Do the Dip

Look how long these babies are, just doin' the dip

The lack of keratin in my God-given nails appalls me. If I stop doing manual labor, my nails will grow to 2 cm tall and I am able to bend them backwards like how those sexy gymnasts do with their bodies. My nails inevitably chip and I have to tear them off like a deranged dog in a trap. Vitamins do nothing. "Nail strengtheners" do nothing. Milk only makes me fat and happy. 

I wouldn't care so much, if only they could retain a nail color...but they don't. If I paint my nails, they will chip before the afternoon. It doesn't escape my mind that there are unnatural ways to strengthen and color my nails. 

I started with acrylics at the salon. Too expensive. too much pressure, too many languages, too much bleeding. I. learned. how. to. do. them. myself. It's an insane work process filled with chemicals and they pop off a lot. 

I switched to doing my own gels. The purple light actually works super well, but the hardening/baking process hurt me more and more frequently, which felt pretty dangerous. The light would heat up and it felt like it was burning my entire nail and the skin around it. I will say, this was my second favorite method though, and I would endure the pain, because the gel color was really nice and lasting as well. However, it wasn't enough to strengthen my nails. 

Finally, I ended up at the Dip Nail. I was sold. It fit all the necessary lil' livin' categories: 1) Cheap 2) Quick 3) Easy to store. 

It requires a dip set, which I purchased on Amazon for around $25, and includes the base coat, powder, activator, top coat, a brush, and a dipping pot. I also use my couponing skills to get it for cheaper at CVS (check out my "Secret Saving Weapon" blogpost). I also purchased a simple electric nail filer for $15 online, which comes with the filer base, a usb cord, different tip shapes, and some large and small-grain filing tubes (I prefer to only use the small-grain as it is gentler on the nails). This tool requires a level of skill to master, I'll admit, but it's a learning process like anything else when you are trying to live lil'. In the long run, it saves so much time to get this tool. I mean, you could hand file and buff for this process, but...prepare yourself for madness. 

Let me sell you on the process: 

1. Sand the top of your shiny nails until the sun don't shine on them no mo'.
2. Simply paint your nails one at a time with Base formula and dip at a 45° angle into the colored powder of your choice. 
3. Repeat Steps 1 and 2 on all of your nails, one at a time. 
4. Use the Activation formula to set your nails. 
5. Shape your nails and smooth them with either the electric or manual filer. 
6. Use Activation formula to set once more. 
7. Use Top formula to create a shiny coat. Do that twice. 

Done. 

And let me tell you, these babies are invincible! They last for as long as you can grow them out. They don't pop off. My sister has super oily nails (even salon-quality acrylics didn't stay on her for 2 days), but she loves the Dip Nail. Color and coverage for weeks. An additional tip I have is wearing a face mask and goggles because powder be flyin' everywhere, and I don't want that up in my sinuses. I also like to pop in my earbuds and listen to a podcast while sitting outside on a nice day. I just plug my electric nail filer into an extension cord and run it into the house. Do it your way. 

*Ranting commence

When you work a full-time job, you don't want to have to repaint over and over, or go to the salon (which is a long, painful, judgy endeavor). To do these yourself requires little effort and for such a small budget, it requires almost no money at all to have nails that say, "I'm a boss, my life is classy, just ignore my pothead neighbors throwing their trash all over the hallway." When I look at my nails, I see empowerment, despite what life is actually throwing at me. I think when we are lil' livin' we need that boost and talent we can feel proud of. We are saving money and looking like we have money to spend, and guess what? Now we do have money to spend. Double all the treats!

To me, more should be less...expensive, and more is always necessary. More nourishment, more experiences, more friends, more love, more style, more personality. Why not? I can never get enough, and whenever anyone asks, "Is this/Am I too much?" I say, "No Way!" And why spend money to look good when it's possible to dress fabulously for less, and have an amazing experience instead with family or friends, feeling confident and beautiful while doing it? I'm living on little, but I'm always looking for ways to experience the larger world. 

For some who work service jobs requiring no nail color, I completely understand why this is unrelatable. I've had and do have a job like that. Honestly, I don't understand the rule, because the dip nail is safer of nail retention than working with my disintegrating natural nails. Maybe the policy will change one day. Also, maybe you will keep this in mind for that special occasion when you can finally get your nails done and want something that will be well worth your money. 

Dip baby, dip! Cotton candy, tootsie rolls, and all that jazz.