Help! We can’t stop watching dip powder nail videos on Instagram. The latest manicure trend to take over social media requires you to delicately dip your nail in a dreamy little pot of coloured powder and, honestly, it’s mesmerising. There are more than 160,000 posts with the hashtag #dippowdernails so we’ll be here for days.
Start by watching this perfectly pointed nail descend into a cloud of pink powder and emerge again, more glorious than before.
So, what exactly are we watching here?
Dip powder nails are a “diet acrylic,” somewhere between a regular mani and an acrylic setup. It’s similar to a gel in the sense that it’s fusing a colour substance to your nail. But basically, instead of using UV rays to seal in your polish after it’s been delicately painted on, we get the colour from a pigmented powder. As you can see in that video, a base coat is lacquered onto the nail, but before the sealant goes on, you dip your nails into a small jar of whatever colour you want. You dip and then you double-dip for stronger coverage.
Once it’s been done, it should last three to four weeks. So possibly twice as long as your gel manicure.
Obviously, for a little extra sparkle, you can dip your nails into a little pot of glitter, too.
If you get your dip powder manicure done at a salon, you probably shouldn’t actually dip your nail into a communal jar of colour, unfortunately. For hygiene reasons, your manicurist should paint the powder directly onto your nails, which will minimise your risk of infection.
To remove a dip powder manicure, the best and safest thing to do is return to your nail technician and get them to take it off gently for you. If you’d rather do it at home, best to use an electric file and then soak off whatever’s left with acetone. Indulge in some lush nail care products afterwards, like cuticle oil and nail strengthener.
Here are a few shots of successful dip powder manicures for inspiration.
