AZUREBEAUTY 100 Pcs Orange Wood Nail Sticks, Multi Functional Cuticle Pusher Manicure Pedicure Tool for Manicure

So I get “dip powder” nails monthly. I work in healthcare so it has to be sheer and minimal. I’m fairly savvy when it comes to cosmetics. The first time with this kit was a little rough. The instructions definitely didn’t say anything about step 2 which is the “activator”. I figured out that must be the step before the gel. This stuff hardens like the dip you get at a salon. The gel clear coat does take some time to dry, def let it dry before touching or applying more coats! I made that mistake round 1. I have very uneven nails because I had been getting them done, so definitely file your newly grown nail to match thickness if you previously got them done. Don’t overdo the adhesive. If you get it anywhere except your nail and then dip, you’ll end up with sealed polish all over your fingers. Don’t overthink it. Dip your nails like you’re dipping your toes into a cold ocean. Don’t expect perfection on your first one or maybe four tries. Like I said, the second one made way more sense. I wasn’t sure how to remove the dip polish, I peeled the first round off in about 5 minutes but it didn’t chip until I tried to make it chip. Not sure if regular remover takes it off but you can chip and peel it. From what I could tell, it maybe took a layer of my nail? But nothing like acrylics. Highly recommend if you can do it yourself! Oh and do not use the brownish glitter polish if you get the natural kit unless you start with a different color. I haven’t tried to do a multi-dip yet! My thumbnail looks highly out of place!

The media could not be loaded.  The set is a good jumping off point when you want to start doing your own nails. I will definitely replace base, activator and top coat with higher quality as they run out. But, the results are passable and saving me money on the nail salon. So I am happy!

Okay, if you’ve never done dip powder nails before, remember less is more when applying liquid, be patient and watch some YouTube videos.My first attempt,, let’s say was less than desirable. My second attempt was better and my third attempt was pretty much like it was done at a nail salon. You don’t need an e-file unless you just want to use one.I dipped my natural nails which were short at the time, in a neutral color. Now my nails have grown out and I might go for a brighter summer color.REMOVAL of dip powder nails. I watched a video where you pour your acetone in a ziplock bag with a cotton ball and coconut oil or olive oil then put hot water in a bowl. Place your nails in baggie with acetone and place baggie in bowl of hot water. Rub your nails against the cotton ball.It only took about 10 minutes to remove each hand and my cuticles looked conditioned, not dried out.

Update: The key is to use the activator liberally! So I have been using the activator, letting it dry and then filing and shaping, and then liberally apply for activator before applying top coat. This results in quick drying, perfectly shiny nails! Another thing I noticed that really solved any lifting problems was slowly building the foundation in the first few coats, starting out by only adding base coat and dipping the tip of your nail and working your down to the cuticle line over 2-4 more dips, depending on nail length.I’ve been doing dip nails for a few years now and usually use a combo of kiara sky and azure for the polish. I’m thinking the issue here either might be the activator (vs kiara sky’s seal protect) or there has been some change in formula since I last purchased this product. Normally I use base and top from azure and bond and seal protect from KS. Using all azure has resulted in thick, gummy nails. No matter how long I wait after applying the activator the dip is still rubbery and comes off in chunks when using the drill. I have tried applying it heavily and lightly and reapplying prior to top coat, but it never turns out. The activator never fully activated and the top coat always turns out looking wet, sticky, and dull.

This product is great! The dip powder instructions are easy to follow and do at home. The colors look great and turned out very nice. WORTH THE MONEY!

More than enough orange sticks for the remainder of my life. lol

First - recommendations.-Swatch your colors when you get them. After I learned my lesson, I used toothpicks and ‘dipped’ those through the process to get actual color swatches.-Do this somewhere well ventilated.-Watch tip videos. My biggest takeaway from one was using a toothpick to clean up around the cuticles. My thumb in the picture was done a week after the other nails because of lifting. If it attaches to your cuticle, you won’t get a seal and it’ll lift.-Set aside uninterrupted time to do this. The more careful you can be, the better your result will be.-Put brushes back in the bottles immediately. You don’t have to close them, but don’t let them dry out.-Stir the powder to loosen it before you start. It makes dipping much easier.Okay. I love getting my nails done, but since moving I haven’t found a good nail person that can get acrylic to stay on me for some reason. Plus, it’s expensive and inflation is rough right now.Cue dip kits. I’ve only tried one before, a few years ago, and the results were not as good as this one (possibly user error but I remember the bottles seeming dry from the get go). I got this one as it’s super well reviewed and was recommend in some articles.It’s easy. I have a hard time painting my nails and this wasn’t too bad.So the reason for three stars? I was *extremely* excited for the 131 color in the nude set, which is what I dipped with. But if you look at my picture, it looks more like the 015. Luckily it doesn’t look horrible on me, but not at all the shade I wanted. Which is why I ended up swatching a couple of the other colors, and none of the 130’s (130-133) look like the picture example. I only did two coats, but the shades are completely off. To me, it’s a misrepresentation.As well as this kit works, not getting the actual shades I purchased is an issue for me. Knowing the shades now, I would still probably repurchase. The bottles formulas work really well.