Create French Ombre Dip Powder Nails by Following these Steps
French ombre dip powder nails (also known as “baby boomer” nails) are a classic – and one of my favorites! It’s a nail trend that’s never gone out of style. In fact, this nail design has only gained popularity. Especially amongst DIY nail enthusiasts who want a style that is perfect for special events, such as wedding nails. This tutorial will show you how to easily recreate this look with dip powder.
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Watch Video: How to Do French Ombre Dip Powder Nails
Whether you’re looking for the perfect wedding nails, photoshoot nails… or just a beautiful palette cleanser to wear between your bright and colorful manicures, learning to do French ombre dip powder nails is a skill you’ll use frequently!
By following these steps, you’ll soon be able to recreate this look at home.
Products Needed for French Ombre Dip Powder Nails
- Nail Tips (optional) – If you want to give your nails extra length when rocking this look, you can apply nail tips before you begin.
- Dip Liquid Set of Your Choice – I recommend a slower drying formula when doing an ombre with dip powder, such as Sparkle & Co dip liquids or Makartt Dippies liquids.
- Dip Powders
- Sheer Pink dip powder such as Erica by Revel Nail
- Solid White dip powder such as Veronica by Revel Nail
- Clear dip powder such as Vivien by Revel Nail
- OPTIONAL: Sheer Glitter dip powder such as Bubbly by Revel Nail
- Fluffy Brush – I recommend a “slightly” fluffy brush like this one to tap on the powder for the ombre effect. This type of brush offers a bit more control over where the powder falls.
- Orange Buffer Blocks
- Curved Hand File
Steps to Create French Ombre Dip Nails
Step 1) Apply Base Liquid to the Entire Nail
Apply your base liquid to the entire nail. It’s helpful to apply the liquid slightly thicker than usual to extend the dry time. This will give you a bit more time to apply the powder.
Step 2) Dip Brush Into the White Powder and Tap Onto the Bottom of the Nail
Take your fluffy brush and dip it into the white dip powder. Then tap the bristles of the brush to allow the powder to fall onto the bottom of the nail.
You want the white powder to land where the natural white tip of your nail is. Be sure to tap off the excess powder.
Step 3) Dip Brush Into the Sheer Pink Powder and Tap Onto the Top of the Nail
Dip your fluffy brush into the sheer pink dip powder and then tap it onto the top portion of the nail. Once you’ve applied the sheer pink dip powder, it’s helpful to use a toothpick trick to trace the cuticle lines to clean them out.
Once your base liquid has dried, brush off the excess dip powder before moving on to the next step.
Note: Your ombre may have a harsh line between the two colors at this point. Don’t worry! These will begin to blend as we go.
Step 4) Repeat Steps 1-3, But Apply the Sheer Pink Powder First
For your second layer, apply the base liquid to the entire nail. Then dip your brush into the sheer pink powder and tap onto the top of the nail. Tap off the excess powder when you’re done.
Then dip your brush into the white dip powder and tap onto the bottom of the nail. Next, grab a toothpick to clean out the cuticle line.
By reversing the order in which the dip powder colors are applied, they will develop a more seamless blend. This trick makes it easier to achieve a beautiful French ombre effect.
Step 5) Apply Activator & Buff Nails Smooth
Next, apply a generous layer of activator to cure the dip powder. Once it’s cured, begin to buff the nails smooth.
You’ll notice that your French ombre effect will be much more blended at this point.
Step 6) Apply Sheer Glitter Dip Powder (optional)
If you’re like me and you want a little extra glitz on your French ombre dip powder, then grab your glitter dip powder. Apply the base liquid to your entire nail and then dip it into the glitter.
Don’t forget to clean the cuticle line with a toothpick and brush off all of the excess dip powder.
If you don’t want to add a layer of glitter, you can skip this step and move on to step 7.
Step 7) Encapsulate in Clear Dip Powder
To protect your French ombre dip powder nails, finish them off by encapsulating in a clear dip powder.
To do this, apply the base liquid to the entire nail and then dip it into the clear dip powder.
Step 8) Activate & Lightly Buff
You’re almost done! Grab your activator and apply it to the nails. Then lightly buff to smooth the surface.
You shouldn’t have much buffing to do here since we did the majority of it in step 5.
Step 9) Apply Top Coat
To finish off these French Ombre dip powder nails, apply the activator again and then wipe away any excess. After about a minute, grab your top coat and apply two layers.
Don’t forget to cap the edges of your nails to prevent chips from ruining your gorgeous Fench ombre dip powder manicure.
That’s it! You are all done.
More Nail Art Ideas for Dip Powder
Once you’ve mastered these french ombre nails, you’ll no doubt be ready for more nail art ideas! Chrome dip nails, glitter ombre tip nails and multi-colored ombre dip powder nails are all great designs you can do with dip powder.
You can see all of the nail art ideas you can do with dip nails here.
If you want more nail art inspo like this, I’ve shared lots of gorgeous nail art design ideas here on Pinterest.
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