Finding your shade of pink
Crystal names can be a bit of a puzzle. Light Rose, Vintage Rose and Indian Pink do not tell you much until you have seen them side by side, so here is a plain English translation of what each family actually looks like.
- Soft baby pink: Light Rose, Light Pink, Rose Peach, Rosaline. Lovely for bridal, christening gowns, pastel nail art, wedding stationery.
- Classic true pink: Rose, Rose Pink, Ruby Pink. Lovely for the everyday all-rounder, ombre gradients, general costume work.
- Hot pink and deep pink: Fuchsia, Cerise, Light Fuchsia, Hot Pink, Bright Pink. Lovely for ballroom, Latin, drag and burlesque, statement nail art.
- Neon pink: Neon Pink, Neon Pink Shimmer, Neon Barbie Pink, Neon Rose. Lovely for freestyle, disco, festival and carnival costumes.
- Opal and pearlescent pink: Rose Opal, Pink Opal, Rose Mocha Opal. Lovely for subtle sparkle, nail art, bridal, anything that needs softness.
- Dusky and muted pink: Vintage Rose, Dusty Rose, Rose Mocha. Lovely for sophisticated palettes, vintage themes, autumn tones.
- Warm coral pink: Indian Pink, Mermaid Coral, Mermaid Blush. Lovely for summer designs, tropical themes, a pink that leans towards red.
- Two tone and special effect: Vitrail Rose, Metallic Pink, Air Gold Line Rose, Pink Shine. Lovely for costumes that need to shift colour as the wearer moves.
If you’re replacing a discontinued Swarovski colour, then these two shades are good alternatives worth considering: Vintage Rose from Preciosa is a lovely stand-in for Blush Rose and Zodiac Neon Pink Shimmer is a close match for Electric Pink.
A quick tip from our team: pinks blend beautifully. Light Rose, Rose and Fuchsia together give you a gradient that reads as one colour from a distance but catches the light in three different ways up close.
Pink rhinestones for every project
Dance, theatre and performance
Pink is a staple of the dance world, and sizing matters more than anything else here. SS16 (4mm) and SS20 (5mm) are the workhorses for ballroom, Latin and ice skating costumes. For Irish dance, most dressmakers go SS30 (6mm) and above so the sparkle carries to the judges.
Neon pinks are the go-to for freestyle and disco, and our sew on stones in peardrop, rivoli and navette shapes give you focal points that a flatback cannot.
Nail art and beauty
Smaller is better on a nail. SS3 (1.4mm) up to SS10 (3mm) covers most designs, with SS16 for a statement accent nail. Rose Opal is a long-standing favourite with nail technicians because it sits softly against pale blues and AB shades rather than shouting over them. All our Preciosa non hotfix crystals are lead free, which makes them suitable for face, body and tooth gems too.
Bridal, craft and card making
Pale pinks do the heavy lifting here. Light Rose and Rose Peach are ideal for wedding stationery, favours and delicate embellishment, while Rosaline pearls give you a softer, non-faceted alternative.
If you’re decorating cards or small craft pieces, our pink crystal mixes take the guesswork out of choosing sizes.
Hotfix, non hotfix or sew on
Three ways to apply pink stones and crystals, and the right one depends on what you are decorating.
- Non hotfix flatbacks: These are glued on with E6000 or Gem Tac. The most versatile option, and the only choice for anything you cannot iron, including nails, plastics, wood, paper and delicate fabrics.
- Hotfix flatbacks: These have heat activated glue already on the back and are fixed with a hotfix applicator or iron. Quick, clean and ideal for fabric, especially when you are covering a large area.
- Sew on stones and fancy shapes: These are larger, come with holes or settings, and can be stitched or glued. Use them as focal points among smaller flatbacks.
Need something to stick them down with? Our adhesives range covers the glues our team actually recommends for each surface.
Sizes at a glance
- SS3 (1.4mm) - Suitable for fine nail art, tooth gems, tiny detail work
- SS6 (2mm) - Suitable for nail art and delicate craft embellishment
- SS10 (3mm) - Suitable for cards, small accents, nail art statement stones
- SS16 (4mm) - The all-rounder for costumes, craft and dancewear
- SS20 (5mm) - Suitable for ballroom, Latin and general dance costume coverage
- SS30 (6mm) - Suitable for Irish dance dresses and bold stage coverage
- SS34 (7mm) and SS40 (8.5mm) - Provide large focal sparkle that shows even from the back row
Larger sew on shapes go well beyond SS40 if you need a real centrepiece.
Four brands, one very good pink
Preciosa
Our deepest pink range and the choice for professional work. As an authorised Preciosa Silver Partner, we stock the full Maxima line in 15 and 18 facet cuts, plus Viva12, chatons and fancy stones. Preciosa pinks are lead free and cover the widest shade spread, from Rose Peach to Fuchsia. Browse the full Preciosa collection.
Swarovski
We hold genuine Swarovski pinks including Light Rose AB in the Xirius cut and Light Rose Shimmer, plus Rosaline pearls. The pink selection here is focused rather than exhaustive, so if you’re after a specific Swarovski shade it is worth checking the wider Swarovski collection or dropping us a message.
Zodiac
Our own brand, and the one our costume makers come back for. Zodiac pinks have brilliant sparkle, a durable foil backing and a scratch-proof coating, at a fraction of the premium brand price. With over 1,500 five-star reviews behind the range, it is a genuine alternative rather than a compromise. See the full Zodiac collection.
Luna
When you need a lot of sparkle without a lot of spend, Luna is the answer. Popular for freestyle, cheerleading, carnival and festival costumes where coverage matters more than anything. The pink range includes some of our most interesting finishes, including Magic Ruby Pink and Air Gold Line Rose. Explore the Luna collection.
Not sure which pink is right for your project?
Our team can help you match a shade, so just send us a message and we will point you in the right direction.