The latest nail trend – dip powder nails - is said to be giving gel nails a run for their money.
SNS is a brand of dip powder and dip powder nails are becoming the latest must-have for fancy fingers on the fashion dial.
Undoubtedly, fashion can make you feel powerful. For some women, it is a tool to stand out, get noticed and demand attention. Nothing demands more attention than a glamourous well maintained set of nails.
From demure French manicures to bold neon shades, women are truly spoilt for choice nowadays when it comes to nail trends. It has become an art and a passion for many women.
You can add jewelled accessories to your nails or you can have them pierced and decorated with rings too. And then there is the question of whether to go for a ballerina, stiletto, round or oval shape.
Gel manicures have become the fad rather than the old-fashioned standard nail polish. But there is a new kid on the block. The latest fad-hitting-the-nail trend scene is the dip powder manicure.
SNS stands for Signature Nail Systems. It’s a brand of dip powder, the same way OPI and Essie are brands of nail polish, which is how the method got its name. Similar to regular or gel polishes, it comes in a rainbow’s worth of colours that you can choose from.
In regards to application, the nail is filed and shaped then cleansed with a primer. Then a coat of resin is brushed on the nail plate. One finger at a time is dipped into the colour powder, and resin is added again.
Next, comes an activator, which is brushed on two or three times (depending on the product). Finally, there’s the glossy top coat to add lustre and shine. What makes it different from your standard manicure is that it doesn’t have that strong, acrylic smell that’s become synonymous with your usual nail polish and doesn’t require a light to cure it the way gels do.
Similarly to gel manicures, dip powder requires acetone as well. Dip powder nails and acrylic nails have a lot in common. However, the biggest way they differ is in the bonding agent used.
Dip powder adheres to the nail via a super strong glue, whereas traditional acrylic adheres via liquid monomer. While dip powder is technically acrylic powder, the texture of dip powder is much finer than what is traditionally used for acrylic application and is designed specifically to work with dip powder glue.
Like gel nails and dip powder, acrylic nails are also removed using acetone. As far as which one lasts longer, it’s a close call. Traditional acrylic nails will likely last a bit longer than dip nails.
However, both dip nails and acrylic nails can be refilled with colour when the growth gap between the cuticle and the painted manicure begins to show. It is healthier for the nails than any treatment because the dipping powder is enriched with calcium and vitamins. That means nails won’t break easily and will be in better condition.
Dip powder manicures provide durability and length to the nails while maintaining a more natural-looking finish. Additional benefits include no need for regular salon visits for repainting or infill, and the pigmented powder provides more colour intensity. Regular nail polish can be applied on top of dip powder nails.
The colour can be easily changed without damaging the dip powder underneath. Clean the nails with a nail polish remover first, this won’t remove the dip powder but will kill off any bacteria. After the nails dry down, apply the preferred nail colour on top of the dip powder nails.
Make sure to let the nails dry before applying thick layers of nail polish. When properly applied to healthy nails, a dip manicure can look pretty fresh for about three weeks. However, some report it lasting even longer, closer to five weeks. The durability of this manicure will depend largely on how much you care for them.
To keep nails chip-free for as long as possible, try periodically re-applying a top coat. You may also want to avoid applying hand sanitiser directly to the nails, as the alcohol content can damage the top layer of the manicure. Like gel and acrylic nails, dip nails too require a good dose of acetone for removal. So, if not removed correctly, it can make the nails brittle.
The removal process is what’s worse for your nails than the whole dipping and glueing process. Avoid the temptation to peel them off, no matter how long it’s been! Gel, dip, and acrylic all have the potential to damage your nails if not applied and removed methodically.
It is best practice to find an expert nail technician who can gently and expertly remove the polish so that your nails are preserved. It is recommended to use a nail strengthener and cuticle oil at home in between salon appointments. The good thing about a dip powder manicure is that it will work for all nail shapes, so whether you are a stiletto or coffin shape fan or you like your ovals and squares, you will be able to flaunt it effortlessly.
You can go for neon nails and truly stand out from the crowd. With an array of bright hues to choose from, you simply cannot go wrong. For even more ‘wow’, choose different colours and designs for all the nails. If you are lucky, there might be a salon near you that offers glow-in-the-dark dip powder manicures.
Geometric designs are also extremely popular and depending on your nail artist’s expertise you can get showstopper nails. So, there you have it, go on and have fun with this latest nail trend.
There are over 1000 dip powder colours to choose from and fascinatingly more than 90 shades of just nudes are available.
