DISCLAIMER: I am NOT a licensed nail tech and this is not to serve as a substitute for professional advice or instruction.



Dip powder nails are becoming WAY more popular lately as the service is not only becoming offered more in salons, dip powder supplies are being marketed more for in-home use. I mostly see dipping powder being marketed as a “healthier” alternative to acrylic or. But, is it really?

The actual powder that you dip your nail in to does have acrylic powder as an ingredient. The major difference between dip powder and traditional acrylic powder that requires a monomer, is that the dip powder has less acrylic and is more finely milled. The resin that is use to adhere dip powder is similar to nail glue in ingredients and behavior. It is used to bond the layers of powder together and then provide a shiny top coat.

So, we still haven’t answered our big question yet. Is dip powder healthier. Well the answer is, maybe, maybe not. The biggest thing that I want you to understand is that your nails are dead tissue. Once something is done to them, there is no “fixing” it or restoring it to it’s original state, you can only grow more nail. With that being said, the biggest drawback to traditional acrylic nails is that your natural nail must be filed down for it to adhere properly. Now, some nail techs are a little more gentle with this and some will grind your nail beds to smithereens with an e-file. Dip powder nails do not require any major filing of your natural nail. You have to remove the shine but that is it. So maybe that’s healthier to you.

I think it is important for me to also draw attention to the ways I see dip powder marketed. I often see companies advertising it by saying that it’s, “vegan,” “organic” or it has “vitamins” that are somehow going to benefit the health of your nails. Acrylic powders are always going to be vegan in that they don’t require any animal or dairy products to make. It is also unnecessary to test acrylic powders on animals because they have a known chemical compound that’s been around for years and the side effects are already known. As far as the products being organic, it depends on the definition you’re using for organic. Traditionally, we think of organic fruits and meats as being grown and raised without added chemicals or pesticides. Well, acrylic powder is made of chemicals and aren’t grown or farmed in any way so there’s no need for pesticides. When it comes to ANY nail products advertising vitamins, I want to remind you of my earlier statement that NAILS ARE DEAD! So, vitamins can not absorb in to your actual nails and make them stronger. Vitamins do help the skin around your nail but dip powder won’t affect that and you should want to have the vitamins in your cuticle oil. As far as making your nails harder, there are products that can add to your nails to fortify them, but they are not in any way changing the nail under them to make them healthier or stronger.

At this point I’m going to leave you to come to your own conclusion on if dip powder is healthier. I will say with confidence that it is a safe form of nail enhancement that can be done at home with little skill. Also, the colors and nail design possibilities are endless.

Want to learn how to dip your nails? You can read our detailed nail dipping steps and also get some tips and tricks.

What do you think of dip powder? Does it seem healthier or safer to you? Tell me about it in the comments!!