it's so sheer it really won't disturb the color underneath! Truly "universal" :) But the entire collection is so great too!!
MARKERS LINE! The markers line gel collection is a thicker line of gel that's amazing for art!! They currently come in white, black, silver, bronze, and gold but they're launching some NEON colors this week too!! They're amazing.
SHEER NUDES! These are some of their best selling nude colors. I have Peanut Butter Toffy and it's so pretty! This is a great option if you're looking for a sheer nude that works well under nail art or alone!
SHEER JELLY COLORS! I have a few of these colors too but I want the entire collection!! I just love jellies so much.
LIQUID MIRROR CHROME! This is essentially just liquid chrome and it's SOOOO cool. It's not as subtle as the chrome powder I linked below, it's almost like it's own color, but it can so enhance whatever color is underneath too depending on which ones you choose! My favorites are Gold and Peacock but they are all sooo cool!!! This is Gold Chrome over the Platinum Filler Base below!
LAMPS + BRUSHES!
I recently got the Le Blanc lamp from Kokoist and it's the nicest lamp I've ever used!! It's wireless, the battery lasts so long, and it's literally made to work with all of kokoist's prodcuts!
It's definitely a splurge, which is why it's a great idea to pick it up while it's on sale!! I've been loving mine and I HIGHLY recommend it if you're ready to invest in a lamp that will last your for a while and cure your nails amazingly!!
I got the Nail Thoughts brush set and it's soooo good. It comes with 3 brushes: an application brush, a smoosh brush (for nail art), and a liner brush for tiny details! Each brush comes with a cap too to keep them safe. I just reach for these over most of my other brushes at this point because they are so purposeful and great! I highly recommend them :)
Kokoist also has a TON of other brush options too. If you're looking for a super specific shape (like a thin flat brush, or a short liner brush) you can find it here!!
THE BEST TOP COAT EVER:
I had to give the Ultra Glossy Non-Wipe top coat its own section. It's literally THE. BEST. EVER. It's SO shiny, it's easy to apply, it doesn't dry out (I've literally had my bottle for over a year), and the best part is that it stays shiny for weeks!!! I also love how it's non-wipe, so you KNOW it's done curing when it's not tacky any more. If you don't have this yet, WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!
It also comes with a few different glittery finishes which are AMAZING.
Ultra Glossy Non-Wipe Rainbow Glitter Top Coat (it has the PRETTIEST shimmery gold mixed in!!)
Ultra Glossy Non-Wipe Diamond Glitter Top Coat (the same but with silver sparkles!!)
Aurora Glitter Effect Top Coat: This is a super unique glitter combo that looks different on top of colors/with different combos. It's sooo cool! I used the blue one on top of a navy blue once and the effect was gorgeous and so shimmery and fun. This comes in green, blue and pink glitter!
HONORABLE MENTIONS:
Foil Tack Gel - For foil nail art! I lovee this type of art work so this has been a fun addition to my collection!
Gel Extension Tips - I just got these because I had broken a nail and I wanted the rest of them to match. They are SOOO good. Like so thin and realistic looking. I am obsessed. They look better than my real nails lol. I think I'm going to practice using these more and then I'll be sure to make some content around it :)
Matte Top Coat - This is the smoothest most velvety looking matte top coat I've ever used!!! It's incredible.
Top Recommended Kokoist Products of All Time:
Peach Base - My OG fave tinted base gel
Strawberry Lemonade Base - My favorite color from the new base launch!
Hazelnut Creamer Base - The most gorgeous jelly neutral for fall!
Champagne Base - A creamy jelly base with sparkly gold flecks, the most beautiful color!!
My Favorite Top Coat! - The sheen you get from using this is just insane. It's so good!!
MY DREAM KOKOIST STARTER KIT!
READ THIS POST FIRST! Gel Products 101 + Breaking Down the Kokoist System
Someone asked me what I would recommend to someone starting out with gel and using my processes so I'm putting together my DREAM starter kit and what I would get to begin my at home nail journey if I were you!
TOOLS: Download my free starter kit PDF with all of my recommended prep tools on it here!!
Builder gels: I would suggest getting a clear builder base + a few tinted ones!
Hazelnut Creamer Base or Peach Base
Cotton Candy Base or Strawberry Milk Base
Ultra Glossy Non-Wipe Top Coat
Universal Rose Velvet Glitter for velvet nails!!! This color literally looks great on top of any color!
My Favorite Chrome Powders (non kokoist, but they're the best!!!)
A few color gels (this totally depends on what you like!!)
READ MY OTHER POSTS ABOUT KOKOIST HERE!
Kokoist x Nail Thoughts Builder Gel Bases Review + Hybrid Gel and Pure Gel Explained! - My review & swatch photos of all of the builder base gels + MORE INFO!
Builder Gel + Base Gel EXPLAINED! - Did you know not all gel is created equal?
How I'm Growing My Nails With Gel - Explaining my favorite gel manicure process that has helped me grow my nails so long!
My Favorite Kokoist Products - A great place to start building your collection!
My Gel Manicure Starter Pack - Lights, prep items, etc!
Gel Polish 101 - Everything you want to know about gel manicures
COURSES THAT USE & EXPLAIN HOW TO USE KOKOIST PRODUCTS:
My Gel Manicure Painting & Removal Course - Perfect for DIYers and anyone looking to improve!
My NEW Gel Manicure 2.0: E-File, Gel Manicure Prep, and Builder Gel Application Course
Builder Gel Application Tutorial Class
E-File Gel Removal & E-File Manicure Prep Course
If you have any other questions or are confused about any thing regarding gel or the products or process or truly ANYTHING, leave a comment or DM me on instagram!! I want to help you build your cart and get exactly what you need! :)
This is so helpful, thank you!!