Press Sample
When I dip, you dip, we dip. We Color Dip, that is.
Good luck getting that one out of your head. Just sayin.
Lately, each time I visited my local nail supply store, I saw more and more new brands of this new product... dip powder systems. Now dip powder is decidedly NOT new, they're essentially an acrylic nail of sorts. Not quite a natural nail, not quite a fake nail. The process consists of a base coat, the dip powder (whether colored or natural), an activator, and a top coat. This type of manicure doesn't require UV or LED curing, it simply dries to a hardened finish that lasts for 3 weeks. Easy peasy.
Recently, I saw that one of the major consumer gel brands, Red Carpet Manicure, had released a line of consumer-focused dip powder products called Color Dip. They sell a starter kit that retails for $34.99 (and is currently on sale for $27.99 at ulta.com) and consists of:
• Base Coat
• Activator
• Top Coat
• Brush Softener
• Dip Powder in 'Contract Please' (a natural, sheer pink)
• 20 lint-free nail wipes
• 3 orange sticks
• nail buffer
• 10 nail remover foils
• 5 replacement brushes
When I saw this set, I knew that it'd be the perfect system to try out and 'dip my toe' into the dip powder process, so to speak. :) Get it...dip?!
So...the process, it's pretty simple really. I'll be honest, it DOES take a bit more precision than regular or gel polish, since the powder adheres WHEREVER there is base coat, and once it dries, it's hard, and difficult to remove. Other things to remember is to make sure that you're applying VERY thins coats of the base coat, otherwise, when you dip your finger into the powder, it's going to smudge, cover your cuticle, and look positively awful. Not that I'm speaking from experience or anything... (I am)
STEP 1: Prep the nails by pushing the cuticle back and shaping the nails. Clean the nail with a lint-free wipe and an alcohol-based cleanser.
STEP 2: Apply a thin coat of the Color Dip base coat and quickly dip the nail into the powder at a 45ยบ angle. Tap off the excess. I used a fan brush to brush all the excess powder off my skin and the nail. Repeat this step until you get your desired depth of color. I personally wouldn't go over 2 coats; I did 3 coats on one nail and was way thicker than I would have liked.
STEP 3: Brush the activator over all of the nails and follow with a thin layer of base coat
STEP 4: Shape and buff the nail with the supplied buffer, and wipe with a lint-free wipe.
STEP 5: Apply Activator and wait 20 seconds. Remove excess with a lint-free wipe.
STEP 6: Apply 2 thin coats of the top coat and let dry.
STEP 7: Admire your beautiful Red Carpet Manicure Color Dip nails for the next 21 days!
Outside of the starter kit, Red Carpet Manicure Color Dip system offers 21 colors, most of which are relatively traditional, but there are a few bolder colors, like Hollywood Hills, a vivid fluorescent pink, City Limits, a bright lilac with sparkle, and Thrill Seeker, a black creme. The dip powders retail for $9.99 each (currently on sale for $7.99 at Ulta.com), and I would imagine that you could create your own custom mix by combining colors or layering!
Red Carpet Manicure claims that this manicure will last 21 days, which is a week longer than gel polish lasts, and at least 2 weeks longer than conventional nail lacquer. I am exceptionally hard on my nails, and for the most part, this claim was actually met! More details on that in a minute.
Like I said earlier in the post, this system requires no light curing to harden, and soaks off with acetone with little to no damage to the nail.
Since I used three layers on one of my nails, I actually used a power file to bring down the bulk of the product before soaking. I got it super cheap on Amazon, and it was easy to use! :)
Disclosure: Products in this post were provided for review by the manufacturer. See the legal page disclosure for more information
When I dip, you dip, we dip. We Color Dip, that is.
Good luck getting that one out of your head. Just sayin.
Lately, each time I visited my local nail supply store, I saw more and more new brands of this new product... dip powder systems. Now dip powder is decidedly NOT new, they're essentially an acrylic nail of sorts. Not quite a natural nail, not quite a fake nail. The process consists of a base coat, the dip powder (whether colored or natural), an activator, and a top coat. This type of manicure doesn't require UV or LED curing, it simply dries to a hardened finish that lasts for 3 weeks. Easy peasy.
