Wednesday, May 6, 2015

Review: Revel Nail Dip Powders (acrylic dip system)

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Revel Nail Acrylic Dip Powder System Review

Hello Loves!  I have something new and exciting to show you today.  Revel Nail recently released their Acrylic Dip System.  The Revel Dip Powders currently come in 65 fabulous colors!

Now, I imagine some of you are sitting here thinking "what in the world is an acrylic dip system?"  Let me tell you a little more about it.  Traditional acrylic is a liquid and powder system.  You dip your brush into liquid monomer, then drag the tip trough a powder polymer to create a bead that is applied and shaped to the nail.  I'm sure you're all familiar with it.  Acrylic Dip Systems are a little different in that they use brush on resin instead of liquid monomer.  The resin is brushed onto the nail and the nail is then dipped into an acrylic powder.  The process is repeated several times to create an acrylic enhancement - usually as a natural nail overlay or over a tip.  For those who use the acrygel technique, this probably sounds familiar to you.  ;)

Revel Nail Acrylic Dip Powder System Review

So, let's talk about the Revel Dip System.  Each of the individual bottles are conveniently labeled by the step.  Step 1 Prep is your first bottle and is used to prep the nail (after removing the shine from the nail plate and cleansing away the debris, of course).  Step 2 Pro Base is the little bottle of magic (aka resin) you apply before dipping the nail into the Dip Powder.  The Pro Base and Dip Powder steps are repeated a few times, finishing with another layer of Pro Base.  Step 3 Activator basically accelerates the Pro Base so that it is completely dry without having to wait.  Step 4 Finish Gel provides the shine and is applied after shaping and balancing the nail.  Finally, that last bottle you see in the image above is a nifty little bottle of Brush Softener.  Since dip systems use resin (basically nail glue), the brushes can get hard if they are left out of the bottle too long or come in contact with the Activator.  The brush softener dissolves the resin and restores the brush.  Genius!  Since I ran through that pretty quickly, I'll post the step by step directions at the end of the post.

For now, let's take a look at the results.  I have a few colors to show you, including the basic pink and white nail.  All of my swatches are done over my natural nail (no tips).  The Dip Powders are super fine acrylic powders - finer than the traditional acrylic powders used in L&P systems.  This makes them super easy to use with little filing after application.  I did inquire about the powders themselves, and they are standard acrylic powders - just finer.  They can be used with Revel's monomer from the traditional acrylic system if desired.  I plan to try sculpting some acrylic flowers with them to go with the overlays, but I haven't had a chance yet.

First up is the pink and white.  I'll be honest...pink and white looks really easy when you watch the Revel Nail Dip Powder demo video (later in this post).  Trust me on this one...it's not as easy as it looks!  Dipping the perfect smile line takes practice...practice I haven't quite managed to fit into my schedule yet.  lol  The pink is a soft, semi-opaque natural pink called Scarlett (D71).  The white is a bright white called Veronica (D74).
Revel Nail Acrylic Dip Powder French in D71 Scarlett and D74 Veronica

As you can see, my smile lines are all over the place.  I also found that the pink and white is a little tricky because you have to dip into both jars.  By the time I carefully dipped my smile line, the Pro Base was drying and wasn't quite wet enough to dip into the pink.  That's why the pink looks a little grainy.  When done correctly (aka quickly with the proper ratio of Pro Base to Powder), the pink is smooth.  Here's another shot.
Revel Nail Acrylic Dip Powder French in D71 Scarlett and D74 Veronica

The next color I tried is a solid combo of Michelle (D56) and Clara (D12).  Michelle is the pink and Clara is the mint green.  Application on these went much easier for me since I didn't have a smile line to worry with.  I wore this mani for over a week before removing it.  I'm happy to report that it wore beautifully, even through a week of class!  I should note that I did not use the Finish Gel with this one and opted for the Revel Tack-Free Gel Top Coat instead (it does require curing in a CFL UV lamp, but the rest of the system does not).  The Finish Gel doesn't stand up to acetone, so I needed something stronger for school.  The Tack-Free Gel Top Coat is intended for use over permanent enhancements and is not soak off, so it worked beautifully.
Revel Nail Acrylic Dip Powder in D56 Michelle and D12 Clara

