If you haven’t heard of dipping powder yet, you will. It has taken off just like CND’s Shellac Gel Polish did a few years ago. Dip powder isn’t a new concept. In fact, Diamond Concepts sold dip powder over 20 years ago, but apparently went out of business for lack of interest from salon clients. Fast forward to today, and Whamo! Dip powder is everywhere. Just search YouTube for dip powder videos and you’ll have your evening full, watching video after video of instructions and customers raving about how awesome the new fad is.
But is it for you? We have put together some pros and cons of the Dip Powder system. The undisputed leader in sales of dip powder is SNS, but that isn’t to say they’ll stay there. There is NexGen, NuGenesis, Premium – just to name a few. And now Nail Harmony and OPI are getting on board. It’s just a matter of time before dip powder is as varied and available as Gel polish is today. Since it’s on its way to becoming the de-facto standard, possibly replacing gel polish, you should probably know something about it before you just dive in. Take a look at these pros and cons. Maybe they will help to sway your decision to try it out the next time you visit the salon.
Pro #1 – Dip Powder is Odorless
The dip powder system consists of products that have similar names to that of standard acrylic manicures or gel manicures. You have a base, a top, the powder, some sort of liquids, etc. However, the dip powder components are virtually odorless. If you are one who has scaled back visits to the salon because you have a sensitive nose, this may be your chance to go back. It will be hard to find a salon that does dip powder exclusively, but at least the smell won’t be as strong while you are getting your manicure.
Pro #2 – Fit/Form
Owing to the way the process works, you get less powder on your nails than with an acrylic nails manicure. The result is a thinner (yet amazingly even) nail covering that’s more comfortable and less obtrusive than a standard acrylic set or even a gel polish manicure. This benefit might just lure some folks who had given up acrylic nails back to the salon.
Pro #3 – Nail Health
Because I don’t know exactly what chemicals or solutions are being used, I really can’t say that dip powder is healthier for your nails and nail bed than an acrylic set or gel polish manicure. I can only present the information that customers have given us. Most customer rave about how much better shape their nails and nail bed are after removing the dip powder nails. It could be that the thin nature of the nails allows the nail to breathe a bit better. Maybe the products themselves are designed to be more beneficial to your nails. SNS and NuGenesis attests that the vitamin E and calcium in their products which provide a health boost to your nails.
Dip powder nails don’t require a UV or LED light to cure the nails, so if you are one who accepts the notion that routine exposure to the UV drying lamps the salons use could be damaging to your skin or cause skin cancer, then dip powder is an answered prayer.
Con #1 – Is It Sanitary?
Cleanliness is important in a salon. State Licensing Boards regularly inspect salons to prevent customer exposure to unsanitary conditions and processes, like re-using buffers or taking a nipper from one customer to another without sterilizing it first. So, for now, this process hasn’t been strictly regulated, so it’s pretty much anything goes. The issue some nail clients have is that the nail is dipped directly into the jar of powder. Unless the nail salon is pouring a small amount of powder into a tiny dish that only you use, you are dipping your nails where dozens of other fingers have been. Some patrons don’t really care, saying it’s just the way it goes. Besides, you could say the same about gel polish or regular nail polish. The same brush in the nail polish cap has coloring hundreds of nails before beautifying yours. What’s the big deal? It really comes down to personal preference, and how much you trust your nail salon.
Con #2 – Dip Powder Manicures Are Slightly More Expensive
Dip powder manicures are slightly more expensive. This is probably owing to the high demand for the new style of manicure, because the cost of the supplies isn’t substantially higher. Also, with dip powder, you don’t get a refill. Each visit to the salon, you start from scratch, so the money you saved by getting refills instead of new acrylic or gel nails is gone. Another downside related to this process is that you are likely getting your nails filed down with a drill every time. This increases the risk of damage to the external layers of the nail. Although the dip powder companies all recommend not using a drill bit to remove the dip powder nail, more often than not, your nail tech will use it anyway to save time (and ultimately, money).
Con #3 – Dip Powder Manicures Take a Bit Longer
The process of laying dip powder nails takes a little longer than gel polish manicures. First of all, the dip powder nails dry naturally, and take longer than gel polish, which is expedited with a UV or LED lamp. Secondly, the dipping process is relatively new to nail techs, so they haven’t quite gotten the routine down pat like they have for gel polish and acrylic nail manicures.
Conclusion
With the exception of the sanitation issue, dip powder nails seem to be here to stay. Some states may take some sort of action eventually to regulate how nail techs use dip powders, but we don’t feel that the process will be banned. So ask your nail tech if they do dip powder manicures, or suggest that they look into it. It may be the wave of the future for nails.