Acrylic A-Z: How to Apply NEW Kiara Sky All-in-One Acrylic
Whether you’re a seasoned nail tech or a nail enthusiast, chances are you’re beyond thrilled about the new Kiara Sky All-in-One line. These uniquely formulated powders are designed to work perfectly with the existing Kiara Sky Dip Powder essentials and monomer for both dip powder and acrylic application (yes, you heard us right; your Dip Bond, Base, Seal Protect & Top will work great with these new powders!)
The new Kiara Sky All-in-One line has over 100 new 2oz multi-functional jars in a wide range of diverse shades to suit every skin tone and style! With a revamped consistency that’s extremely pigmented and easy to work with, you’re sure to achieve a flawless manicure regardless of your go-to application.
We know that our Kiara Sky besties are likely dip powder pros by now, so we’re here to teach you how to apply your new favorite All-in-One shade as a dazzling acrylic set from start to finish using both a 2 and 3 bead application methods!
Prep your nails for acrylic application
As usual, before any service make sure your own hands (as well as your client's hands) are properly sanitized. Begin by using a cuticle pusher to gently push back the cuticles and remove the dead tissue around the cuticles.
Next, go in with a KS fine-grit sanding band with your mandrel bit on your Kiara Sky Beyond Pro Portable nail drill and begin removing the shine from the natural nail beds, evenly and carefully without applying pressure to the nails.
Afterward, it’s time to apply your nail tip! To fit nail tips, make sure that the tip is fitted from sidewall to sidewall making sure to leave enough of the natural nail exposed so that the acrylic will properly adhere to the nail, helping to make the set less prone to breakage.
Once you’ve applied the tip, go ahead and trim the tip to the desired length and shape!
Next, you can take a regular nail file and shape your nail and file the sides and free edge of your new nail tip! Perfecting the shape of your nail tip prior to your acrylic application will help to decrease the amount of time you’ll spend filing and smoothing your nail set later!
Using the sanding band on your e-file once again, file the edge where your tip meets your natural nail bed making the transition from the natural nail to the artificial tip as seamless as possible.
Now, you can complete prepping the nails for acrylic application with these last two essential steps. First, apply your Kiara Sky Dip Powder Bond to the natural nail bed, being careful to avoid the artificial nail tip. After this is dry, go in once again to the natural nail bed with this product to ensure your nails are properly dehydrated and primed for acrylic application!
To begin your acrylic application, wet your brush with the KS Monomer nail liquid and lightly press your acrylic brush into the surface of the Kiara Sky All-In-One Clear Acrylic Dip Powder to pick up a medium bead and apply a thin, even layer of this clear acrylic to the nail. This clear base layer of acrylic makes it much easier to switch out colors on your client or your own hands without removing the entire set each time you’ll want to change up your look!. You will only need to simply file down to this clear acrylic layer and apply your new color on top when completing your next mani.
One of the best things about All-in-One powders is their super flexible consistency that allows you adequate time to build the nail and perfect the shape without drying too quickly. This is one reason why this collection is perfect for both acrylic beginners and experienced nail technicians!
Selecting a colored acrylic powder from the new Kiara Sky All-in-One line is easily our favorite part of creating an acrylic look! With a variety of creamy nudes, stunning multicolored glitters, and exceptional neons, you’re bound to find several shades that’ll soon become your new all-time favs!
Once you find a color (or multiple) for your new nail look, it’s time to start applying over your now dried clear layer. Luckily, there are multiple ways to apply your acrylic color and we’ve outlined our two go-to methods for you to follow along with; our 3-bead and 2-bead acrylic application methods. Let’s get into it!
How To: picking up the perfect bead
To create the perfect bead of acrylic, you want to make sure your brush has the correct amount of monomer. To do this, fully saturate your brush in monomer and run one side of your brush along the edge of your monomer dish to ensure your brush is not dripping with nail liquid. Too much monomer on the brush could make your acrylic bead too runny to work with and weaken the application; it's best to make sure your brush is filled with liquid and not dripping any excess.
