Dip powder and gel polish differ in a few different ways. Gel polish is easier to apply, but dip powder sets faster, and dip powder lasts longer while gel polish is better for your nails. Personally, I prefer dip powder due to its significant lasting power.
As a nail tech, I see a lot of new customers come in, confused about the various gels and powders on the menu. Each time I have to explain the difference as well as the pros and cons of each option so I have gotten pretty good at it over the years. And, now, I am going to help you along!
In this post, I will break down the main differences of dip powder vs. gel and give you some insight into which one may be better for you. Let’s get started!
Dip Powder vs. Gel: The Differences
Now that you have a basic idea of what gel and dip powder are, let’s move on to figuring out the main differences between them:
The Application Process
For a gel manicure, the process is fairly simple. You first go through the regular process of prepping your natural nails. This includes trimming, pushing back cuticles, buffing nails, etc.
The nail technician applies a base coat to your natural nails – this ensures the polish adheres to the nail plate. This is followed by two or more coats over the initial layer. This part is the same as with regular polish.
Then, the tech applies the top coat. This is followed by placing your nails under UV light until they are completely dried.
With a dip manicure, you have to first prep the nails once again. After you do this, a bonder is applied to the nail plate. Manicures with dip powder involve dipping your nail into a pot of dip powder. Sometimes, though, the dip powder is brushed on instead.
Then, an activator polish is applied to the top of the first layer. Some dip powders are thicker than others. If you are using a thick dip powder, then you may not need to re-dip or brush on more of the powder. On the other hand, for thinner formulas, you will need to do just this.
The final step of the dip manicure is to apply a top coat. This results in the hardened dip powder formula and finishes off the dip powder nails.
In terms of ease of the process, the gel nails are a bit easier to manage. This is especially true if you want a DIY manicure. It is like applying traditional nail polish except that the curing process is a bit different.
Dip powder manicures generally require some skill and effort. This is particularly true if you want to brush on the dip powders instead of dipping your nails in them. There are also a few more steps to follow.
So, I would give this round to the gel nails.
The Curing Process
The curing process for both gel and dip powder nails are quite quick. However, in this case, it is the dip nails that win the title.
For gel nails to be set, you require UV light or a UV lamp. Technically, you can also use LED light. However, this can cause your gel nails to take up to two minutes to cure. With UV light, your gel manicure takes just a few seconds.
However, with dip powder manicures, the curing happens instantly. The moment the top layer is applied, the dip powder sets. Not only does this make the setting process faster, but it also completely reduces the risk of smudging.
So, the dip powder is the winner here.
Durability
Of course, like most people, what you are really interested in the lasting power of each type of manicure.
Once again, the dip manicures take the crown. While gel manicure polishes are known for lasting up to two weeks, this isn’t always the case. If you have oilier nail beds or tend to keep your hands in water for long periods of time, then the nails will start chipping sooner.
However, thanks to the dip powder polymers and the bonding agent, the dip powder manicures tend to last up to six weeks at a time, or even longer if they are taken care of properly.
Due to this, it is automatically the more durable manicure when it comes to dip vs. gel, making dip powder the winner once again.
Health and Safety
You want to make sure that whatever you are putting on your nails is safe.
So:
Does dip powder ruin your nails? And what about gel nails?
The biggest concern about gel nails is that they have to be cured under UV light. As you are aware, this type of light has been linked to skin cancer. So, for a while, people were concerned that getting frequent gel manicures could cause cancer.
For the most part, the likelihood of this happening has been ruled out. That being said, the light can still cause damage to the skin around your nails if you get very frequent manicures. Therefore, you may want to space them out a little.
With dip powder, the concern was toxins. After all, this colored powder acrylic mixed with a potent bonding agent doesn’t sound like the best or healthiest thing out there.
Dip powders are safe provided that your nail salon is using high quality products. Therefore, before your nail tech gets to work, make sure to check the label on the container to ensure that they are using a good brand.