I love how the dip system flatted out the wonky areas of my nails.  Remember, my nails are thin right now from overfiling, so they tend to curve more than they should.  The dip acrylic added support and lifted the tips into a very nice squoval.
Revel Nail Acrylic Dip Powder in D56 Michelle and D12 Clara

The next two swatches I have to show you are glitters!  I should also note that these are swatched using the Acrygel Technique instead of the full dip system.  Swatching acrylic is hard on my nails due to extended soaking times, but I wanted to show you true swatches so this is my compromise.  Before using the Dip Powders with the acrygel technique, I emailed Keeli at Revel Nail and asked about the safety of combining the powders with the Revel Nail Gel Polish Base Coat and Top Coat for this purpose.  She checked with her chemist and confirmed that the products are compatible and safe for use together, but she did caution that they haven't tested it and can't guarantee the wear.  For more info on the acrygel technique, check out Andrea's Acrygel post on Chickettes.

First up is a beautiful, glittery blue called Ingrid (D31).  I wore this mani for over a week as well and am happy to report that these Dip Powders are fantastic with the acrygel technique!  My nails felt strong, it wore beautifully with no lifting, and removed easily.  Plus the added bonus - the color is built right in!  No need to add gel polish over it.  The result is a super strong, beautiful mani that took no longer to apply than a traditional gel polish.  Not to mention I've never seen this depth in a gel polish.
Revel Nail Acrylic Dip Powder in D31 Ingrid

Just look at the depth in that blue glitter!  Plus full coverage.  I am absolutely in love!
Revel Nail Acrylic Dip Powder in D31 Ingrid

If the previous photo didn't convince you, take a look at this closeup.  My camera couldn't even begin to focus on the glittery goodness.
Closeup of Revel Nail Acrylic Dip Powder in D31 Ingrid

The final swatch I have for you is called Marilyn (D49).  This is a semi-sheer pink base that is loaded with red and gold glitter.  The mix of red and gold creates a glamorous, copper tone.
Revel Nail Acrylic Dip Powder in D49 Marilyn

This color isn't the best with my skin tone, but I can definitely see myself using it for accent nails in the future.  It's just so pretty!
Revel Nail Acrylic Dip Powder in D49 Marilyn

Before I go into the Dip Powder System application steps, let's talk about removal.  Since the powders are applied with resin, this acrylic overlay removes quicker than traditional acrylic enhancements.  To remove, I filed the surface with a 180 grit file to remove the Tack-Free Gel Top Coat and a little bit of the bulk from the enhancement.  I then soaked in a double bowl with pure acetone (one bowl of acetone sitting in a separate bowl of warm water) for about 30 minutes.  The enhancement turns gummy while soaking and can be pushed off.  I pushed it off in layers to speed up removal, but the total time was around 30 minutes. 

Ok, so let's go through the Dip Powder System application steps.  I'll share the Revel Nail video below as well.  A few quick notes about the video - she removes the shine from the natural nail with an efile.  I don't recommend this and would have to think long and hard before allowing anyone to use an efile on my natural nail.  It can be done safely, but it requires many years of practice with the file (no doubt the tech in the video is very experienced with her file!).  So please use a hand file to remove the shine from the natural nail if you haven't mastered an e-file yet.  I used a hand file on all of the manicures I showed you above.  Also, if you are using the powders on clients, you might want to place some in a dappen dish and discard it after use rather than dipping directly into the container to reduce the risk of cross contamination.  Another option is to sprinkle the powder over the nail, but I found it difficult to get the right ratio of Pro Base to Powder with the sprinkle method.  Also, be sure to watch the video at least once before applying the product to your nails just in case my steps below are not clear.