Recently, I saw that one of the major consumer gel brands, Red Carpet Manicure, had released a line of consumer-focused dip powder products called Color Dip. They sell a starter kit that retails for $34.99 (and is currently on sale for $27.99 at ulta.com) and consists of:
• Base Coat
• Activator
• Top Coat
• Brush Softener
• Dip Powder in 'Contract Please' (a natural, sheer pink)
• 20 lint-free nail wipes
• 3 orange sticks
• nail buffer
• 10 nail remover foils
• 5 replacement brushes
When I saw this set, I knew that it'd be the perfect system to try out and 'dip my toe' into the dip powder process, so to speak. :) Get it...dip?!
So...the process, it's pretty simple really. I'll be honest, it DOES take a bit more precision than regular or gel polish, since the powder adheres WHEREVER there is base coat, and once it dries, it's hard, and difficult to remove. Other things to remember is to make sure that you're applying VERY thins coats of the base coat, otherwise, when you dip your finger into the powder, it's going to smudge, cover your cuticle, and look positively awful. Not that I'm speaking from experience or anything... (I am)
HOW DO I DO THIS?!
So...the steps.STEP 1: Prep the nails by pushing the cuticle back and shaping the nails. Clean the nail with a lint-free wipe and an alcohol-based cleanser.
STEP 3: Brush the activator over all of the nails and follow with a thin layer of base coat
STEP 4: Shape and buff the nail with the supplied buffer, and wipe with a lint-free wipe.
STEP 5: Apply Activator and wait 20 seconds. Remove excess with a lint-free wipe.
STEP 6: Apply 2 thin coats of the top coat and let dry.
STEP 7: Admire your beautiful Red Carpet Manicure Color Dip nails for the next 21 days!
THE DETAILS
Red Carpet Manicure claims that this manicure will last 21 days, which is a week longer than gel polish lasts, and at least 2 weeks longer than conventional nail lacquer. I am exceptionally hard on my nails, and for the most part, this claim was actually met! More details on that in a minute.
Like I said earlier in the post, this system requires no light curing to harden, and soaks off with acetone with little to no damage to the nail.
THE REMOVAL
To remove, you simply need to buff off the top layer of the product, breaking the seal. Use a RCM foil wrap soaked with acetone and wrap around the fingertip and wait 15-20 minutes, Alternatively, you can use a cotton ball soaked in acetone, wrapping it around your fingertip using a bit of tin foil. Remove by squeezing the nail and pulling, and most of the product should come off the nail. You can use the enclosed orange stick to remove the excess, but to prevent any damage to my nail bed, I used another cotton round soaked in acetone to remove any remaining residue. I found that if it hadn't soaked enough or was too thick, it was a bit...gummy, so keep that in mind.Since I used three layers on one of my nails, I actually used a power file to bring down the bulk of the product before soaking. I got it super cheap on Amazon, and it was easy to use! :)
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| Day 1 on the left ––– Day 20 on the right |
MY THOUGHTS
So what did I think of this system?
To be honest, I loved it, and it will be my go-to choice when I want to have great nails for an extended length of time without changing them up. (think vacation, busy work time, etc) My favorite part of this manicure was how strong my nails felt on the hand I was testing the product on, I actually had broken a nail shortly before applying, and the nail was able to mostly grow out while this was on my nails! In regard to the 21 days of wear claim, it was mostly true for me! I removed it on day 20, because I had a little lifting at the cuticle edge that my hair kept getting caught in, and the growth was driving me bonkers. I was pretty darn impressed still, because even gel doesn't last the full 2 weeks on me for the most part.
It was fairly easy to apply, requiring only a steady hand and a bit of precision and patience. I was able to get a good nail shape, even if my first time applying was a bit on the thicker side.
Removal wasn't much worse than a traditional gel polish, either.
To be honest, my only sadness with this product is that I couldn't apply polish over it like I can do with gel polishes, since it would damage the surface upon removal. If I could do that, I would wear it all the time!
What do you think? Are you going to grab the starter kit and some of your favorite colors? (especially now that they're on sale!) I think I might go grab some extra colors to round out my collection...black? Yes, please!
Disclosure: Products in this post were provided for review by the manufacturer. See the legal page disclosure for more information
from The Daily Nail http://ift.tt/2tonJ1h
Red Carpet Manicure Color Dip Nail Dip Powder Review-Nail Polish