Having a perfect nail manicure is what every woman dreams of. It enhances her beauty quotient and lets her make a compelling fashion statement. When it comes to manicures, you have various options laid down before you. The gel and dip powder manicures are the trending processes today. With both manicures becoming highly popular, let us compare them and decide which is the better option.
The Application Process
The prime difference between the best gel polish manicures and the dipping powder jobs is the way you apply them. Gel polish is more like the traditional method where you apply the polish using a brush and allow it to cure under the UV lamp after each coat.
The best gel polish nail brands contain high-quality photo-initiated polymers that get activated when you expose them to light. As these polymers absorb light, the polish hardens or cures and allows it to adhere to the nails. Most people prefer using UV lamps rather than LED lights for the curing process. If you skip the process, the gel polish remains wet for extended periods leading to smudging and damage.
Dip powder manicures are different because they do not require curing under the UV lamp. This process uses colored powder acrylic mixed with a glue-like resin that dries when exposed to air.
Applying dip powder is easy. It starts with using a basecoat and dipping the fingers into the powder when it is still wet. Usually, you might require two or three rounds of dipping to get the flawless finish. The activator gel application functions as a topcoat and provides the necessary shine to your nails.
The best aspect is that the topcoat application dries on exposure to air. You do not have to use the UV lamp to harden the polish.
Longevity
Both dip powder and gel manicures last for extended periods. The top-quality gel nail polish brands last comfortably for two weeks or even more. Similarly, dipping powder manicures easily last for two to three weeks without chipping or peeling.
Gel polish is not the ideal one for people having oily nail beds. The dipping powder manicure is a better bet because cyanoacrylate present in dip powder helps it adhere to the nails better. Besides, the topcoat hardens quickly when exposed to the atmosphere.
Compared to the gel polish manicures, the dipping powder job is a better option. However, the best manicures are those where you exercise the greatest care.
The Removal Procedure
Dip powder manicures are generally thicker than gel polish manicures. Hence, the removal process takes more time. With experience, you know that gel polish is comparatively easier to remove. While both these manicures require soaking the nails in acetone, dip powders require an extended soak that can last for even up to half an hour.
The process is the same. The initial filing is necessary to scrape away at the top polish layer to reduce the soaking time. People place cotton balls dipped in acetone on their nails to accelerate the soaking process. It is advisable to soak your fingers directly in acetone when using dip powder. Submerging your nails this way helps reduce the soaking time to around 20 minutes.
The downside of the removal procedure is that the exposure to acetone dehydrates the nail and the skin around it.
Nail Damage
Usually, people become impatient when undergoing the removal process. They try to hasten the process by filing away too hard at the polish layer. It can damage the nails and make them brittle. The right way to go about it is to follow the proper procedure.
Secondly, using cheap products can also damage the nail. The polish can lift or peel off to allow water to accumulate between the polish layer and the nail. It encourages bacterial infections, leading to nail diseases. The ideal solution is to use high-quality gel nail brands.
Many people do not take adequate care of their cuticles during the application process. It can also lead to lifting and chipping of the polish layer. The bottom line is that one should follow the correct procedures and be patient when removing the polish layers.
Sanitation Issues
One of the most significant drawbacks of dip powder manicures is contamination when you do not handle the manicure with care. If you have multiple people dipping their nails into the same bottle, it is a sure recipe for disaster because you do not know whether others have nail diseases. You could quickly end up contracting one.
It is not the case with the best gel nail polish manicures as you apply the paint using a sanitized brush.
Conclusion
We round off the comparison by stating that both gel polish and dipping powder manicures help to enhance your overall glamor quotient to a different degree. However, you should choose the best gel polish nail brands or dipping powder recipes available on the market. We help you select the ideal nail polish from the extensive range of nail polish brands on display on our website.