I Fell For The Nailboo Dip Powder Nails Instagram Ad
Posted November 17, 2020 by Prairie Wife - 106 comments
In a moment of weakness, I fell for the Nailboo Dip Powder Nails Instagram ad.
I tell you what, those Instagram ads are so darn accurate it’s scary!
And I’d be a big fat liar if I said this was the first time I fell for one 😉
It all happened in September while The Cowboy was gone Elk hunting. I had been contemplating what to do about my nails for an upcoming event.
It has been years since I have consistently had gel nails, and while naked nails don’t bother me, when I have an event I like to take my look to the next level.
Normally I spend about an hour doing my nails myself (it takes SO long for them to dry) and I carefully time it so that they will look good for the event. Sometimes I can even get a day or two more with no chips, but usually, after about 3 days I have to clean them off.
So…when I saw the Nailboo ad for their kit, and they talked about how easy it was, and I watched a few YouTube videos I decided I would try it.
The first time I did them (in true go big or go home Prairie Wife form) I tried to do an ombre look.
They turned out okay but not amazing…and lasted about a week before one chipped.
The next time I tried them, I kept it simple with one color on each nail and used a few tricks (I’ll leave them at the end) and they lasted around two weeks with no issues.
Removal was a pain in the butt…but not any worse than gel nails, so I decided to get really invested in these and bought a few more colors.
As of right now I’ve been using this product for over 6 months and loving it.
I’ve received multiple messages asking me about the product, so I thought I would share it with you here. I am NOT an affiliate or a partner with Nailboo.
My Nailboo nails last a solid 10 days, and so do Cowgirl G’s. Depending on how OCD you are about chips or growth I feel comfortable saying that you can maybe even get 2 or even 3 weeks out of this product.
I haven’t seen any damage to my nails and I usually keep them naked for about 4 days to a week in between using this product.
It takes me around 30 minutes start to finish to do my nails and plan on an hour for removal (I told you it’s a pain).
What I’ve Learned:
- Take time to rough up your nails.
- Clean them with rubbing alcohol after you rough them up and before you apply your base.
- Cap the edges and corners. Don’t know what that means? This link tells you.
- Let them sit for a few minutes before you brush off the powder especially if you used a thick coat.
- Do two coats of colored dip powder, and use the second one to fill in any spots you missed.
- When your nails are coated with the color dip powder (but before you activate them) you can use an orange stick to even out your sides and the cuticle area. The dip is still a bit soft so you can push it or scrape a bit off.
- After you activate the first time and let it sit for three minutes use a rough nail file to really even out the top of your nail. This is the time to get rid of any bumps or unevenness that may have occurred. Don’t be afraid to go to town 😉
- They really are ready for you to use to do anything (yes even shower or do dishes) about three minutes after you put that shiny topcoat on!
- After you are totally done you can use a nail file to round off the cuticle areas or smooth the edges if they are bumpy.
- Just use an orange stick to scrape off any extra residue on the skin under the tips of your nails.
- I usually use a file to clean up the edges after about a week of growth to keep them looking neat.
Don’t count on perfection the first time you do this, but by the third time, you should have the hang of it.
So far I’ve loved all the colors we’ve bought, with my favorites being the soft grays and pinks…and the white was pretty awesome too.
Questions about the product I didn’t answer?
Ask them in the comments!
NOTE: The best way I have found to remove this product is Mini Mani Moo Gel No More. It will take about 3 layers and 30 minutes but it is by far the best way to remove your Nailboo nails and is causes NO damage to your nails. Make sure you get the scrapping tool too.
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106 thoughts on "I Fell For The Nailboo Dip Powder Nails Instagram Ad"
Categories: Beauty, Prairie Wife Style
Tags: , at home nails, dip nails, nailboo, nailboo dip nails, nailboo nail kit
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Thanks for the tips! This will be fun to try new styles and make them last longer! Love it!
Happy to help! Tag me in a pic if you try them 🙂
hi!! what do you mean by “rough up” your nails?? thank u for this post btw
Use a nail file and rub it across them a few times to make them a bit rougher.