Application Instructions
(Note:  These instructions are for a pink and white overlay.  For solid colors, omit the steps where you dip into the white.  All other steps are the same.)
Step 1:  Sanitize hands.  Use a 240 grit (or higher) file to gently remove the shine from the natural nail.  Remove all nail debris with a nail brush or a lint free wipe
Step 2:  Apply Step 1 Prep to the nail
Step 3:  Apply an even coat of Step 2 Pro Base to the stress area of one nail (the stress area is the portion of the nail that turns white if you push down on the tip)
Step 4:  Dip the nail into the pink powder using a scooping motion
Step 5:  Tap the nail to remove excess powder
Step 6:  Repeat Steps 3-5 on the remaining 9 nails
Step 7:  Apply a second coat of Step 2 Pro Base to the first nail
Step 8:  Dip just the tip of the nail into the white powder (see the video below for tips on creating the smile line)
Step 9:  Dip the entire nail into the pink powder.
Step 10: Tap the nail to remove excess powder.
Step 11:  Repeat steps 7-10 on the remaining 9 nails
Step 12:  Repeat steps 7-11 on all 10 nails (at this point you should have three layers of powder on the nails)
Step 13:  Apply a final coat of Pro Base to all 10 nails to seal the last dip.
Step 14:  Apply a generous coat of Step 3 Activator to all 10 nails, making sure to cap the tips
Step 15:  Once the nails are dry, shape and balance the acrylic with a file.  Be sure to smooth the cuticle area if needed.  Brush away any powder with a nail brush.
Step 16:  Quickly rinse hands with water and dry.  Do not use soap.
Step 17:  Apply another coat of Step 3 Activator to all 10 nails.  Then wipe each nail with a lint free towel.
Step 18*:  If using the Finish Gel, quickly apply a coat to each nail on one hand without pausing.  Wipe the brush on a towel between nails to reduce brush stiffness.  If the brush gets stiff, allow it to sit for a few minutes in the brush softener.
Step 19:  Apply a second coat of Finish Gel to the nails on the same hand.  This coat can be slower and more precise.
Step 20:  Repeat steps 18-19 on the other hand.
Step 21:  Once the finish gel is dry, apply cuticle oil to restore moisture.

*If you opt to use the Tack-Free Gel Top Coat, omit steps 18-20 and apply a thin coat of Tack-Free Gel Top Coat instead.  Cure for 2 minutes in a CFL UV Lamp (it is not LED compatible). 

Got it?  I know the instructions look complicated when typed out like they are above, but it's really super simple.  Check out Revel Nail's video and see for yourself.  :)



And there you have it!  If you're looking for a great Acrylic Dip Powder System with a wide range of colors, Revel Nail has you covered.  And for my gel lovers out there, check these out for acrygel!  They're amazing!  I will definitely be adding more colors to my collection.  These held up to the abuse I put my hands through in class much better than my gel polish usually does!  Of course, I still love my gel polishes and don't plan to abandon them any time soon, but these will definitely be added to my regular arsenal. 

Oh, I almost forgot...I put together a shot of the colors side by side.  :)  Excuse the wonky swatch stick for Michelle.  lol  From left to right:  Pink and White with Scarlett and Veronica, Clara.  Michelle, Ingrid, and Marilyn.  Such a great group of pretty ladies.  lol
Revel Nail Dip Powder Swatches


Revel Nail also offers several packages for the Dip Powder System as well as individual listings.  Check them out on Revel Nail's Website here!

~Michelle

*The Revel Nail Dip Powder Acrylic System featured in this post was provided by Revel Nail for my honest review.  All links within this post are courtesy links and do not benefit ManicTalons.com.

9 comments:

  1. oooo still want that blue glitter! gimme! haha how many coats of the acry-gel did you need??

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  2. P.S. wish revel had a mini set of like 5 pick your own colors in 1oz size....I dont need a whole pot of 2oz in one color...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I agree :) Hopefully they'll figure that out. Hehe.

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    2. 1 oz sizes are not available on the website!

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  3. beautiful.. what stamp is that?

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  4. how do you get it off and how long does it take

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  5. They r saying no damage to the nails, is this true to anyone's knowledge

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    Replies
    1. The product itself does not damage the nail. However, it is like any other nail coating in that incorrect application and/or removal can cause damage.

      Delete
    2. The product itself does not damage the nail. However, it is like any other nail coating in that incorrect application and/or removal can cause damage.

      Delete

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