Another way to do this is to saturate your brush in the monomer nail liquid and tap it against the side of your liquid container. The goal is to ensure that your brush is no longer dripping monomer. Afterward, you can go in and pick up the correct-sized bead needed for the application method you choose!
How To: 3-bead application
Now you’re ready to pick up your first acrylic bead using a 3-bead application technique. This application method makes it very easy to maintain a lot of control in your application process so you can build the nail easily while focusing on perfecting each section of the nail as you work.
This method divides the nail into three separate zones to help you build up the foundation of the nail. Zone 1: the free edge, Zone 2: the middle of the nail where the apex and stress area will be, and lastly, Zone 3: the cuticle area of the nail.
Some of the best features of Kiara Sky’s NEW All-in-One powders are their smooth, workable consistency which are not messy or running like other acrylics. Plus, All-in-One powders hold their shape and allow you to build a great nail structure with minimal effort. To begin, use your monomer-saturated brush and drag it along the top of your desired acrylic powder color. Once the liquid absorbs into the powder, tap the brush to pick up your bead! This will give you a perfect bead to work with that is malleable and strong!
To apply your color to the nail, place your first bead in Zone 1 and drag down towards the free edge of the nail. Be sure to taper the product down, using the body of your brush to lightly flatten the acrylic bead and pull it towards the free edge.
Use the tip of the brush to feather in the top of the acrylic bead you’ve placed. This will help your first and second beads to flow continuously into one another.
Next, place your second bead in the middle of the nail in Zone 2 and once again drag down towards the free edge. This bead will be slightly bigger than the first to ensure that there is the maximum product at the stress point in the nail; this apex will ensure that the nail is strong and less prone to breakage.
Here’s a PRO TIP: Angling your client’s nail downward is a great strategy for helping the flow of the acrylic to lie nice and flat.
Afterward, the last bead you’ll pick up is going to be your smallest bead of acrylic. Place this right onto Zone 3, the cuticle area! The goal is to have just enough product to cover the nail bed. Lightly drag the product into Zone 2.
With the tip of your brush, you can now begin gently feathering the remaining product into the cuticle area by slightly tapping the product into the top of the nail being sure not to make contact with the skin.
Once this is complete, you can then encapsulate the acrylic with a layer of Kiara Sky’s All-in-One Clear Powder to top off this acrylic color with a fabulous shine!
How To: 2-bead application
Next up is our 2-bead acrylic application method. To begin, divide the nail into two sections: Zone 1, the free edge and apex and Zone 2, the cuticle area.
To begin applying your acrylic color, pick up a medium to large bead, place the bead directly on the middle of the nail in Zone 1 and let it settle being sure to keep the product at its thickest point at the apex of the nail.
Angle the nail downwards and use the body of your brush to guide the product towards the free edge, making sure to taper the product as you drag it down to the end of the nail.
For the second bead, place this on the cuticle area in Zone 2, using only enough product to fill in this area without making the product too bulky, lightly feathering the product into the cuticle area and blending it evenly into the first.
Encapsulate this set with your Kiara Sky’s All-in-One Clear acrylic powder. When adding this encapsulation layer, be sure that this clear acrylic layer is even and thin, adding just enough shine and protection without making the nail too bulky.
PRO TIP: Acrylic is temperature-sensitive. If you are in a very warm environment, your acrylic and monomer will begin to set faster than it would in a cool environment.
A unique characteristic about the Kiara Sky All-in-One powders’ consistency is that these powders are relatively slow drying, giving experienced nail technicians and nail newbies ample time to sculpt and shape the nail before the product dries.
Shape, file, and buff the nails
Before moving on to the next step in finishing your acrylic set, make sure your acrylic has properly dried. You’ll know the nail is dry if it makes a small clicking sound when you tap on the nail.
Afterward, go ahead and use a nail file to shape the sidewalls and the free edge. Since you may have done the majority of your filing earlier when you first placed your tip, your filing should be minimal!
Grab a lint-free nail wipe with alcohol and clean the surface of the nail bed, being sure to remove any dust or debris from the nails.
When this is complete, finish off your new look with your favorite top coat and there you have it! A dazzling acrylic nail set using Kiara Sky’s NEW All-in-One Acrylic Dip Powder Collection.