I’m not going to lie…I was a part of the manicure madness for quite some time. Before I had my first colon surgery in 2011 (that’s a whole post in and of itself!) I decided to get acrylic nails to help keep my nails looking on point while I knew I wasn’t going to have the time to go to a salon to get them done or the energy to paint them regularly like I typically did. From that point on, I was hooked! I ended up getting my nails done regularly for 7 years. I eventually went from acrylic to just gel manicures, but it was still the same process. Make the appointment, hope to get in when I was wanting to, and then sometimes sitting there waiting for customers in front of me for 15-20 minutes past my appt time to then sit and wait for the entire process to be done in 45 minutes. I was subject to whatever they chose to have on TV for that entire time, which was obviously in silence…and I was lucky if they had the subtitles turned on. I didn’t specify who I wanted each time because I usually made the appointment at the last minute and couldn’t risk not getting in, so I was always risking the quality of nail tech with each appointment. And don’t even get me started on the smell…
The only plus? I loved all the people watching of course. But in the end, not only was I paying $30-$40 for the manicure, I had to pay to tip, because it’s just rude if you don’t. So I ended up out $40-$50 each time I went. Now I tried to go as long as I could in between appointments to avoid making more payments each month, but come on…when your nails need to be done…they need to be done. My nails grow pretty fast and after 2 weeks I was so over whatever I had on my nails at the time.
My daughter always gives me a hard time about why I need to have my nails done anyway. I know it’s more of a “want” and not a “need,” but there is just something to be said about the feeling of knowing that your nails look nice. It’s like a little “me time” that I can just fit into my weekend from time to time. I catch up on DVR’d shows like Grey’s Anatomy and binge watch other things that the kids and Kenny don’t want to watch. And since we remodeled our master bath to have a nail station with a TV this makes it even easier for me to enjoy the process!
Anyway…the point of this post is that you don’t have to pay $40-$50 every time you want your nails done! The new craze for manicures right now is powder dip. It’s much better for your nails than acrylic or gel and the look is very polished and the feel is similar to that of acrylic. It feels strong and you don’t fear the peeling of gel. I’m not going to tell you there have never been chips or nails that have popped off since I’ve been doing them myself, because that would be a lie. But since I am doing them myself, I don’t have to make an appointment and have to fit a fix into my schedule because I have everything at my house to fix it myself.
I will admit as well, that this is a process, just like any other hobby you may start. It takes some investment to start up at first and you need many supplies to be able to do your own nails and then be able to remove them when you’re ready for the next one. But once you have purchased everything you need, you have the freedom and the time to do your nails whenever you feel like it! You want a different color every week? Go for it. You want to make the manicure last 3 weeks? Go for it. You want to remove the manicure at night and then actually put the color on the next day because you’ll have more time? Go for it! It’s up to you and whatever fits your schedule.
And you get better at it each time you do it. I’m sure my first manicure doesn’t even compare to the ones I do now. And I learn new tips and tricks every now and again that continue to make my manicure more professional looking. And with social media groups being what they are now, there is always a platform for learning more and being exposed to different techniques just seconds away!
To also be transparent…there are lots of ways to get sucked into this habit and make it a money pit of spending. LOL. There are subscription companies that send you different colors and supplies each month and lots of different sites to entice you with beautiful colors that you convince yourself that you need. But it doesn’t have to be that way. You purchase a half dozen “go to” colors and you don’t have to buy another color for years. Each container of color lasts for dozens of manicures! I have an entire page on my site dedicated to nails and there is already a lot of information for you that I won’t repeat here. I’ll just link it instead.
First step. Buy a starter kit. There are several companies that sell powder dip kits. I shop with 2 companies and that is it. Revel Nail and Sparkle and Company. Revel is the best deal for powders, but I prefer the liquids from Sparkle. Both have great referral programs and offer points to earn to use towards purchases. I’ll link the info below.
If you’re a first timer I would suggest the Revel Nail starter kits. They have many available and now kits even come with 4 colors, for a great price compared to that of Sparkle. If you end up liking the process and get into it, then I’d suggest trying Sparkle’s liquids and then check out their unique sparkle dips because they are hand made and sold by a small business that really puts a lot of energy into customer service and I really appreciate the effort they put into pleasing their customers.
I learned how to begin this process by watching videos on YouTube. There are so many out there and both companies I used have videos on their site you can watch.
Revel: Use this code for 10% off your order. Then you can start earning points and referring your own customers for more points!
Revel Starter Kits: For some reason the starter kits say they are sold out from their website, but if you download the app on your phone/device you can order them. You will get all of the liquids you need and get to choose 4 colors. Great value. Revels colors are 5.99 for the .5 oz (enough for dozens of manicures) and the 1 oz size is 14.99. I have never actually purchased a 14.99 size. They oftentimes upgrade you for no charge due to availability so you just need to purchase the 5.99 in my opinion.
Sparkle & Co: They also have starter kits, but their kit only comes with one color and is a bit pricier than Revel. I would suggest coming back to this company once you feel you want to commit to the process. If you do make a purchase, type my name into the notes section and we both get a $9 credit to use on a later purchase. The small size of dip (smaller than .5 oz like Revel) are 8.99 a piece. Pricier than Revel, but if you’re getting one of their signature glitters they are worth it because they are very well made. Stock up on a container of clear if you do the glitter because it is tough to remove without a clear layer underneath.
Supplies: To actually apply the manicure you don’t really need anything other than the kit. But to remove? That’s a horse of a different color! I recommend the supplies I linked on my Nails & Beauty page to make sure you have everything to successfully remove and get your nails ready for the next manicure. All kits you purchase have glossy coat as the last layer, but once you have tried this process a couple of times you will agree that using a gel top coat is much shinier and easier to use. I have converted probably 5 people to this process in the last year and almost every single one of them has moved onto buying a gel light and a clear gel top coat because the glossy coat is just very finicky for some reason. If you read the dip powder blogs as well you will see the same.
I am happy to walk anyone through this process. I have sent screenshots to friends of the removal process…a video on how to do a french manicure (SO EASY!)…and whatever else they need to get through their first few times. I learned by following the Sparkle and Revel Facebook groups so that is also an option. Both Revel and Sparkle have how to videos on their site you can follow for guidance. And obviously, YouTube is always a great place to go. For the removal process you will need to watch a video or listen to the instructions for removing. It’s not as easy as just using a cotton ball and dipping in acetone. There’s definitely a process. Search “baggie removal method” or “rice removal method” on YouTube if you want to watch a how to. Shoot me a text or a message on Facebook if you want me to walk you through it.
Here is some inspiration for you as I say good night…I just finished this mani today. I love this color from Sparkle and it’s a color changer when heat is applied. This particular color is a subscription color and can only be purchased if you’re a member, but there are several out there that are similar.