Oh that’s not good and not mentioned in their ads.
What is an orange stick? I might be asking an obvious question, I’m sorry. I just don’t know what you are referring to. 🙂
A wooden stick you can buy pretty cheap in bulk. Here is a link to Walmart so you can see what they are. https://www.walmart.com/ip/100x-Cuticle-Pusher-Orange-Wood-Stick-Manicure-Pedicure-Nail-Design-Eco-Tool/844603731
Just to help with the removal process I learned you can put acetone in a ziplock bag and a paper towel. place each hand in one at a time for 7-9 min each and the color comes off.
I will totally try this! Thanks for the suggestion 🙂
Its going to eat the layers off your nails and not eat the bag? I believe you, its just hard to believe lol
Can you elaborate on this a little more? Do you soak the paper towel, wrap your hands then stick in the bag?
Thanks for your Suggestion on the acetone polish remover that was my problem not knowing how to remove the nail color.
I highly recommend trying the mani moo remover I linked to at the end, it was way easier and much healthier on my nails.
Hi! The link u provided for the “steamer” or nail remover, specifically says “not for use with DIP nails” so is this the correct one?? Does it work even though it says that it doesn’t?
It still works, just takes more time. I really do recommend the mani moo gel no more remover I feel like it’s by far the best solution.
Place the zip lock bag in very warm water when your hands are soaking in the bag. It speeds up the process,always oil cuticles after this process. I suggest coconut oil, or olive oil.
I follow the directions to a tee but the top coat takes 20-30 minutes to dry. Any ideas?
I, too, have this issue and it’s fudged up my nails on multiple occasions.
I asked nailboo about this and they said that means not enough activator was used. The next time I cleaned the activator brush and made sure I had a good amount on each nail and it worked like a charm! But can’t get them to last longer than a week. I haven’t given up!
Mine never take more than a few minutes. Let me do some looking…
Thanks!
After you have applied your 2 coats of powder and activator, you file down any bumps. Then comes the critical step, add another coat of activator before you apply the top coat. Learned it the hard way too but works like a charm! They’ll dry almos instantly!
I have had the same problem
Thanks so much for this post. I fell for it too. But, I’m actually really loving them. THey are a huge pain to get off though. I didn’t anticipate that. ALso, if you don’t like the color you’re kind of stuck with it for two weeks, right? I think I’ll buy more colors but they are difficult to tell online. Sure beats waiting for nails to dry and then 6 hours later them still smudging!
I soaked mine in 100% acetone in a small bowl. Came off in 30 minutes
You mention whites, which ones are actually “white”? Love the tips, very helpful!! Thank you.
“HEre’s a Tip” is the pure white.
Do you know if you can use other powders with the boo product?
I have never tried, but I don’t know why it wouldn’t work!
How many applications are in a bottle?
I would say at least 20 if not more.
I can’t find my top coat? (step 3)
i’m in a bind can i use a regular clear gel top coat? thx
I think so, but it may take longer to dry!
When you say cap the edges, do you mean with the top coat or do we need to do that with the base as well?
I do it with one of the base coats, one of the color and the top coat.
Is the natural look an option or do you HAVE to buy colors? Can you email my answer as I do t use Pinterest, please? I was on a Nailboo site and this popped up, so I watched it and THANK YOU
Kimberly.m.lawson2013@gmail.com
I have a very physical life. I work with farm animals and I am very hard on my hands and nails. Any thoughts on how it would last with my lifestyle?
As a mom of 5 living in Wyoming I am pretty tough on them too. I get a solid week if not 10 days out of mine.
Use the rice method to remove….takes less than 10 Minutes!
I’m googling it now…
Has anyone tried to add extender tips and then do the dip? I tried it (my second time using the nailboo) and they literally popped off in less than a day. Wondering how I could get them to last longer?
