Charms and beads add raised, 3D detail to a gel set. This page holds 6-grid boxes of ball beads in gold, silver and bronze tones, five-petal 3D flower beads with pearl and crystal details, a 6-grid metal cross set, and Taye 3D charm molds for making your own charms from gel. Each listing shows its code, and screens can shift colours, so check the photos and the stock on each listing before you order.
Use a thick rhinestone gel rather than glue. Apply a small amount where the charm will sit, press the charm into it with a wax pencil or tweezers, and cure under an LED or UV lamp, usually 60 to 90 seconds. For extra hold, outline the edges with more gel and cure again. Rhinestone gel stays flexible after curing, so it is less likely to lift than glue.
A thick, no-wipe rhinestone gel is made to hold gems, charms and metal pieces, and it can also sculpt small 3D accents such as raised dots, bows or petals. It is stickier and thicker than builder gel, so pieces do not slide before you cure. DTK lists LAVIS Rhinestone Gel 15 ml for this job.
The Taye molds are reusable silicone molds with detailed cavities. Fill a cavity with a 3D mold gel, cure it under the lamp (the mold listings give 90 to 120 seconds for detailed cavities), then pop the charm out and attach it to the nail with rhinestone gel. One mold can be used again and again, so you can make charms to match a client's theme.
Take charms off together with the gel set rather than prying them off. File around the base to break the seal, soak as you normally would for the gel system, and lift the piece once the gel has softened. Forcing a charm off can damage the natural nail.