Nail trends change as much as fashion trends do – that much is clear. The color trends change very often from nude to bright candy colors. Popular designs change with season – in the winter most people might go for snowflakes or Christmas themes while palm trees might grow in popularity in summer. It all depends on your personal preferences, eventually, but it’s good to know that there is a lot of variety.
Popular nail length also varies but most people go with what they are comfortable with in this aspect.
However, there is more to nails than just color, design and length.
Especially so when you are getting artificial nails often. When it comes to this, everything is easy to change. One month you could have almond nails and then the next coffin shape nails – again, all a matter of your personal preference.
But choosing the right material for your artificial nails can be the most difficult part. Often, you get to choose between gel or acrylic, but there is another type of material rising in popularity – dip powder.
So, what is this dip powder people won’t stop talking about?
Here are some things you should know:
Your nails will still be acrylic
All of the ingredients for artificial nails remain the same whether you are getting gel, acrylic or even dip powder. Acrylic nails are all made of the same gel-like substance. Sometimes it needs to be hardened by UV lights, sometimes not. Dip powder can seem like a revolutionary concept at first. This technique is quite similar to the others. What happens is that the manicure specialist will apply the bonding agent, then dip your nails in colored powder and seal with a top coat.
Even if this technique seems less harmful to your nails at first, unfortunately, it’s not. The main bonding agent has even been banned in NYC because of its damaging effects on natural nail health.
Ask your nail technician on the substances they are using in their nail products. It might contain ingredients that you can find in superglues.
A reputable nail technician will most likely not use the bonding agent mentioned above, but instead, they might use an ingredient that you can find in items like Krazy Glue. However, this glue was formulated to be used for medical purposes as well so it can be a good thing.
Dip powder isn’t new
Nail technicians state that this technique has been around since the nineties so this isn’t so much a new technique as it has only risen in popularity recently. Some publications state that it might predate the other artificial nail techniques.
They take less time to apply
Dip powder is much faster to apply. You don’t have to use the UV lamps and generally, even without the lamps, the process is shorter. Your complete nails could be done in under an hour, compared to more than an hour and a half with gel or more than two hours with acrylic.
Eliminates the risk of skin cancer
So, we are all aware that the UV light is bad for your skin and that it puts you at risk of skin cancer. Well, as mentioned, dip powder doesn’t require any UV light so the risk of skin cancer is eliminated, at least in this matter.
They take longer to remove
The process of removing dip powder nails is a pain. All the time you save on putting the dip powder on, you lose when taking it off. It could take up to thirty minutes of soaking before you can take them off.
You shouldn’t really dip your nails
It looks very cool for Instagram when people just dip their nails and perfection comes out. However, dipping your nails in the powder in a nail salon should be a big no-no because that’s the same powder numerous people have dipped their nails into. It’s an easy way to transmit nail infections. Even just pouring the powder over your nails and then allowing the rest to fall back into the container is unsanitary. However, pouring is the most sanitary way, as long as it’s not done over a shared container.
Don’t do them on your own
After learning about the possibility of infection, you must be thinking that you will just do it yourself then, right?
Well, you are wrong – even though brands have made it more available, dip powder and accompanying chemicals can still harm your skin if not applied properly. Much safer to visit your favorite nail salon – not to mention much more therapeutic.
They last much longer
Just because the process of putting them on is short, it doesn’t mean that the nails will last only for a short time too. In fact, dip powder nails last much longer than any other technique. This manicure lasts for up to eight weeks – however, you might want to take it off after three to four weeks, just because its healthier and it will take
shorter to take off.
Dipping powder can dehydrate your nails
Dip powders temporarily dehydrate the nails and create damage. This damage is not permanent so you shouldn’t worry about that too much. New nails will grow and they will be perfectly healthy – just keep in mind that they might not be as safe as other methods.
Dip may not look as natural
The truth is that while dip may look great on Instagram, they don’t look as natural as other artificial nails. Gel is still the most natural-looking manicure. This is something you should know, especially if you are looking for that natural look on your nails.
