Frequently asked questions
What does each DND duo cost?
The duo runs $6.00 against a $12.00 MSRP, a flat 50 percent wholesale tier for any buyer regardless of business license. Each listing also offers Gel-Only at $4.75 and Lacquer-Only at $3.99, plus combo packages at higher prices (Duo plus Base/Top combo $18.00, Duo plus Dipping Powder 3in1 $13.50). Pick the option that matches the service you're stocking for.
Is this hub the same as DND DC or DND DIVA?
No. This hub is the original DND line only at $6.00 per duo. DND DC is a separate premium sub-line in its own collection at $6.75 per duo with 355 SKUs. DND DIVA is the economic sub-line in its own collection with 328 SKUs. Cross-link from the related collections list at the bottom of this page to browse DC or DIVA directly.
Do I need a UV or LED lamp to cure DND gel polish?
Both work. A 48W LED cures DND base, color, and top coat in 60 seconds per layer. A 36W UV cures the same layers in 120 seconds per layer. Glitter and chrome top coats need 75 seconds because metallic particles partially block UV. Dark shades like deep navy or black cure to full opacity in 30 to 45 seconds, so reduce cure time to avoid over-cure shrinkage.
How long does a DND gel manicure last on the client?
Three weeks is the standard wear window when applied correctly with thin even coats, full free-edge capping, and the right cure per layer. Wear extends to 21 days when clients apply cuticle oil daily and wear cleaning gloves for solvent or abrasive work. Past three weeks the gel develops microcracks at the free edge that trap moisture and lift, so rebook for a fill or full removal at the three-week mark.
Do Part bundles save money over buying individual duos?
Per duo, no. Part 01 ships 36 curated duos at $216.00 total, which works out to $6.00 per duo, identical to single-order pricing on the same hub. What Part bundles save is time and curation: one SKU and one cart line replaces 36 individual orders, and the color stories are pre-built for opening a wall or refreshing a season. Both prices reflect the wholesale tier; the MSRP difference ($432 versus $12 times 36) is the same on both sides.
What's in this DND Gel & Lacquer hub
This hub carries 567 SKUs from DND (Daisy Nail Designs), the original DND duo system in a single-brand catalog.
The mix breaks down as 462 individual duo listings, 98 Part bundles, 6 base and top coat gels, and one color swatch chart for in-salon shade matching.
Each duo listing carries multiple packaging options. The main pairing is the matched gel-and-lacquer set, with optional Gel-Only, Lacquer-Only, and combo packages alongside it.
The variants inside each DND listing
Open any DND shade page (for example 449 First Kiss) and you see five buying options:
- Gel Polish & Lacquer duo: $6.00 (was $12.00). The pair this collection sells.
- Gel Polish Only: $4.75 (was $10.00). For the gel-service-only client.
- Lacquer Only: $3.99 (was $8.00). For takehome or pedicure use without the gel.
- Gel & Lacquer + Base/Top combo: $18.00 (was $34.00). The 4-bottle starter for a new shade.
- Gel & Lacquer + Dipping Powder 3in1: $13.50 (was $28.50). The 3-in-1 add-on for salons offering dip service in the same color.
The headline price for this hub is the duo at $6.00. Pick the Gel-Only or Lacquer-Only option if a client only needs one finish, or the combo and 3in1 if the order serves a different service type.
Why salons stock the DND duo system
The duo pairing lets a single chair sell two services off one color choice.
A client picks a shade for her gel manicure. The salon adds the matching lacquer as a pedicure or a takehome retail bottle for at-home touchups.
Brand recall stays strong because the client wears the same color across her gel set, her toes, and her between-fill refresh at home.
Pricing at ND for DND duos
Every duo on this hub runs $6.00 against a $12.00 MSRP, a flat 50 percent wholesale tier for any buyer regardless of business license.
The 98 Part bundles ship at the same per-duo rate. Part 01, 36 curated duos, runs $216.00 against a $432.00 MSRP, which works out to $6.00 per duo, identical to single-order pricing.
What Part bundles save is time and curation. One SKU and one cart line replaces 36 individual orders, and the color stories are pre-built for opening a wall or refreshing a season.
Free shipping triggers on every order over $99. No business license required, no minimum order. In-stock duos and Parts ordered before 2pm Pacific weekdays ship same day.
How the Part bundle system works
Each Part is a 30 to 36 duo box curated around a color story. Part 01 through Part 30 plus newer numbered drops carry the legacy DND archive.
Seasonal Parts release each quarter, with the spring drop in February, summer in May, fall in August, and winter in November. 23 of the current SKUs are seasonal-themed bundles.
Most salons buy 3 to 6 Parts to cover the foundation color wall on opening, then add 1 to 2 fresh Parts each quarter to keep the wall current.
Step-by-step DND gel application
- Prep: shape, push back cuticles, gentle buff to remove surface shine, dehydrate with bond aid.
- Primer: thin coat of acid-free primer, air dry 30 seconds. Skip on healthy non-oily nail beds.
- Base coat: thin layer of DND Base Gel, cure 60 seconds at 48W LED or 120 seconds at 36W UV.
- Color coat 1: thin even layer, cap the free edge, cure 60 seconds LED.
- Color coat 2: second thin layer for full opacity, cure 60 seconds LED.
- Top coat: DND Top Gel for high gloss, cure 60 seconds, wipe inhibition layer with 91 percent alcohol.
Pro tip: if a shade reads thin at two coats (common for whites, neutrals, pastels), apply a third color coat rather than thick coats. Thick coats trap heat and cause client discomfort plus lifting at the cuticle.
Curing nuances by color family
Deep blacks, navies, and reds cure to full opacity in 30 seconds at 48W LED. Cap cure at 45 seconds to avoid over-cure shrinkage.
Whites, beiges, and pastel pinks need the full 60 seconds plus a third coat for opacity.
Glitter and chrome top coats need 75 seconds. Metallic particles partially block UV penetration to the base layers.
Care and longevity for clients
- Wear cleaning gloves for dishes, bathroom scrubs, and garden work. Solvents and abrasives shorten gel wear from 21 days down to 10.
- Apply cuticle oil daily, twice daily for the first week. Hydrated cuticles prevent lifting at the proximal edge.
- Rebook at week three for a fill or full removal. Past three weeks the gel develops microcracks at the free edge that lift.
Salon storage and shelf life
Keep DND bottles upright at room temperature out of direct sun. Heat over 80F thins the gel viscosity and shortens cure consistency.
Unopened DND duos last 24 months from the manufacture date stamped on the bottle base.
Opened bottles stay usable 18 months at room temperature, or 24 months if stored upright in a drawer away from light. Replace any bottle that thickens visibly or separates between pigment and base.
Related DND collections at ND
This hub is DND original only. DND DC and DND DIVA are separate sub-lines stocked at ND in their own collections, priced at $6.75 per duo.