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Long lines and excessive prices at your local nail salon? A recent innovation in the nail cosmetics industry could be the solution! “Dip” nails are sturdier than gel, easier to put on than traditional acryllics, and available at a fraction of the price of a salon manicure. The best part? You can apply them from the comfort of your own home salon!
In this smart guide, we’ve curated a list of the best dip nail kits to help make your nail routine easier than ever before!
How do at-home Dip Nails Stack up to the Competition?
Contents
Gel Nail Polish
Gel-based nail polish is often what comes to mind when premium nail care is discussed. Gel polish tends to be more expensive than the other systems – they have a harder surface, making random stains less likely. However, they are also the high maintenance option. Proper drying requires a UV light source, and removal can be quite the hassle, meaning that a trip to your local salon is almost always a necessity. Although they may seem like the healthier option, advancements in nailcare technology make the difference almost negligible.
Acryllic Nails
Traditional acryllic nails are created using liquid/powder combinations that are later sculpted directly onto your nail. Acryllic application may seem like a simpler process than gel application – acryllics can be air dried and are much easier to remove – but it can be an obstacle for beginners. Acryllics stain much more than gel nails and require a certain degree of precision when putting them on. Overapplication /thick nails is a very common mistake for new users.
Dip Manicure
Dip manicures used to be salon-exclusive treatments, but recent innovations have made them available to the general public. Dip nails utilize similar ingredients as traditional acryllics, meaning that they can be air dried and washed as well (via acetone). The difference lies in application, which dip nails easily wins. Simply apply the provided adhesive, dip your nails into the the powder, and top it off with an activator solution. You’re done. High quality, long-lasting (3-6 weeks) dip nails completely from the comfort of your home.
Our Picks For the Best At Home Dip Nails
1. Dipwell
Our top pick for the best at home dip nail kit goes to Dipwell. We recommend that you start out with Dipwell’s best selling Naturale collection before exploring their incredible catalogue of over 200 different colors. The Naturale collection includes all of the ingredients you need to get started: the three necessary application liquids (bond, base, activator), three sets of starter dipping powder (a clear base powder, NA12 – a glowy warm shade of “sugar cookie”, and NA25 – Dipwell’s signature pinkish mauvey-taupe), and basic tools such as a nail file and cuticle pusher. What sets Dipwell apart is the little things – their commitment to customer safety and ease of use. The kit includes two additional sealants to protect your finished dip manicure from UV rays/chipping and a grit buffer to help you smooth out your nails.
2. Nailboo
Nailboo has recently been making waves in the beauty community due to a massively successful influencer campaign. But it isn’t all just marketing, their product is solid. We recommend Nailboo’s Starter Dip Kit – the Essentials and Pro options simpler add more colors into the mix, which can also be bought separately. Pricing is a little steep, but you can select any color you like in Nailboo’s classy catalogue to customize your kit. Nailboo’s starter kit includes four essential liquids, a base powder, a colored powder of your choice, and basic application tools.
3. Red Carpet Manicure
Red Carpet Manicure is best known for their signature gel polish, which uses a more accessible LED light (rather than UV) for the drying process. They also have a sizeable color dip catalogue, which is the main subject of this review. We recommend Red Carpet’s Color Dip Starter Kit, which is a convenient bundle that gets you everything you need to get started. The starter kit comes with the alluring Seductive Star color dip as well as essential liquids and tools. We also like Red Carpet Manicure’s decision to include a few disposable items such as nail wipes, orangewood sticks, and remover foils, which can help beginners develop good hygienic nailcare habits.
4. Azure Beauty
Azure Beauty is Amazon’s favorite dip nail set and our pick for best budget option. For a similar price as our other options (which offer 1-2 colors in their base kit), Azure Beauty’s Nail Kit Starter includes twenty different colors for you to try out! You aren’t able to individually select each color, but you are allowed to choose between a few different color schemes. You should definitely consider this kit if you are indecisive and can’t settle on a favorite color dip. After all, why not try all of them? Azure Beauty’s Nail Kit Starter also includes four essential liquids and five salon-grade dip manicure tools (includes two brush replacements).
5. Kiara Sky
Kiara Sky, one of the fastest growing brands in the nail polish industry, has a dip nails lineup too! We recommend their Color Dip Powder Nail Kit (they also provide an alternative for French-style dip). As should be expected, Kiara Sky’s dip nails kit is more expensive than the other sets on our list, but they make up for the difference with quality. The Color Dip Powder Nail Kit includes all of the essential liquids and tools as well as natural powders to help enhance your nailcare routine. This kit comes with three signature color powders (Nude, Red, and Gold Glitter) to get your dip color collection started.