Here’s How to Create Ombre Glitter Tip Nails with Dip Powder
If you want to create ombre glitter tip nails, here is an easy trick you can use when applying dip powder at home.
Disclosure: This article contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases at no cost to you. I’m committed to providing thorough recommendations which means all expressed opinions are my own. You can read my full disclosure here. Please know your support of this content is incredibly appreciated!
watch video: how to do ombre glitter tip nails
Products Needed for Ombre Glitter Tip Nails
You don’t need much to do glitter ombre nails with dip powder. Simply pick out a dip powder color to use as your base. Then select a gorgeous glitter dip powder to ombre on top.
You’ll Need:
- Fluffy brush – Use a fluffy brush like this one to apply glitter dip powder.
- Clear Dip Powder – To protect your glitter ombre dip nails, you should encapsulate them with a clear dip powder.
TIP: I recommend using dip liquids with a slow-drying formula when doing ombre nails with dip powder. Fast-drying base liquids are more challenging. They may dry before you get a chance to apply the ombre. This can be especially frustrating for beginners who need a bit more time during application.
Here are recommended slow-drying dip liquid sets that are best for doing ombre nails:
- Sparkle & Co dip liquid set – these liquids dry more slowly. Plus, they’re one of my favorite beginner-friendly dip nail kits to recommend as they’re easy to work with.
- Makartt Dippies dip liquid set – these liquids also dry more slowly. This dip nail kit is also super affordable!
Looking for the dip powders used in the tutorial video?
Here they are:
- Festival by Revel Nail – A bright red dip powder.
- Emily by Revel Nail – This white dip powder applies so nicely and makes the perfect base for any glitter ombre!
- Poinsettia by Revel Nail – A bright red base mixed with stunning red and gold glitter.
How to Do Ombre Glitter Tip Nails with Dip Powder
Here’s how to apply a glitter ombre that cascades from the tip of your nail.
Please note: this tutorial is for a glitter ombre at the tip of the nail. If you’d like to do an ombre that cascades from the top of the nail, the technique is slightly different. You can watch this glitter ombre dip nail tutorial to see how to make the glitter fall from the cuticle area of the nail.
Before getting started, apply your base color following your usual dip powder application process. Once you’ve applied your dip powder layers, activator and buffed the nails smooth, you’re ready to begin applying the glitter ombre.
TIP: I recommend buffing the nail smooth before applying the glitter ombre. That way you’re not applying the ombre onto any lumps and bumps that require a ton of buffing, and puts you at risk of buffing away your glitter ombre.
Step 1) Apply Base Liquid to the Bottom of the Nail
Grab your base liquid. Be sure to wipe off the brush so you don’t have much liquid on the brush. You want to apply the base liquid quite thin to avoid adding bulk to the nails.
Apply the base liquid to the bottom portion of the nail where you’d like the ombre to fall. I like to paint the bottom 3/4 of the nail so that the glitter won’t fall too high.
Step 2) Tap on the Glitter Dip Powder
Hold your finger at a 45-degree angle with the tip going upwards. By holding your finger at this angle, it encourages more of the glitter to land on the tip.
Then dip your fluffy brush into the powder and lightly tap the bristles to allow the glitter to fall onto the nail.
Step 3) Dip the Tip of Your Nail
Then dip only the very tip of your nail into the base liquid. Use your brush to lightly blend the glitter upwards.
This will make the glitter dip powder heavier near the tip of the nail and gradually blend it upward to create that ombre effect.
Step 4) Brush Away Excess Glitter
Once your base liquid has dried, brush away the excess glitter.
NOTE: If you are happy with the glitter ombre at this point, you can skip to step 6. However, if your glitter ombre requires a bit more “oomph”, move on to the next step.
Step 5) Repeat Steps 1-4 (optional)
Grab your base liquid again and be sure to wipe a lot of the liquid from the brush. You’re going to repeat steps 1-4 except this time…
Only paint the bottom tip of the nail where you need to make the glitter heavier. I generally add the base liquid to the bottom 1/3 at this step.
Then dip the tip of your nail into the glitter. Don’t go quite as high as your base liquid though! For example, if you’ve painted the bottom 1/3 of the nail with base liquid, only dip the bottom 1/4 of the nail.
Then grab your fluffy brush and brush lightly to blend the glitter. This will strengthen the ombre effect by adding more glitter near the bottom as it gradually disperses up the nail. Be sure to wipe away excess glitter once your base coat dries.
Step 6) Encapsulate with Clear Dip Powder
To protect that gorgeous glitter ombre tip you’ve created, you need to encapsulate it with clear dip powder.
Apply the base liquid to the entire nail and then dip it into clear dip powder.
Once the base liquid dries, brush away any excess dip powder before applying the activator.
Then lightly buff the nail. You shouldn’t have to do much buffing since we did the brunt of it before applying the glitter.
Step 7) Apply Top Coat
Your glitter ombre tip nails are almost done! You can now apply your top coat.
Once your top coat dries, you are all done!
Summary
Achieving gorgeous glitter ombre tip nails is so much easier when you follow this method. It allows you to “cheat” in case your glitter ombre doesn’t apply perfectly from tapping onto the nail using a brush.
More Nail Art Ideas
Adding glitter tips to your dip powder nails is only the beginning. There are a ton of different nail art options you can do with dip powder. You can see all of the nail art ideas you can do with dip nails here.
If you love ombre nails, I recommend checking out:
Of course, if you just want to find more glitter ombre nail inspo like this, you can find more nail art ideas shared here.
Ready for More DIY Dip Nail Recommendations?
- You can find all of the best DIY nail product recommendations and essentials by visiting my Amazon storefront.