I used them on my daughter, and the same thing happened…
I began purchasing these powders several months ago after deciding to do my own nails. I have 15 colors. The first couple of times I used it I loved it. HOWEVER, I am now tremendously frustrated!! I still love the powders, but the base and activator become problematic almost immediately. The brush in the base coat became hard and caused gloppiness. I am unable to get a nice finish. I contacted the company and got even more frustrated!! I asked why I was having problems and what I may have been doing wrong and what I got was “You have had the product over 30 days so we are unable to refund and replace the product.” I sent back a note saying I didn’t want that, but wanted to understand what I was doing wrong. Got a similar response to the first. After several back and forths I am convinced they aren’t even reading my emails, but reacting only. I would purchase the powders, but don’t want their base and activator which comes with the orders. You can buy both here on Amazon from other companies that do work well. So frustrated!!
I am sorry you are frustrated with their customer service…Have you used the “cleaner” on the brush? There is a bottle labeled “cleaner” and if you switch and use that brush (and leave the dirty one in that bottle closed up) it will work…you can keep doing that each time your brush gets clumpy.
I’ve just received my kit and have been waiting for someone to mention the CLEANER! There’s nothing in the instructions about it! Is that what it is for? The brushes? I’m excited to try but want to know exactly what I’m doing first!
yup! That base coat and top coat brush can get goopy so you just put it in there and trade out the one that is there and do it the next time etc…
Omg, thank you. I have such a hard time getting my base open because its hard as a rock. I could have been using the cleaner this whole time….wow, i feel like a dope…haha
Happy to help!
Woohoo that’s such a great idea I really wasn’t sure how you were supposed to use the brush cleaner. Any ideas why the nail tips turn white sometimes? I used a red and when everything had dried there were a couple nails that had white spots on them kind of sort of look like paper towels stuck to them although no paper towel got near them
Hmm I haven’t had the problem so I don’t have any suggestions for why that may be happening.
Care to share what brand you bought? i don’t like the chunky brushes in the nailboo bottles.
I use the entire nailboo set. I would guess that any dip powder system would work with these powders so perhaps you can go to a local store and try another brand.
Why is the top coat staying sticky?
If you use too much activator and don’t let it dry before you put on the top coat it will stay sticky.
How do you prevent lifting ? It never lasts more than a week for me. Is this where the roughing up the nails comes in?
Yes I think that between the roughing them up and the two base coats that would help you a lot. Also, if you often wash dished or have your hands were for a lot of time that may be part of the issue too.
hi-thanks for this info. I do have a question….does this product ruin your nails after removal? That’s the reason I’ve never had “fake nails” because I hear it thins out your real nails and ruins them.
My nails have been fine as long as I use the Mani Moo gel remover that I link to at the bottom of the article.
Thanks for the feedback. I’m considering purchasing it.
I just purchased the Nailboo kit and a little scared to try it by myself. I read your article and now it’s time to make my first mess. Thanks for the boost of confidence!
Made my day to read this! First time was rough lol but I keep getting better and better 🙂
I just did this for the first time and, as you said, it was rough. Right hand not bad but left hand is a disaster. This article has given me hope and a lot to try. On my way out to go buy the Mani Moo remover now. Thanks for all of this.
Hang in there! I really think by the third time you’ll be happy, and glad this article helped 🙂
Is there a way to fix dull nails without starting over? I put the top coat on twice and they are dull! Can I just file them again and reapply the top coat? Also I used them emery board/buff board one time and it is dull and wont be able to be used again, any chance I filed them down too much? I would think it should last more than one time!
I’m sorry, I don’t know a way to help you, I haven’t had that problem. Maybe reach out to the company?
I just ordered NailBoo today. I can’t wait to get the kit and try it out!!!
I hope you end up liking it as much as I do!
Nailboo is an absolutely terrible company. I cannot believe people are actually leaving any good reviews for this.
First of all, the product absolutely does not work as claimed.
Second, If you leave ANY negative feedback on their social media posts it is immediately deleted. I actually called the company out on this and they blocked me from posting on their social media pages. Can you believe that? They hide/delete ALL negative comments, and they actually go to the extent of blocking customers who leave negative feedback.
Absolutely insane to me I’ve never seen a business with such horrible customer service and low morals.
