Everything You Need To Know About Dip Powder Nails
Have you tried this nail trend yet?
There is nothing worse than chipped nail polish. After spending all that time and effort achieving a perfect manicure, it is always such a bummer when simply opening a can of soda messes up your nails. As hard as I try to be cautious after a mani, it only takes a day or two before I start looking like I crawled my way out of a coffin.
Over the years, I have simply accepted the fact that I will never have the nails of my dreams. But there is a lesser-known nail polish product that is promising to help even klutzes like me keep our nails perfect. Its called dip powder, and Glamour describes it as somewhere between a regular mani and a fake nail.
Glamour also notes that this process isnt new, but its gaining some new attention thanks to social media.
How Do Dip Nails Compare To Other Types Of Manicures
Dip nails mainly differ from other types of manicures because of the method used to apply the color. Beyond that, applications can generally follow the same steps since youll always apply a few coats to seal in the color. We break down some common types of manicures below so you can understand the differences between dip and other popular types.
How To Removedip Powder Nails
It is almost ashame that the dip powder nail treatments go on so easily. After all, this isone of the reasons that they are so popular. However easy and quick theapplication, their removal can be tricky. The key is to remember one veryimportant adage: Dont rush or force the process!
If you try to take shortcuts, you might find yourself with a mess or a problem. Instead, just gather the materials needed and give yourself the amount of time suggested for the best outcome.
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French Dip Powder Nails
Apply a thin layer of the base to your nails.
Carefully dip the end of the nail into the white powder to create the classic French tip.
Tip: make sure you mix your powder and that its level upon starting, so your design doesnt come out lopsided.
Next, pour the pink powder onto the rest of the nail.
Tap your hand to get rid of any excess powder, then use the brush to gently sweep off any remaining loose powder.
Repeat these steps, starting with the base and then the powders, to apply a second layer.
Apply a generous amount of the activator onto your nails.
Once cured, file and buff your nail. Brush off any excess product.
Finally, apply two coats of the gel top coat to your nails.
Here’s the finished nail. This classic French manicure never goes out of style and the dip powder technique looks so professional.
What Is A Dip Powder Manicure
Also known as SNS nails, dip powder nails are known for being long-lasting and don’t use UV light to harden, unlike gel nails. The color comes from dipping your nails into a finely-milled, pigmented powder before bonding with adhesive, rather than painting on streaks of hard liquid gel. The result is a flawless, evenly coated manicure, usually only achieved by professionals until now.
If you’re wondering if dip powder nails are better than gel nails, the biggest difference between gel and dip powder is longevity. Dip powder manicures can last for three to four weeks, which is twice as long as gel manicures. Also, dip powder manicures don’t require UV light-curing lamps. That means you can cut your mani time in half, won’t have a bulky nail lamp taking up space in your home, and it’s a bonus if you’re sensitive to UV exposure.
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How To Applydip Powder
To begin with,it is important to note that you can enjoy this treatment on natural nails ornails with tips it works effectively for both. The process involves you applyinga base bonding solution to properly groomed nails . Each finger is then dipped intoclear nail powder, and then the bonding resin and powder process is repeated,but with color added if desired.
Up to five coats can be applied before the curing and finishing steps are done depending on whether or not there are tips used or the natural nail is used for treatment. A sealer is brushed on and the nails sealed, buffed and even given another coat of sealer if the manufacturer allows.
A basic list ofsupplies needed for the dip powder nail treatment would include:
- Nailfile and buffer
- Tipsand nail glue
- Dippowder color, base coat and other kit components
- Cottonpads
- Acetone
There are popular dip powder kits, and several major brands are considered ideal for those who want to do this at home. Kiara Sky Nails, but so too are SNS and Revel. In fact, in some circles the SNS brand is so popular that it has become a way of talking about dip powder nails in general.
Whats An Acrylic Powder
Acrylic powder is made of a monomer, polymer, suspensions and its all tied together with a catalyst. The acrylic powder is mixed with water and a catalyst to form a resin that hardens and becomes a fake nail.
The monomer part is called methyl methacrylate which can be added to water to create a suspension. On the other hand, a polymer is a strand of the monomer that strings itself together in a chemical process.
