Jelly French Tips: How to Create This Summer Trend with Dip Powder

Jelly French tips are one of this summer's biggest nail trends. Instead of solid-colored tips, they feature a sheer, translucent finish that lets light pass through for a soft, glossy look.

While most jelly French manicures are created with gel polish, you can achieve a similar look with dip powder by mixing your favorite color with Clear Dip Powder from Virgo & Gem. The result is a beautiful translucent finish without buying a separate jelly polish collection.

What You'll Need

• Virgo & Gem Clear Dip Powder
• Any Virgo & Gem colored dip powder
• Base Coat
• Activator
• Top Coat
• French Tip/Marble Tray
• Nail file, buffer block, and cuticle pusher for prep

The Secret to Jelly Dip Powder

Unlike regular dip powder manicures, jelly nails are created by mixing color with Clear Dip Powder.

A good starting point is:

• 8 parts Clear Dip Powder
• 1 part colored dip powder

If you'd like slightly more color, simply reduce the amount of clear powder until you achieve your preferred translucency.

Every shade behaves a little differently, so don't be afraid to test small batches before creating your manicure.

How to Create Jelly French Tips

How to Recreate This Look

1. Wearing natural nails? Trim them short so the white free edge doesn't show through the jelly finish.
2. Want length? Apply clear full-cover tips first.
3. Mix about 8 parts Clear Dip Powder with 1 part color until you get a translucent jelly shade.
4. Pour the jelly mix into your French Tip/Marble Tray.
5. Brush Base Coat over the whole nail, then dip just the tip into the tray to set your smile line.
6. The rest of the nail is still bare, so pour nude or clear powder over that part to fill it in. Both powders set together, so the nail stays smooth.
7. Brush off the excess, re-apply Base Coat, and repeat steps 5 and 6 three to four times. Work one nail at a time so the base coat stays wet.
8. Apply two coats of Activator, wait 2 minutes, then shape and buff.
9. Apply Activator again, wait 1–2 minutes, and wipe each nail with a lint-free wipe.
10. Finish with two thin layers of Top Coat.

Try Different Colors

Once you've mastered the technique, you can recreate the look using almost any color.

Some fun options include:

• Pink
• Orange
• Blue
• Purple
• Green
• Coral

Simply mix your chosen color with Clear Dip Powder using the same method.

Try a Full Jelly Manicure

French tips aren't your only option. You can also use your jelly mixture across the entire nail for a soft, glossy manicure.

How to Recreate This Look

1. Mix Clear Dip Powder with your chosen color until you get a translucent jelly shade, then pour it into a container deep enough to dip into.
2. Prep your nails and apply a thin layer of Base Coat.
3. Dip the entire nail into the jelly mixture and brush off the excess.
4. Repeat additional layers if you'd like slightly more color.
5. Apply Activator and let it set, then buff smooth.
6. Apply Top Coat for a smooth, glossy look and finish with Cuticle Oil.

A Few Tips for Better Results

• Mix small batches until you find your favorite jelly ratio.
• Short nails create the cleanest jelly effect.
• Clear nail tips are ideal if you want extra length.
• The French Tip/Marble Tray makes creating even smile lines much easier.
• Experiment with different colors while using the same jelly mixing technique.