Some salons refuse to do it
The sanitation risks, the difficulty of taking it off and the possibility of damaged nails are all the reason your salon may need to stop offering this service. So, finding a salon that will do it may be a challenge.
What are dip powder nails?
Now that you know all of the pros and cons, as well as all of the little details of getting a dip powder nails, we can dive deeper into the technique so you can understand it better.
Dip powder nails are something in between regular mani that you can do at home – resulting in chipped nails after a few hours – and fake nails that you can do at the salon. However, they go one step above and last longer, as mentioned, although you shouldn’t really bank on that.
Your nail salon technician will apply a binding agent and then dip your nails in a pigmented powder – or, as we’ve learned is much healthier, pour the powder over your nails. Then they will apply a sealant and that’s about it.
No UV lamps, not much waiting around.
You get to choose the color and the design, same as you would with other techniques. This process is really quick and really fun to watch as it can seem like magic at times – this is precisely the reason it has taken the world by a storm.
Finally, even if it’s not recommended, you can do the dipping at home. Then you can actually have that Instagrammable magic of the dipping powder. Just make sure that you know what you are doing before you start.
Is dip powder bad for your nails?
If painting your nails on a daily basis – because, let’s face it, even the best nail polishes chip faster than you can notice – is tiring and boring for you, you might be on the hunt for the best permanent technique.
Dip powder is an old technique but a new trend that has taken the world – or, shall we say, Instagram – by a storm. More and more people want to do it and whether you are new to the fake nails game or you have already done gel or acrylic numerous times, it can seem tempting.
We’ve already covered how it’s done and all of the pros and cons.
It’s true – dip powder lasts longer and it takes way less time to apply.
However, what’s also true is that it can be damaging for the nails in some cases.
One case would be if your salon is using harmful substances in the binding agent which you need to check before getting a mani. This technique will also damage the top coat of your nails, harmful chemicals or not.
The damage is not permanent but it does exist.
Nail technicians, on the other hand, say that this technique is not much more damaging than the other acrylic nails techniques, so it’s good to keep that in mind.
The very process can also be unsanitary, especially if you let your manicurist put your fingers in a jar shared by all of the other customers. You can also see many reviews of this mani on the web where everything went terribly wrong after someone peeled the polish off their nails.
So, while this technique can be great for the look of your nails, if done improperly, it can take a toll on your nails.
How long does dip powder nails last?
The longevity of this techniques is one of its main perks and the reason most people go for it. As we’ve come to learn, dip powder manicure can last up to eight weeks – stunning, we know!
However, the party stops there because, think about it – do you want the same color on your nails for two months? Do you want to be unable to see your nail for two months? And finally, since keeping it on for three weeks means half an hour of soaking it, do you really want to keep it on for that long?
Most likely not.
Most nail experts recommend taking it off after two to three weeks, just as you would with gel or acrylic. Yes, your nails will probably look pristine and like there’s no reason to take them off, but you will thank yourself that you did.
How do you remove dip powder nails?
Finally, the question remains – what does the process of taking this mani off look like?
Well, you’ll have to start with soaking, of course. The process of soaking can last for about half an hour if you have kept the mani on your nails for three to four weeks, much longer if you went to full eight weeks.
A bit of warning – even if the polish starts to peel a bit at the base, never pull at it because it will peel off in its entirety and it will also ruin the health of your nails. By pulling, you are also pulling your own nail top coat.
So, a bowl of acetone it is, right?
Before you do that, file off the top coat of your nails and then dip the nails in the acetone. After you do that, go for a cotton ball soaked in acetone and wipe any remaining powder off.
References
https://www.thelist.com/145926/what-you-should-know-before-getting-dip-powder-nails/
https://www.glamour.com/story/dip-powder-nails-are-they-safe
https://www.insider.com/are-dip-powder-nails-bad-for-you-2018-3
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