In this case, it is a draw between gel and dip.
Removal Process
Both gel and dip powder nails are removed the same way – the nails are soaked in acetone or acetone soaked cotton balls are held in place.
Due to this, there is some risk of nail damage. In most cases, the acetone doesn’t just remove the polish or colored acrylic powder, it can also strip your nails. This is why it is best to not get too many in salon dip manicures or gel nails back to back.
Here, gel manicures typically take about 10 to 15 minutes to be removed. The removal process for dip powder, though, can be longer – 30 minutes or more.
In case you are wondering:
Is dip or gel better for thin nails?
The answer would be gel nails. This is because gel polish can be removed more easily. This way, weak nails will not have to be exposed to acetone for as long. In turn, you get to preserve your nail health unlike with dip treatments.
Price
The general cost of a gel manicure can be from $30 to $50, depending on the nail salons that you are visiting. Also, keep in mind that nail art and other services can add to the overall price tag.
Dip manicures will typically cost about $10 to $15 more, but once again this depends on the establishment that you are visiting.
So, in terms of price, the gel polish wins.
What is Gel Nail Polish?
You may feel like you have only been hearing about gel polish for the last few years but the reality is that gel nails have been around since the 80s! Back then, though, gel polishes were misunderstood and the technology wasn’t that great. So, the polishes were eventually pulled off the shelves.
Now that manufacturers have gotten gel polish down just right, gel manicures are on the rise again. But, what is gel polish?
Well, it is a type of polish that can be cured or set via UV light. This allows the gel polish to last a little longer than regular nail polish and not chip as fast either.
With that out of the way, what does gel polish actually contain? What is it made up of? I am going to warn you that I am going to get a little technical now so buckle up for the ride.
So, gel polishes contain quite a few components. As with standard nail polish, this includes nitrocellulose resin and solvent. The main component of gel polish are acrylates which belong to the acrylic family.
If you want to get really scientific with it, the gel polish system is made up of monomers and oligomers that stay in both a semi-solid as well as a semi-liquid state because the monomers haven’t polymerized.
In addition to the acrylic, the gel polish contains an energy curable resin. This is an oligomer that can be cured or set via light energy. The gel polish also contains photo initiated polymers. These absorb the light and convert it to energy, allowing the chemicals in the gel polish to set.
What is Dip Powder?
Dip powder nails are all the rage on Instagram and, at first glance, they can almost look like magic. Well, the reality is that a dip powder manicure is a lot closer to science than it is to magic.
While gel polishes and dip powder manicures can seem worlds apart, this isn’t really the case. Both gel and dip nails contain acrylics. The main difference is that dip nails contain methacrylates instead.
Due to this, the dip powder nails are cured through a free radical reaction. This means that the powder needs to be exposed to a reactive monomer in the liquid of the top coat that is painted on top of the dip nails.
The grains in the dip powder nails are quite fine. These grains are then bonded together with a component known as a cyanoacrylate, which is a glue type resin. In case you don’t know what this is, it is the main ingredient in Krazy Glue.
Dip Nails vs. Acrylic Nails
I know that on the surface dip nails and acrylic nails can seem quite similar. This is because they both involve powders. Acrylics, though, are essentially nail extensions or false nails. Dip powder nails, though, are acrylic colored powder and is basically a powdered form of nail polish.
Final Verdict: Is Dip Powder or Gel Better?
When it comes down to it with dip powder vs. gel, is there a clear winner?
In terms of setting and longevity, then dip nails definitely win the title. This is because these nails can last almost double the time as gel nails.
So, if you want nails for a special occasion or want your digits to look good throughout the holiday season, then go with dip nails.
On the other hand, if you have weak nails or want to save some money, gel nails are the way to go.
At the end of the day, it is all about deciding what features or factors are most important to you and going with the polish or powder that meets those requirements.
There you go – everything you needed to know about dip powder and gel nail polish and how they compare to one another. Choosing between these options should be easy for you now.