To ensure the process goes well, a catalyst is added. A catalyst in this question is organic peroxide, but it could be some other chemical compound, as well. When the powder is mixed with water and the catalyst, or else known as glue, it creates the gooey look of acrylic you apply to your nails.
While most of us only know that acrylic powder is used for nails, it can be used for various whatnots, as well. The uses for acrylic powder are wide!
Its most commonly used in ink, adhesives of sorts, undercoating for cars, auto pastes, and auto waxes, sheet molding, and even silver halide photographic film. These are the common uses, but there are highly specialized uses for acrylic powder, too.
When the acrylic powder is used for nails, pigment or accessories like glitter is added. So, you can choose so many different colors for your nails it doesnt have to be white.
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The Materials Youll Need Include:
- Acetone
- Aluminumfoil Cut into 10 small squares large enough to fit around your finger
- Cottonballs
- Nailfile and buffer
NOTE: If youare having this process done in a salon, your technician may use a drill tofile everything off if so, avoid them! This damages the nail, is actuallypainful and is a way for them to save time rather than do the job right. Belowis the only way that experts should remove the treatment.
How Do You Use A Dip Powder Nail Kit At Home
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How To Apply Activator
Activator is as simple as brushing it over your nails. You dont need a lot of it, and you dont really have to worry about missing your nail, because it wont leave any residue behind like gel or matte top coats would.
After applying, wait around 5 seconds for it to dry . You can wave your hands around like a crazy person to speed up the process.
Follow step 2 and 3 all over again to create more vibrant color and longer lasting nails. Sometimes one dip coat is enough, but usually youll need two full dips.
Is Dip Powder Bad For Your Nails
Pros are kinda torn on whether dip powder is good for your nails. One of the biggest mistakes your nail technician can make while applying dip powder? Literally dipping your nails into the jar of powder âunless youâre the only customer using the jar, itâs gonna be loaded with bacteria. The safe route is to have the powder dusted on your nails with a brush.
You shouldnât expect any long-term damage from dip powder, so long as your technician is using a safe formula. Be on the lookout for off-brand dip powders, which are sometimes spiked with harmful chemicalsâas with any beauty treatment, donât be afraid to ask your technician tons of questions before you get started .
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Smooth Out Your Nail Dipping Powder
Remember all that fun sanding that we did in step three? Well, we’re going to do it again!
Step 1: Drum Sander
This time, instead of removing all of the color, we’re just removing enough of the top layer to leave a smooth surface. Also, instead of sanding parallel to the finger, we will be sanding perpendicular. Sanding this way allows you to sand the entire length of the nail so that it’s smooth the entire way down. Just roll your finger back and forth to avoid low spots.
Step 2: Sanding Blocks
Return to your 180-grit sanding block first. I found a couple of small voids in my wife’s nails, and that’s ok. Just sand the area in a circular motion until it’s gone and then work the rest of the nail in circular motions. Finish up with 320-grit for that extra smooth surface.
Your client may or may not have lost their enthusiasm at this point
Step 3: Shape the nail
This won’t be the final shaping but you should get 90% of the way there.
Step 4: Final applicator layer
I’m pretty certain this step is just to get all the dust left over from sanding to flatten out. Apply a very thin layer of applicator to the nail, let it dry for 10 minutes.
How To Remove Diy Dip Powder Nails At Home
Youre eventually going to want to take these off but, let me warn you, do NOT just try to peel off. Its really painful and damages your natural nail beds so much. Dont worry though taking the nails off is easy and doesnt require anything super fancy.
All you need is a bowl of warm water, a baggie, a dryer sheet, and soak off solution .
Put around 1/4 cup of the soak off solution in the bag, along with the dryer sheet. Put your whole hand in the dryer sheet.
Gently submerge the bag in the water, making sure the water doesnt get in the bag. Start moving your fingers aroundyoull feel the solution warm up, thats totally normal.
Every couple of minutes, take your hand out of the bag and gently try to peel the nails off. If it hurts AT ALL, keep soaking it shouldnt be painful! After a couple of minutes, the nails that had already lifted some start coming off for me.
After about 5 minutes, theyre all safely off! Now your nails are clean and ready for a new set.
