What are nail sequins?

Nail sequins are small decorative flakes used in nail art to add sparkle, shine and texture. They come in finishes such as holographic, chrome-like or iridescent and in shapes such as hearts, stars, butterflies, flowers, letters and snowflakes. Most listings on this page are six-grid cases, so one purchase gives six shapes or colours. The page also carries glitter grids, glow in the dark grids and mixed fine, medium or chunky glitter sequin sets.

What is the difference between sequins and glitter?

Glitter is usually fine or ultra-fine particles that blend into a sparkle field. Sequins are larger, shaped flakes that read as individual pieces. Sequins create more visual impact and suit statement accents or 3D-looking designs, while glitter suits full-nail shimmer, fades and backgrounds. This collection carries both.

How do I apply sequins on gel nails?

Apply your gel colour and cure it. Apply a layer of gel top coat or base gel and do not cure it yet, because tacky gel holds the sequins in place. Place each sequin with thin tweezers, a wax picker, a silicone tool or a dotting tool, cure under a UV/LED lamp, then seal with another layer of top coat and cure again. For a smoother, glass-like result, press them into builder gel instead and encapsulate them with more builder gel.

How do I stop sequins from feeling rough or catching?

Seal them properly. Add builder gel or an extra layer of top coat over the sequins, lightly buff any raised edges and top coat again. For a smooth, glass-like finish, encapsulate them: press the sequins into builder or base gel, cure, cover them fully with more builder gel, file and shape, then top coat and cure.

Can I use sequins with regular nail polish?

You can, but it is easier and more secure with gel products. Regular polish may not hold the sequins as well or as long, and sealing them is trickier without a gel top coat. When the time comes to take them off, remove them gently with the rest of the product and never peel sequins off by force, so the natural nail plate is protected.

Nail sequins

Nail sequins and glitter grids for gel nail art: more than 30 six-grid sets of holographic shapes, letters, glow-in-the-dark mixes and chunky glitter blends, with free shipping on qualifying orders.

Learn More About This Collection

What nail sequins are, and how they differ from glitter

Nail sequins are small decorative flakes cut into shapes: hearts, stars, butterflies, flowers, letters, snowflakes and more. They come in holographic, iridescent, chrome-like and solid finishes, and they sit on the nail as individual pieces you can see from across the room. Glitter is different: it is usually fine or ultra-fine particles that blend into a sparkle field. Because sequins are larger, they are the pick for statement accents, themed nails and 3D-looking designs, while glitter works for full-nail shimmer, fades and backgrounds.

This collection holds both: sequin grids for shaped accents and glitter grids for loose sparkle. Most listings are six-compartment grids, so one purchase gives you six shapes, colours or sizes.

The formats on this page

Format	What the title tells you	Good for
6 Grids of Holographic Sequins	A numbered theme, such as #1 Butterfly, #14 Silver Sparkle, #17 Dreamy or #27 Snowflakes	Shaped accents with a rainbow shift under light
6 Grids of Sequins	A numbered colour or theme, such as #3 Pink Spade, #7 White Gold, #8 Think Pink or #9 Spring Love	Colour-matched accents for a set
Letter grids	#20 Alphabet Letters and #21 Letters	Initials, names and short words on an accent nail
Glow in the dark grids	1909-24 Summer and 1909-22 Spring glitter, 1909-20 Carnival sequins	Party and night-out sets
6 Grids of Glitter and mixed grids	1909-10 Sugar Rush, 1909-18 Fine/Chunky	Loose sparkle in several particle sizes
Mixed glitter sequin sets	Set 1 Autumn, Set 2 Orange/Gold (fine and medium), Set 5 Gold/Red (chunky)	A colour story of glitter and sequins together

A single Holographic Butterfly Nail Art Sequins pot is also listed for techs who only want butterflies.

Choosing sequins for a set

Soft looks: match the sequin colour to the base colour, for example #8 Think Pink over a pink gel.
Bold or pop-art looks: contrast the sequins with the base colour instead.
Personalised nails: the letter grids spell initials or a short word on one accent nail.
Seasonal and holiday sets: the themes do the planning for you: #9 Spring Love, the #28 Lucky Clovers and #29 St Patrick's Day grids for March, #4 Valentine Purple for February and #27 Snowflakes for winter.
Night-out and party sets: the glow in the dark grids, named for summer, spring and carnival themes.

How to apply sequins on gel

Base colour: apply your gel colour and cure it.
Sticky layer: apply a layer of gel top coat or base gel and do not cure it yet. Tacky, uncured gel holds the sequins in place while you work.
Place: pick up each sequin with thin tweezers, a wax picker pen, a silicone tool or a dotting tool, and set it where you want it.
Cure: once the layout is right, cure under a UV/LED lamp.
Seal: apply another layer of top coat to seal and smooth the surface, then cure again.

Tip: use thin tweezers or a wax picker pen for easier placement, and always set sequins into tacky, uncured gel so they stay where you put them before the cure.

The encapsulated look

For a smooth, glass-like finish, the sequins go inside the gel rather than on top of it:

Press the sequins into a layer of builder gel or base gel.
Cure.
Encapsulate with more builder gel so the sequins are fully covered.
File and shape if needed, then apply top coat and cure.

This is also the fix when sequins stick out or feel rough: add builder gel or extra top coat, lightly buff any raised edges, and top coat again.

Scatter and full-cover designs

For a scattered effect, place a few sequins at random across the nail. For full coverage, press sequins over the whole surface before curing, then encapsulate or apply a double layer of top coat. Glitter grids go down the same way, pressed into uncured gel and sealed under top coat.

Pairing sequins with other nail art

Sequins layer well with other techniques:

Chrome or glitter backgrounds under shaped accents.
Hand-painted designs, with a sequin as the centre of a flower or star.
Ombre and aura nails.
3D art and encapsulation.
Foils, stickers and stamping on the neighbouring nails.

Match the sequin colour to the base for a soft look, or contrast it for a bold, pop-art style.

Gel or regular polish

Sequins can be used with regular polish, but they are easier to place and hold better with gel products. Regular polish may not hold the sequins as well or as long, and sealing them is trickier without a gel top coat. For services that need to last, use a gel base, colour and top.

Removal and care for the natural nail

Applied and removed correctly, sequins do not need special treatment. Remove them gently with the rest of the gel and never peel them off by force, so the nail plate is protected.

Building a sequin shelf for the station

Start with two or three holographic shape grids in different tones, such as #14 Silver Sparkle, #7 White Gold and #8 Think Pink.
Add a letter grid for personalised requests.
Add one glitter grid in mixed sizes for fades and backgrounds.
Rotate seasonal themes ahead of each holiday: spring and St Patrick's grids in late winter, glow grids for summer, snowflakes for the cold months.
Check each listing for stock before a busy week: availability is shown per grid.