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Byrdie / Chloe Jeong
Nails have really upgraded over the last few years. From traditional polish to gel manicures to out-of-this-world nail art, expressing yourself through the tips of your fingers almost feels necessary now. These days, we're hardly the only ones obsessing over dip powder manicures. The name comes from its unique application—an adhesive base is applied onto a clean, dried nail, then dipped into a powder color, made of a highly pigmented polymer, of your choice. Several coats can be “dipped” and then coated with a glossy sealant.
Byrdie Researched & Approved
Dip kits can be pricey, so we found the best budget option for testing out this fun manicure method: the Kiss Dip Color System Kit. However, the kit that blew us away was Nailboo's Essentials Dip Kit which allows you to select your own colors and delivers salon-level results.
The best part: It lasts much longer than a gel manicure, feels stronger, and requires no curing time under LED or UV lights. When applied correctly, a dip powder manicure can last for three to four weeks and can even add strength to your natural nails, says manicurist and salon owner Anastasia Totty, a LeChat Nails Educator. Lucky for us, achieving this nail look is easy, thanks to at-home kits that are simple-to-use and affordable.
Below, find our favorite dip powder nail kits for use at home.
Best Overall: Nailboo Essentials Dip Kit
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Personal color selection
High-quality
Complete kit with all tools and products
Extra steps involved
Who else recommends it? Marie Claire, Elle, and Good Housekeeping all picked the Nailboo Essentials Dip Kit.
This one-stop-shop comes with everything you need, even including helpful clips for removal. It does require a few extra steps, but that makes for an extremely impressive mani (or pedi, since this also works on toes). Plus, not only do you get four colors, you can choose exactly which colors those are, a major win in our book.
Shades: 4 included with kit | Dry Time: Air-dry 2 minutes | Cruelty-Free: Yes | Brydie Clean: Yes
Best Overall, Runner-Up: Red Carpet Manicure Dip Color Kit
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Courtesy of Walmart
Affordable
Easy to use with minimal steps
Only one shade included
Affordable and easy to use, this simple kit gives you long-lasting, shiny color that lasts for up to 21 days. (Indeed, reviewers rave about the lack of chipping.) The kit comes with a classic red color included, though there are plenty of other colors that you can purchase separately.
Shades: 1 included with kit | Dry Time: 30 seconds | Cruelty-Free: N/A | Brydie Clean: Yes
Best Long-Lasting: Le Chat Professional French Dip Kit
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Pro-grade product
Includes a clear shade
Long-lasting
Expensive
This professional-grade powder touts a whopping four weeks of wear, all while also imparting the length and strength you get from acrylics (just without any of the damage effects afterward). It also feels very lightweight and natural on the nails and comes off easily, always a win.
Shades: 4 included with kit | Dry Time: Air-dry 2 minutes | Cruelty-Free: Yes | Brydie Clean: N/A
Best Red Colors: Honey Joy Dipping Powder Kits
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Affordable
Includes glitter shades
Small containers; hard to dip nails
Anyone who loves to rock red will appreciate that this kit comes with eight shades in a nice variety of red tones, from a classic, fire-engine red to a deep berry. (Three of them are also glittery, should you prefer a little extra shimmer.) It also comes off in just 10 minutes, and the application is super easy.
Shades: 8 included with kit | Dry Time: Air-dry up to 2 minutes | Cruelty-Free: N/A | Brydie Clean: N/A
Best Splurge: Kiara Sky Dipping Powder Starter Kit
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Courtesy of Kiara Sky
High-quality
Nice range of colors
Comes with nourishing oil for cuticles
No tools are included
Yes, this is on the pricier side, but it does come from one of the better-known, professional, dip powder brands. It’s an Amazon fan favorite, with reviewers raving about how easy it is to use and how incredible the results are. You get five colors plus all the accompanying products, including a bonder, base coat, protectant, topcoat, nourishing oil, and even a brush cleaner.