My complaint to the company was for faulty/defective products. This company makes false claims on their website for how this product works. Claiming that you will be chip/scratch free for 3-6 weeks, and you nails dry “instantly”.
Spent $70 here and this product chipped and/or fell off my nails WITHIN ONE DAY. It is not as easy to apply as advertised and actually takes 20-30 minutes to apply. Does NOT dry “instantly”. Customer service tried to offer a 40% refund, or make ME pay to ship the defective items back to them. Mind you this was after 4-5 emails to the company and them giving me the run around.
I ended up filing a complaint through the BBB and they still have not responded. These are HORRIBLE scammy people running this company.
PLEASE LOOK AT THE BBB WEBSITE BEFORE PURCHASING FROM NAILBOO! Over 57+ complaints (as of today) just like mine from very recently.
PSA – Another customer on TrustPilot stated that they were offered compensation in exchange for a positive review. So between that and then deleting/blocking ANY negative feedback you are 100% not getting a clear view of this company. Don’t waste your money like I did. 100% wish I did more research before purchasing.
Hey Mystic M. Thanks for taking the time to share your thoughts.
First I want to say that this post is in no way affiliated with Nailboo I was not compensated in any way to write this. So, with that in mind know that I have no intention of deleting your comment.
In my review, I share my true personal experience with the product which is 10 days to 2 weeks of polish.
My Nailboo nails do dry instantly, and I’ve heard if you don’t let the activator fully dry the topcoat won’t dry immediately. That may have been the problem for you.
I am sorry about your poor customer service experience, but because I haven’t dealt with them I have no input on that.
I have heard that people have used another brand for the liquid application because they prefer a thinner formula and different brush, but they still use the Nailboo dip powder. Maybe you could try that so you wouldn’t be totally out of all the money you spent?
Again thanks for taking the time to share your thoughts so that my readers can make an informed decision!
*I have 0 connection to nailboo and literally found this while researching the product to decide if I wanted to buy or not*
1. This sounds like a decent amount of user error, as others have described similar issues but corrected it after they found some tips/tricks online. You’re right about it not being as easy as the ads make it out to be, but it does seem to work when used properly.
2. I’m a Sr. social media support/moderation associate (not even in the same industry as nailboo), and hiding/deleting comments and banning commenters is always the last resort in our playbook. We typically reserve it for people who spam our comments instead of working with support to resolve their issues, use foul language, make threats against us or other commenters, and just otherwise behave badly. We do not enjoy banning people or hiding comments, but at the end of the day part of our job is to protect the name of our business.
3. The BBB does nothing about the businesses people report. They do however contact businesses and try to get us to pay them to remove the bad reports. It’s a for-profit company not a government entity.
Thanks so much for taking the time to share your thoughts!
Yes. The BBB is a total scam its basically the same as a Yelp rating or any other customer led review site and bot at all reliable. They basically blackmail businesses
I have used the product a handful of times. I do think the directions that come with the kit are not as good as the tutorial text directions on their website. Reading the tutorial online seemed to help make sure the top coat dries nicely.
I agree. The video is much more helpful!
The worst product ever!!!! Do not buy!!!!
Can you use Gelish or other base?
I can’t find where I can just buy the base.
I feel like any other base made for dip powder should work!
Doesn’t sound worth it to me.
I love Nailboo too! Thank you for the tip about filing after the first activator coat. I take them off by pouring pure acetone into a designated bowl. I soak them for about 5 to 10 minutes. They turn to goo and I peel it off. If it doesn’t all come off then just soak a little more. That’s how they used to soak off my nails at the salon I went to. So happy it works with Nailboo!!
So glad you like them! And thanks for sharing your favorite way to remove them, that seems to be the hardest part for most people 🙂
I used it and loved it. But after about a month, my nails started to literally fall apart. Does anyone know if there is a base that can make removal easier and protect your nails?
At what point do you use the build powder? Before or after the color powder?
Before!
How do you clean your brushes if you don’t have their brush cleaner?
You could do it by soaking it in nail polish remover and using a paper towel to dry it and remove any residue left.