Now, youre in on one of my favorite DIY finds of the past year. It takes a few sets to really figure out your groove, but trust me, its totally worth it and kind of fun! And a HUGE shout-out to the for most of the information you see in this post Ive learned so much from those ladies .
See more of my DIY posts here.
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How To: Diy Dip Powder Polish At Home With Video
Stay at home = very limited self care options out of the house. What it also means is time to embrace the opportunity to learn how to do things on our own! At the beginning of the new normal, my salon manicure held up for a while, that was back in March. After the reality hit that salons would not be open for business, it was time to take matters into my own hands. Time to learn how to do my own dip nails!
to my YOUTUBE channel so you dont miss a video!
Why choose dip polish?
Have you tried dip powders yet? For those of us who live a very active life regular nail polish is no-go. Mine doesnt stay on for more than a day or twobesides the dry time stinks. I used gel for a while, that would last about a week. It also didnt make my nails feel stronger. Now that Ive tried dip powder Im hooked! A dip mani lasts about 3 weeks and my nails are so strong & tough when its on. As long as you take your time to carefully remove the polish and dont pick at it, your nails should stay looking and feeling strong.
What do you need to get started?
I did a whole lot of research on dip powders and was sold on the Kiara Sky system. The colors are long lasting and formulated without harsh chemicals. I purchased the Kiara Sky French Starter Kit. Ive not yet tried a french manicure, but my favorite colors are in this kit, a white and three pinks. The kit also comes with the base, top coat etc. You will also need to purchase a file, nail buff, cuticle pusher and soft brush for dust.
Apply More Resin & Powder
Apply a layer of resin over the whole nail, even the tips. Paint that on slowly and evenly. Heres another of those important dip powder nail tips to focus on: if you want colored powder, now is the time to do it! Dip your finger into the powder again, remove excess powder, and then add more resin. You can repeat this step again to get a slightly more thicker and stronger manicure.
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Is It Worth It
In a pre-pandemic world, an 11-step beauty treatment wouldn’t make my to-do list, but we’re living in unprecedented times and I’m suddenly doing unprecedented things. Also, the end result is actually quite impressive and worth the effort.
If you take the time to prep your nails correctly, that is shape, buff and apply the base layer correctly, the manicure will easily last up to three weeks.
As someone who likes to keep my nails short, I found I was filing them down after about two and ready for a colour change well before the mani was ready to be removed. It’s staying power is no different to an in-salon SNS mani.
The initial outlay might seem like a lot, but if you’re someone who goes to the salon monthly and pays $60-$70 for the pleasure, you’ll enjoy major savings three-to-four manicures in.
How To Do Dip Powder Nails At Home
So, like many people, we’re entering our sixth week of Coronavirus quarantine. Unfortunately, I lost my job but my lovely wife was deemed essential. That means that we’re down to one income and one person who really need to have her nails done but can’t get into a salon.
Queue the at home salon!
Now, for the record, I have painted nails maybe ten times in my life. Today, we’ll be doing dip powder nails.
Also, my wife has said that these “don’t look terrible,” so I would expect someone with more experience to be able to pull this off pretty easily. I’m more used to finishing drywall than nails, so if I can do it, you probably can too!
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Is The Process Safe
However, before you try out this trend for yourself, consider this: Although dip powder nails are marketed as safe and natural, they are bonded with the same ingredient used to make Krazy Glueand this goes for acrylic and gel polishes alike. Nail polishes contain chemicals, so if youre already on board with using traditional polish, you dont have anything more to worry about when using the dip powder from a toxin perspective.
Doug Schoon, president of Schoon Scientific + Regulatory Consulting and co-chair of Nail Manufacturers Council, told Self magazine that the removal process should be considered for any type of nail polish.
One thing that people dont understand is that if it says soak for 15 minutes to remove , thats the minimum time, explained Schoon. The longer you leave on the polish, he said, the more difficult it will be take off. It may be 15 minutes if you take them off the same day, but if you wait two weeks or four weeks, it could take 30 minutes.
Wow. And Schoon cautions that should never try to rush the process by scraping off the polish. This could do severe damage to your nailsnot to mention, it will hurt!
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If youve ever tried to take your gel manicure off at home without soaking your nails in nail polish remover for long enough, you know what hes talking about.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BRyP3hmAFiG/
Heres a tutorial that shows you how its done.
