We all want a manicure that will last longer than two weeks, won’t chip at all, and will look like it’s been done by a professional! Unfortunately, regular nail polish can’t help you achieve this, which is why you should consider getting gel or powder nails!
Dip powder nails have become a massive trend in the last two years due to viral Instagram videos. You also probably saw a video in which a skilled nail tech dips a nail into a colorful powder, right? Well, today, we will talk about these dip powder nails, and whether we can put polish over them or not.
So, tell me.. what will you do if you are bored with your dip powder nails?
Of course, most people say you can get a refill. But instead of refilling, can you paint over your dip powder nails? Can you put regular nail polish or gel polish over the dip nails? If yes, how can you do that?
Let us know everything today..
Firstly, What are dip powder nails?
Dip powder nails are done in a different way than your typical acrylic nails. In this process, there are no UV rays which seal the polish. The color itself comes from the powder & hardens once exposed to air.
You can check out this video if you are wondering how to achieve dip nails:
During the process, you will dip your nails in a little jar, which is filled with powder. Usually, most nail techs work with either SNS or Reveal brands of powder polish. This manicure can last for 3-4 weeks once done correctly! After that, you should come back for a refill to a nearby manicurist.
So, coming to the main point..
Can you paint over dip powder nails?
The straight answer to this question is “Yes”.
Yes, you can apply polish over your dip powder nails.
Most of us will get fed up with one color after 1-2 weeks. Well, the good news is that you don’t have to waste your time & money every time asking for a refill. As told, you can simply switch up your powder color and paint them with a variety of polish available!
Broadly, you can paint on top of your powder nails using two different methods.
- Paint over your dip nails with regular polish
- Paint over your dip nails with gel nail polish
1. Using Regular Nail polish over dip powder nails
If you’re going to paint over your dip nails and you only have regular nail polishes, this is completely fine! You can still easily create your much-preferred look, and all you have to do is:
Step 1: Clean your nails as well as your fingers with nail polish remover. This won’t remove your dip powder but will kill off any bacteria.
Step 2: Shape them & file with a nail file (but don’t use a nail buffer).
Step 3: After your hands & nails dry down apply your preferred nail color on top and do three thick layers.
Step 4: The easiest way to paint on top is if you go a shade or two darker than the tone of your dip powder. This means that you can’t paint white nails on top of your black powder nails since the color underneath is very dark.
Step 5: Make sure you let your nails dry-down around 10 minutes after each polish application.
Step 6: Set your nails with a high-quality topcoat so your manicure does not move around. (Only use a high-quality one like this one or this one, for best results)
Step 7: If you end up making a mistake you can easily remove your nail polish with acetone.
2. Using Gel Nail polish over dip powder nails
You can even apply your gel-polish on top of your dip-powder nails, as long as you own a UV lamp. If you do, here’s how to do the application:
Step 1: Clean your nails with a nail polish remover.
Step 2: Shape, cut & file your nails (don’t use a nail buffer).
Step 3: Apply two coats of your favorite gel nail polish (I personally keep this gel nail polish set at my home always).
Step 4: Make sure you cure it under a UV lamp for 2 minutes each time.
Step 5: Since your gel nail polish is a lot thicker than your regular nail polish, you can choose any color since it will easily cover the top of your powder nails.
Step 6: Set your manicure with a top coat.
Step 7: Make sure you don’t make mistakes since gel-polish is unforgiving, unlike the regular nail polish.
Step 8: You can protect your fingers from your gel polish by adding a bit of vaseline to your cuticles & around your nails. This way, you won’t color your skin.
An example of Nail polish on top of a dip powder
If you’re still wondering what is the right way to do this step, watch this video:
Before
After
Here, a girl called Melissa painted over her previous manicure with only some basic tools & polishes. You can create white nails even from your dark teal base! Her video has over 90,000 views, and we feel like you will learn a lot from her 4-minute tutorial.
Featured image – Zitona via Wikimedia commons cc2.0
Ajla Suceska is a Certified make up artist and a professional Nail Technician who lives in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina. She has successfully completed 3 distinct make up diplomas and also worked as makeup artist in Etre Belle (A German makeup brand). Besides being a professional makeup artist, and a nail tech, she loves writing beauty articles and contributed to a number of top websites online. In simple, Ajla Suceska is a 23-year old beauty expert who simply lives and breathes fashion and beauty