Shades: 5 included with kit | Dry Time: Air-dry up to 2 minutes | Cruelty-Free: Yes | Brydie Clean: Yes
Best Budget: Kiss Salon Dip Color System Kit
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Affordable
Extremely user-friendly
Dries quickly
Not as high-quality as other options
“This affordable option is great for someone who wants to try out dip powder without investing,” says nail artist Syreeta Aaron, a LeChat Nails Educator. (However, she does note that the results may not be quite up to par with what you’d get with other products.) Still, if you’re just looking to test the dip powder waters or aren’t concerned about the results lasting a super long time, this is a good option. You get one color included with the kit, a nude pink, though other colors are available.
Shades: 1 included with kit | Dry Time: Air-dry 5 to 10 minutes | Cruelty-Free: No | Brydie Clean: No
Best for French Tips: Dipwell Easy Acrylic Dip System Starter Kit
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Nice French mani colors
Clear powder preserves color vibrancy
Tools included
Expensive
In case you missed the memo, French manis are back—in a big way. This kit makes it easy to achieve French tips, with both a beautiful sheer pink that works great as a base and a crisp white for the tips (though FYI, the white also looks nice worn on its own). What’s most noteworthy about this option is the addition of a clear powder that gets applied in between the two colors, helping to protect the clarity and vibrancy of both colors. AKA, there’s no need to worry about yellowing.
Shades: 2 included with kit | Dry Time: Air-dry up to 2 minutes | Cruelty-Free: Yes | Brydie Clean: Yes
Best for Beginners: Revel Dip Powder Starter Kit
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Personal color selection
Complete kit with all tools and products
Non-yellowing
Only one color included
Aaron says this is a good option for dip powder newbies, and while it’s not professional-grade, it is “good quality for a DIY option.” While it only comes with one shade of dipping powder, we like that you get the option to choose which shade that is. (And there are over 200 dip colors to choose from.) Plus, per the point of newbies, this comes with every possible tool and accessory you could need to master the dipping process, even cotton balls included.
Shades: 1 included with kit | Dry Time: Air-dry 2 minutes | Cruelty-Free: Yes | Brydie Clean: No
Final Verdict
The Nailboo Essentials Dip Kit is our pick for the best dip powder nail kit overall, a high-quality formula that comes with four colors that you can pick. DIY dip novices will appreciate that the Revel Dip Powder Starter Kit comes with every tool and accessory you could need to master the dipping process. The Dipwell Dip Nail Starter Kit-French Set is great if you love French tips, but if you prefer a bold red mani, check out the Honey Joy Dipping Powder Kit, which also boasts a very non-damaging formula.
Meet the Expert
- Anastasia Totty is a manicurist and a LeChat Nails Educator. She is the salon owner of Artistique Nails in Saint Johns, Florida.
- Nail artist Syreeta Aaron is a LeChat Nails Educator and brand ambassador.
What to Look For in a Dip Powder Nail Kit
A Bonder
Also known as a non-acid primer, you’ll definitely want a kit containing one of these as it’s an essential prep step that will ensure a good application, says Totty.
Activator
Similarly, you’ll also want to make sure your kit comes with an activator, a chemical that’s used to dry the dip base and greatly speeds up the process, Totty says.
A Variety of Colors
Totty suggests choosing a kit that comes with a variety of colored powders. Not only does this give you more options to play and experiment with, but it’s also a good way to ensure you’re getting the most bang for your buck.
How We Researched
To compile this list, our team of editors and contributors spent hours researching the best products on the market in this category, evaluating their key features—like ingredients, shade range, or design—in addition to reviews from customers and other trusted sources. We then used this research to assign a star rating from one to five (five being the best; one being the worst) to certain products on the list.
Why Trust Byrdie
Byrdie contributor Melanie Rud has over a decade of experience in the beauty industry, writing for some of the biggest magazines and websites out there. A manicure devotee, she admittedly prefers the professional route over the DIY options, so she relied on expert intel and tons of reviews and consumer input when researching this article.
According to our Diversity Pledge, 15% of products in our newly-published market roundups will feature Black-owned and/or Black-founded brands. At the time of publishing, we were not able to find any dip powder nail kits from a Black-owned and/or Black-founded business. If you know of one we should consider, please email us at contact@byrdie.com and we will evaluate the product ASAP.
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