Looking for a unique way to stand out this Summer? Rhinestones are a great way to customize an item of clothing or an accessory. You can enhance the brand you’re wearing by embellishing the logo: popular choices include the Nike tick, Adidas stripes, and designer logos like Chanel, Gucci or Louis Vuitton. You can even add your name or a slogan in rhinestones, using a hotfix transfer, to personalise the garment. Rhinestones can also add a luxurious feel to shoes, handbags, phone covers and other accessories – giving the impression they are more expensive and luxurious. Using rhinestones in this way is also a fun activity to do for yourself, with children or friends, and you can even turn some of your creations into fabulous handmade gifts.
Give your clothing and accessories brand new sparkle
Clothing – A great way of adding some sparkle to your clothing is by using Gem Tac glue to embellish a brand name or popular logo as mentioned above. This makes the brand really stand out and no one will have anything else like it. Remember to use different sized rhinestones if the logo is intricate or has curves. Accentuate certain parts of a dress, like the neckline, cuffs, or hem by adding rhinestones. If the dress is fitted at the waist, you can crystallize the waistband to draw the eye to that area. Or if the main detail is a fancy collar, why not add a bit of subtle sparkle.
If you are part of a group or team, why not embellish your uniform or matching outfits with the team’s name or company logo? Again, this will draw attention and becomes a talking point. To embellish multiple items of clothing we would recommend using hotfix rhinestones and a hotfix applicator wand.
Bags – For a leather bag, we would suggest using E6000 glue to apply rhinestones. This glue is flexible so it allows the fabric to move easily without the rhinestones falling off. If you have a designer handbag, why not enhance it even further by crystallizing the brand logo? Adding diamond effect clear crystals will make the brand stand out and add a luxurious expensive feel to the bag. If you have a plain or simple bag and you want to add some subtle sparkle, you could apply rhinestones across the strap, or in a simple pattern for example a scatter effect, floral design or you could even add your initials. If you want to create a statement with your bag for a special occasion, you could get really creative and fully embellish it using different sized or coloured rhinestones.
Shoes - Popular ideas for adding sparkle to your footwear include crystallizing the rubber toe cap of Converse trainers, adding rhinestones to brand logo for example the Nike tick and embellishing different parts of a high heel. Or to really create a statement at a wedding or festival this summer, why not entirely cover the shoes in rhinestones! You can get creative with colours, shapes and even use pearls for a bridal feel. For leather or rubber shoes we would recommend E6000, for other fabrics Gem Tac is a great glue to use. Both are easy to apply and dry completely clear. Another popular trend this summer is to crystallize kids shoes, it’s a fun activity for your child to get involved in too, they will love picking their favourite colours! See some of our favourite projects from Crystalled by Jane:
Create beach-worthy accessories for your holidays
Sandals - Use E6000 glue to apply flatback rhinestones to the leather/rubber straps of sandals or flipflops. Before you start applying the rhinestones with the E6000 glue we recommend that you clean the surface with an alcohol wipe. The E6000 glue has industrial strength, allows the sandal to be waterproof and flexible with movement. This added sparkle is sure to draw the attention of everyone around you!
Sunglasses - Apply different sized rhinestones, pearls and even large shapes to a pair of sunglasses. Neon colours are very popular this summer, we have a great selection of neon rhinestones to get creative with. If you prefer a sophisticated classic look, colours like clear, gold and black are also very popular. One idea that has been on trend this year is to create an animal pattern using these colours.
Swimwear – Stand out on the beach by embellishing your bikini or swimsuit using hotfix flatback rhinestones. Be bold and create a statement by crystallizing an entire bikini, or be subtle by just doing the straps or a pattern. Gem Tac glue is ideal for applying crystal to stretch material including lycra and scuba. If you crystallize lots of costumes why not look to use the Dolly Board which enables you to stretch your costume and embellish with ease.
DIY nail art with rhinestones is easy.
Neon rhinestones are on trend for 2022 – You can create some stunning designs for your nail art using neon crystals in different sizes, as well as neon caviar beads. This trend is particularly popular during Pride and festival months. We have a great selection of brightly coloured nail art crystals to create some beautiful rainbow nails. See how our fabulous ambassadors used our rhinestones for their designs:
Nail art crystal mixes for beginners – If you’re just starting out as a nail artist, or you want to have a go at a one off crystal manicure for a special occasion, we have a great selection of rhinestone mixes for you to try. Clear and AB are the most popular colours as they add a luxurious diamond effect feel and work well with any other colour. If you’re feeling adventurous, try using mixed shapes, or mixed colours e.g Rainbow Mix or Opal Mix to create bespoke designs for you or your clients.
Looking for inspiration? – Check out some of our very talented and award-winning nail technicians Scarlett Senter, Natalie Mugridge and Lauren McBride.
Give your tech a personal touch.
A hugely popular trend at the moment is embellishing phone cases, laptop and tablet covers and even headphones with rhinestones.
You can get really creative with this, using different shapes, colours and even pointy back crystals to create a funky 3D design. The use of putting together crystals in varying sizes is called the ‘Cluster Effect’ and looks fantastic, particularly in the AB colour. Other designs to try are animal print, ombre effect, opal colours, neon or metallic effect. The options are endless!
See how the very talented Zoe at Crystal Skins has created these stunning designs:
Add a little bling to your festival look.
Face Gems & Tooth Crystals – Using rhinestones on your face and body is becoming more popular, and this year we’ve seen an increase in crystals being applied to teeth. Tooth crystals are tiny 1mm sized stones that are applied professionally using a semi-permanent glue that will eventually wear off, they are becoming more widely available in salons and beauticians. If you’re looking for even more sparkle, we stock a range of face gems ideal for festivals, parties, end of year proms, drag and burlesque or fancy dress. These range from flatback rhinestones that you can apply with body glue, to self adhesive rhinestones that are already arranged in a design for your face. Try adding crystals to your lips, eyebrows, eyelids or cheekbones to create a unique look.
Brightly coloured rhinestones are particularly popular for creating crystal make up this summer for festivals and Pride celebrations. Use our Zodiac Neon Rhinestones with eyelash or body glue to create your own sparkly make up.
Why Zodiac crystals are perfect for DIY enthusiasts
Cost effective - Zodiac crystals are a much more cost effective brand when compared to Swarovski and Preciosa, yet have the same high quality and sparkle. The have a durable foil backing and a scratch-proof coating which earns them the Crystal Parade Quality Assurance Promise.
Large range of colours and mixes available - With a larger selection of shapes, sizes and over 60 different colours & coatings than both Swarovski and Preciosa, we are delighted to present Zodiac Crystals as the number 1 choice for rhinestones. If you can't decide which colour to go for, we stock mixed packs so you can experiment with different colours without having to pay for full packs.
Free samples – request a free sample or purchase a colour chart with all available colours, coatings and effects including neon, shimmer, two-tone and metallic finish
