Step-by-Step Guide to a Dazzle Dry Manicure
I love a good manicure, I really don’t feel like myself without my nails painted. And so over the years I have tried COUNTLESS different brands of nail polish and had my nails painted professionally more than I would like to admit but in the end, I always am happiest when I do a DIY manicure at home and paint my nails myself with the Dazzle Dry manicure system. I have found Dazzle Dry to be the best long lasting nail polish that looks great while also leaving my nails healthy after I remove the polish.
Keep reading to know why I love this nail polish brand and for a step-by-step guide on how to paint your nails with Dazzle Dry and have a perfect long lasting manicure.
Dazzle Dry color ‘Love.’
Why I love Dazzle Dry:
Long Wear Time + Less Chipping: Like a gel or dip manicure, a Dazzle Dry manicure offers a long lasting manicure and less chips, but without the harmful chemicals and difficult removal process that comes with those forms of manicures. (I find mine typically last 7-10 days, on the Dazzle Dry website it says they can last up to 14 days.)
Clean Ingredients: I am no doctor or scientist but I appreciate seeing that Dazzle Dry nail polishes are free of many harmful chemicals that can be found in other polishes.
No UV Lamps: I love that Dazzle Dry gives me the look of a gel manicure (nice and thick and glossy) but I don’t need to put my hands under a UV light (that always freaked me out a bit with gel.)
Quick Drying: There is little (to no) down time after a Dazzle Dry manicure. I wait maybe one minute before doing something else (their directions say 5 minutes!) The hard set nails allow you to go about your daily life without a long wait period.
Healthy Nails: Again, no doctor here, but my nails always look and feel healthy when I remove any of my Dazzle Dry manicures. When anytime I switch to another brand (even so-called ‘healthy/non-toxic’ brands) my nails will look yellow or brittle. That never happens for me with this formula!
Step-By-Step Guide to a Dazzle Dry Manicure System:
Unlike a traditional manicure, there are a few more steps involved for this manicure (and it may seem like a lot at first!) but I promise you it is so worth it!
Prep: prepare your nails as you normally would for any manicure. Trim, file, cut your cuticles, buff, etc.
Cleanse with Nail Prep: Add a bit of the Nail Prep solution to a cotton swap and scrub on each nail.
Base Coat: Apply 1 or 2 layers of base coat. (Dazzle Dry suggests 2 coats but truth be told, sometimes I just do 1!)
*Note, if the Base Coat looks cloudy (ie not clear and see through like a traditional base coat) put it in 1 inch of hot water for about a minute or until the liquid becomes clear. I just heat up a bit of water in the microwave for 30 seconds.
Transform Coat: If you have nails that are not smooth or have lots of ridges, now is the time to add a layer of the Transform Coat. This is not required but very helpful for a better looking and more long lasting manicure. After 1 layer of the Transform Coat follow up with 1 more layer of the Base Coat.
Nail Polish Color: Now we add the nail polish color, what Dazzle Dry calls the ‘Nail Lacquer.’ Add two coats of lacquer to each nail. You will find that this will dry matte.
*If the Lacquer or Transform ever seems to thick and hard to use, add a few drops of the Revive Product to thin back out the formula.
High Gloss Top Coat: Add the top coat to make your nails have a beautiful high gloss and be protected for a long lasting manicure. Like all stages for a Dazzle Dry manicure, this step is quick-drying and you will be good to go after 1-5 minutes.
Hand Cream: I can never seem to apply enough hand cream and as my nails are dry immediately after a Dazzle Dry manicure I always try to add a layer of hand cream right after my at-home manicure.
Removal: When you are ready to remove your Dazzle Dry manicure (I find mine typically lasts 7-10 days before I get my first chips) any acetone nail polish remover will work. (I love that unlike a gel manicure, I can easily remove this manicure at home!)
How to Buy / Try The Dazzle Dry System:
You can buy ‘the system’ whenever you buy any Dazzle Dry Lacquer Color and then from there you can buy lacquer colors individually and keep using the rest of the steps with each future manicure.
The system is also available in a mini size if you want to test it out, but honestly, I just suggest buying the full size! I used the mini size once before I realized how much I loved it and quickly bought the full size!
Another option is to test Dazzle Dry at a nail salon, as many salons are now offering manicures with Dazzle Dry polishes. You can search for a spa on the Dazzle Dry site here (I can say from personal experience that I have had Dazzle Dry manicures at a QQ in New York City and Mini Luxe in Boston.)
Nan’s Favorite Dazzle Dry Lacquer Colors:
I will note, that Dazzle Dry does not have quite as many nail polish colors as other brands but they are adding more and more each season and it keeps getting better!
Right now my go-to colors from Dazzle Dry are: Truth, Not Quite Nude, Fast Track Cherry, Love, and Holly Berry.
^Use this link for 20% off your first purchase of $65 or more!
And there you have it, my step-by-step guide to the perfect long-lasting at home manicure. If you are looking for more skincare and beauty content, click here.
*NOTE: This post is in no way sponsored by DazzleDry, it is simply just a product I buy and love. I chat about it a lot on instagram and get a lot of questions about it, so I wanted to have a post here on the blog with all my answers. If you have any questions, let me know in the comments!