The New Long-Lasting Mani That’s So Much Better Than Gel

Here’s how it works: “The technician dips the nail in the acrylic powder or pours it over the nail,” says Ruth Kallens, founder of Van Court Studio, a salon in New York City. “They then apply a resin, which acts as the activator, creating a chemical reaction that causes the product to harden.” The difference between this and gels is that nothing needs to be cured by UV light, and it’s much quicker than gels tend to be. “The application is thinner and appears natural, plus you’ll also see a soft, cushiony finish that’s similar to a gel application,” says Kallens. When it’s time to take it off, the powder should slide right off with nail polish remover sans any scraping. This video shows how it works: 
 

A video posted by Snap- Jesslee12 (@jessi_lee12) on Sep 5, 2015 at 3:51pm PDT

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While dip manicures aren’t new, they’ve recently been gaining traction—so call up your nail salon to see if they offer the service (or visit snsnails.com to find locations offering the treatment in your area). The cost is comparative to gel (think in the $30 to $40 range). “It was popularized because it’s foolproof for technicians, but it’s been around for decades and now a number of brands are creating their own formulas,” says Kallens. Easy and longwearing? We’ll take it!