Why do my nails peel/pop off? I use 3 layers of the powder.
I haven’t had that problem. Are you cleaning the nails with an alcohol wipe or nail polish remover first and roughing them up a bit with a file?
What is Cowgirl G?
That’s the name I use for my daughter on this blog.
I’m doing my nails for the second time and my top coat is thick and sticky coming from the bottle!!! How can I thin it?
The top coat brush clumps up after a few nails and you cannot even get it on the nails. Soaked it once in acetone and cleaned it but niches right back up
They sent a bottle labeled “brush cleaner” with mine. Try using that. You can put the dirty brush in there and then use the one that was in there. Also, other people have mentioned using a top coat from another brand that works better.
To remove dip polish MUCH FASTER use the 100% pure acetone remover. You can heat water or rice in the microwave and then place a smaller bowl filled with 1/4 cup acetone ans a small bit of paper towel to rub your nails on. Acetone is highly flammable so heat activates it. It takes about 5 min on each hand!!
Thanks for the tip
I use a different brand that cracks. Does this one?
I have had this brand crack a few times, especially as the days go by, but I feel comfortable saying that it’s not an issue for me most of the time.
What can I use if I don’t want any color? I’ve heard that the build powder can work as a clear polish. Is this accurate? Have you tried that before? Thank you.
They have some really light nudes that I recommend, but I can’t tell you from my own experience if that works.
I would say that would work. Mine look clear using the build powder and attempting to use the ‘hit the floor’ glitter color. The glitter didn’t stick well, but my nails are thick and shiny clear from the build powder.
I tried a light blue color first time I tried it. It was ok. I needed to file more than I did. The nails chipped off after about 2 weeks. The second set I did, I followed the directions. I used “hit the floor” a pretty irredecent glittery powder with little shapes. The nails boo pics show it really solid.my nails were lucky to have picked up 10 pieces of the glitter per nail. They look clear with random specks on them. Definitely not how the picture shows the color. Have you tried this color? Any suggestions?
There is no one working in customer support. They won’t reply to any of my emails about half of my order that ended up at a completely random address in idaho?? I live in nevada. Im more angry about the lack of ability to reply and silence when it comes to solving this 8 day problem.
also I spent like 160 bucks so I need my stuff! i only got like 1/4 of what I was supposed to get. Im still missing the majority of it
Oh my God! I feel for it too. I ordered it, the activator would not harden the powder the way it was supposed and when I contacted customer service, good luck! I left several messages and sent emails. Eventually they offered to refund me half the price (without the tax and shipping) and I threw it in the trash. It is not a good product.
You said after you use the activator “the first time”. Are you supposed to do 2 coats of activator?
I got my original kit at Sally’s Beauty Supply. They carry quite a few different dip powders too. The girls there told me which other products I could use too. I try to use acetone to clean my brushes and around the top of bottles after every use. Someone asked about doing their nails natural with Nailboo. I have terrible shirt stubs ( I’m a terrible picker when I have no nails on) so I use white tips that come in a set at Sally’s. They have a little lip about 1/16 “ . I ruff up my nails lightly with a little buffer type file called a turtle I also get at Sally’s , then I rough up the back of the tip. Then I put a thin line if a good nail glue and press it on overlapping your natural nail. I shorten them with nail clippers and kind of file in the basic shape I want. Then I start the Nailboo process using one called “See Right Through It”. It is clear and with the white tips looks very minimal and clean . I only tried once but I was horrible with using the colored powder. I need to start practice with it again as I have quite a few colored dip powders. I started using Nailboo last winter when I was at a home we have in the mountains for an extended time. It is super hard to get in a nail salon ( 2-3 days) and like everything else here it is much more expensive than back home in Texas where I can always call and get in same day for repair or a whole set.
I have used the Bailboo on and off for a year or so I love it. Practice makes perfect. Trouble at 1st try wasn’t sure then. But it worked for me. I’m handicapped on my right hand but I can manage applying the product. Thing is I banged 1 nail. Didn’t damage my own but part of the nailboo cracked. Can I reapply and repair do you know?