We’ve all been there. You decide to give yourself a mani-pedi at home to save some money. After an hour or two of meticulous painting, your nails look like a smudgy catastrophe, your back is sore, and you wish you’d just spent the money on a trip to the nail salon in the first place. Luckily, there is now a better way to give yourself a salon-quality mani-pedi at home that is easy, fun, and mess-free.
Have you ever tried a dip powder mani-pedi? This great new type of nail color is easier to do than any other type of mani-pedi and will leave you with salon-quality results every single time. Dip nails are durable and can last up to six entire weeks without chipping. The best part is that this nail color is super fun to apply!
Today, we will cover everything you need to know to give yourself a dip powder manicure and pedicure at home. You will learn the ins and outs of dip powder application so that you can finally have a fun at-home nail experience. Say goodbye to the hassle and mess of traditional polish, and hello to gorgeous salon-quality color that is easy and enjoyable to apply.
What Is A Dip Mani-Pedi?
Dip powder is a revolutionary new type of nail color that is longer-lasting and easier to apply than any other type of polish available. With a dip powder mani-pedi, each nail is painted with a base coat and then dipped into a color powder which is made up of a superfine acrylic powder—hence the name dip powder. This type of nail color can be used for manicures or pedicures and can be applied to fake nails or natural nails.
Once the nail has two coats of gorgeous color powder, the nail is painted with a special liquid activator which hardens the powder instantly. These instant hardening results are similar to a gel manicure, except they last longer and are cured without the use of UV lights which could potentially be a threat to your health.
Supplies For The Perfect Mani-Pedi Spa Day
To create the perfect at-home nail experience, you will need a couple of supplies. For the best dip powder mani-pedi results, you will need a Nailboo Dip Powder Kit.
Shopping List:
- Nailboo Dip Kit
- Acetone
- Cotton Pads
- Toe Separator
- Pro-Touch Nail Tips (optional)
- Favorite Magazine
- Tasty Drink
Nailboo’s handy kits come with everything you’ll need to give yourself salon-quality nails at home, including the three-step liquid kit and a cleaner for finishing effects. You’ll also get build powder, colored powder, a brush, a four-way file, cuticle pusher, and remover clips to help you safely remove your color once you are finished.
The Starter Kit
There are a couple of different kits you can pick, depending on how many color powders you want. Each jar of color powder has enough product to last for up to 30 sets of nails. If you want to start out with one color, try The Starter Kit. With this kit, you will get all the tools you need, plus your choice of one of your favorite colors. This is great if you are trying dip polish out for the first time.
The Essentials Kit
If you need a few more shades for your mani-pedi, then you should try our most popular kit, The Essentials Kit. This kit comes with your pick of four colors. With this kit, you have more versatility, so you can match your shade to your outfit or wear one shade on your toes and a different shade on your hands. With four jars of color, you will be able to apply 120 sets of nails. That will save you 120 trips to the salon!
The Pro Kit
If you’ve tried dip polish before and you’re searching for the kit with the best value, then try The Pro Kit. This kit has all the tools you need, plus your choice of six different color powders. With this many color options, you can pick out all your favorite shades and try a few new ones. Nailboo has 58 different shades for you to choose from, so they are bound to have the perfect shade for any look.
For professional-quality results, you will also need some acetone, cotton pads, and a toe separator. If you want to create a trendy, long manicure, you will also need to grab some Pro-Touch Nail Tips and nail glue.
Make sure you have everything at home that you would typically enjoy during a salon mani-pedi. For example, you can make your at-home spa day extra special with your favorite magazine, a tasty drink, and some soothing hand lotion. Get creative and have fun—the experience is totally up to you.
How To Apply Your Dip Powder Mani-Pedi
A dip powder manicure is so easy to apply, you can do it almost anywhere. To create an at-home mani-pedi experience that is both fun and relaxing, you’ll need to set up all of your supplies in a calm and comfortable space. Put on your favorite music and get ready for some quality self-care time.
Prep Your Nails
Once you are all set up, you should begin by prepping your toes. Start by washing and drying your feet. Next, use your nail file to file your nails to make them even and smooth. For professional results, file in one direction, never scrape back and forth; this can create undesirable rough edges. To finish up your prep, use the cuticle pusher from your Nailboo Dip Kit to gently push back the cuticles on your toes.
After you have prepped your toenails, repeat these same steps on your fingernails. Once you have prepped both your toes and fingers, you are ready for the fun part—applying color! Pick out the color you want to use on your toes and fingers and have your color powders ready.
Applying The Dip Powder
Although applying dip powder is very different from applying regular polish, it is very easy and fun. Once you get the hang of it, you will be able to apply this gorgeous mani-pedi in just a few minutes. When applying a mani-pedi, start with your toes and finish with your fingernails.
- Pro Tip: When using dip powder for a pedicure, a toe spacer is your best friend. This will keep your toes from touching until the pedicure is finished.
To apply your dip powder mani-pedi, start by painting one of your nails with the first liquid, Base 1. Then dip that same nail into the Build Powder to build up your natural nail’s strength. Repeat this with all of your nails. Build Powder will serve as the perfect base for your color to go on top of.
Next, paint Base 1 on your nail for a second time, then dip it into the color powder you want to use. After you have dipped each of your nails, brush away the extra powder on your skin. Then apply another layer of color.
Once you have a couple layers of color powder applied to each nail, it is time to use the Activator 2 liquid. Paint it onto each nail and then let it dry for 2 minutes. When it is fully dry, buff the tops of your nails with the coarsest side of the file. After you have buffed the top layer of the nail, paint Activator 2 on each nail and then buff once more.
After you have finished the second buffing, seal in your beautiful color with a coat of Top 3 and repeat the same steps for your manicure. You’ll be all set with a fresh new mani-pedi in no time!
Once you are done with your easy at-home mani-pedi, take some time to pamper yourself in other ways with face masks, a bubble bath, or reading your favorite magazine. Since your dip powder nails will be dry instantly, you can do whatever you like to have some additional self-care time. You’ve already got a stunning set of nails; spend some extra time to take this fun at-home spa day to the next level.
Wrap Up
Dip powder is by far the easiest type of polish to apply. This type of mani-pedi is perfect for anyone to use at home, no matter what your level of experience is with painting your own nails. You will get stunning salon-quality results every single time and will never have to worry about messy traditional polish again.
By ditching the salon and switching to Nailboo, you’ll save tons of money and have a lot of fun giving yourself mani-pedis at home. Trust us! Once you try dip powder, you’ll want to collect all of our fabulous colors for endless at-home mani-pedis.
Sources:
Homemade Bubble Bath: The Perfect Suds for Your Soak | Healthline
How to File Nails Safely So They Don't Break or Peel | Healthline
