

Once that’s dry, you’ll apply a clear coat of polish as a topcoat, and voila! Your DIY dip powder manicure is done, and it should last at least a few weeks (or more). This activator turns the colored powder into a glossy lacquer and essentially bonds it onto the nail itself. After two go-rounds of dipping, you’ll paint on a clear activator polish. Then, tap or brush off any excess powder (many kits include a buff brush) and repeat the process one more time to ensure an even coat. Next, instead of painting the nail color on with a brush, as with a traditional or gel manicure, you’ll dip your nail into a pot of pigmented powder. First, you’ll want to apply a base coat onto clean, freshly buffed nails (this helps to smooth out any ridges so that the powder can coat the nail evenly). This is how the at-home process typically works. How do you give yourself a dip powder manicure at home? Below are the 13 best dip powder kits to add to cart. If you want to test-drive the nail trend on your own, we've rounded up the best user-friendly dip powder kits that deliver pro-level results from the comfort of your humble abode. You can rest easy knowing your nails won't be damaged after soaking off since there is no harsh UV light or fake nail tips involved-dip powder manis are also said to be less damaging to your nails in the long term. They also yield similar, even-coated results as acrylic manicures. The real fun lies within the "dipping process." After your nail is properly prepped, each nail is dipped into a powder color of your choosing (one by one), tapped to dust off any excess powder, and then sealed with a topcoat.

This method follows the same steps as a standard gel manicure-cut, clean, buff/smooth, primer, etc.

There’s an overlooked nail manicure trend in town, and it’s definitely here to stay: Dip powder manicures.ĭip powder manicures are longer-lasting than their gel counterparts (they can typically last up to one month), and they also don’t require any UV light to harden.

No longer are we reserved only to easily chipped polish, potentially damaging full acrylic sets, gel extensions, or UV-set gel manicures (though we’re not saying we don’t love those options, too!). ICYMI, nail options have come a long way in recent years.
