Frequently asked questions about LDS
What is the difference between LDS Gel Polish and LDS Gel & Lacquer Duo?
LDS Gel Polish is a single 0.5oz bottle of cure-required gel (1.5oz refills also stocked), 200 plus shades at $4 to $9. The Gel & Lacquer Duo pairs that gel with the matching air-dry LDS Nail Lacquer in the same shade, $7 to $15 per duo, so the client's pedicure matches the gel manicure tone for tone. ND stocks 1,200 plus duos, typically priced 15 to 20 percent under buying the two bottles separately.
Is LDS HEMA-free?
LDS Color Craze (Healthy) is the line ND lists as HEMA-free and TPO-free, with the same shade families, cure time, and durability as the original. Standard LDS Gel Polish, the duos, the dipping powder, and the 3-in-1 combos are not labeled HEMA-free. Salons that get an allergy report can move that client to Color Craze without changing application technique.
How long does LDS Dipping Powder last on nails?
With proper prep and the LDS Dip Essentials liquids, an LDS dip set wears 3 to 4 weeks, comparable to SNS in one listing. The Pink, White, and Clear Powder set is the base kit, and the colored range tracks the gel shade library so you can offer dip or gel in the same shade. ND stocks 455 plus dip colors in 1oz and 232 plus in the 1.5oz pro-volume size.
Do I need a UV or LED lamp for LDS Gel?
Yes. LDS Gel cures 60 seconds per coat under a standard 48W LED lamp or 2 minutes under UV. Apply one thin coat of LDS Base Gel, two color coats, then LDS Top Gel with the free edge capped, curing between each. Wipe the tacky layer with 99 percent isopropyl alcohol unless you are using a no-wipe top. Clients who use cuticle oil daily and wear gloves for cleaning reach the 3-week wear target consistently.
Can I get LDS at wholesale pricing?
Yes. All 3,180 LDS SKUs are wholesale-priced for everyone at ND Nails Supply, with no business license, no minimum order, and no membership fee. Orders of $100 or more ship free, in-stock LDS ordered before 2pm PT on weekdays leaves the same day, and the Buy in Bulk & Save category adds 10 to 25 percent on orders of 50 or 100 bottles.
Why salons stock LDS
LDS, short for LAVIS DIP SYSTEMS, is the most widely-stocked house brand at ND Nails Supply, with 3,180 SKUs spanning gel polish, nail lacquer, dipping powder, rubber base, and the 3-in-1 combos. The brand built its reputation among independent salons and high-volume nail studios by delivering competitive wholesale pricing without sacrificing pigment quality. Where premium brands like OPI sit at the $14 to $22 per 0.5oz tier, LDS holds the $4 to $12 sweet spot, which lets salon owners stock 200+ shades at the cost of a single OPI seasonal collection.
For ND's wholesale-priced-for-everyone model, LDS is the volume anchor. Same-day dispatch on in-stock orders before 2pm PT, no business license required, no minimum order. Salons that lead with gel-and-dip services typically build their first 100 SKUs around LDS Color Craze or LDS Gel Polish before adding premium lines for specific client requests.
The LDS product lines
LDS does not run a single catalog. The brand is organized into six product lines, each engineered for a different salon workflow:
LDS Gel Polish (original)
The foundation line. 200+ shades in 0.5oz salon bottles and 1.5oz refill sizes. Standard HEMA formula, cures in 60 seconds under LED or 2 minutes UV. This is the wholesale workhorse for salons that need broad color choice without HEMA-free constraints.
LDS Color Craze (Healthy)
HEMA-free and TPO-free reformulation of the original line, designed for sensitive clients. Same shade-family coverage as LDS Gel Polish, same cure time, same durability. Salons that report client allergic reactions switch over to Color Craze without changing application technique.
LDS Nail Lacquer
Air-dry classic lacquer matched 1-to-1 with the gel line. For salons that offer pedicure services, this lets you sell matching manicure-pedicure sets where the client's polished toes match their gel manicure tone-for-tone. 187 shades in stock at ND.
LDS Gel & Lacquer Duo
Pre-paired matching sets. An LDS duo at ND costs less than the same number's gel bottle and lacquer bottle bought separately, which makes them the go-to for salons running mani-pedi combo specials.
LDS Dipping Powder
SNS-comparable durability at LDS pricing. The Pink, White, and Clear Powder set is the base kit; the colored dip range tracks the gel shade library so salons can offer dip-or-gel choice in the same shade. 455+ dip colors in 1oz wholesale sizes, 232+ in the 1.5oz pro-volume size.
LDS Healthy 3-in-1
One LDS number in three formats in a single listing: the dipping powder (1 oz or 1.5 oz jar), the matching gel polish, and the matching nail lacquer, so a client's dip shade repeats as a gel manicure and a lacquer pedicure. The listing is the fastest way to open a number in every format; the One Line bundle of 165 numbers opens the whole wall.
How to pick the right LDS line
The shortest path to picking an LDS sub-line is to match the client workflow:
- DIY pro or new salon stocking up: start with LDS Gel Polish (original) plus the Base & Top Gel kit. The price tier lets you build a 50-shade starter library without overcommitting to specialty lines.
- Salon with sensitive clients: lead with LDS Color Craze (Healthy). The HEMA-free formula reduces allergic-reaction risk and meets the modern compliance ask from informed clients.
- High-volume mani-pedi salon: focus on the Gel & Lacquer Duo category. Pre-paired matching sets cut SKU management in half and unlock combo-pricing strategies.
- Dip-focused salon: anchor on the LDS Dipping Powder line plus Dip Essentials liquids. The durability matches SNS under the LDS number system.
- Salon with a dip base: stock the LDS 3-in-1 combos so each number is on the wall as dip, gel, and lacquer from one order.
LDS lines compared
| Line | Best for | HEMA-free | Cure system | Typical wear | Price tier |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LDS Gel Polish (original) | Foundation salon stock | No (standard HEMA) | LED 60 sec / UV 2 min | 2 to 3 weeks | Value |
| LDS Color Craze (Healthy) | Sensitive-client salon | Yes (HEMA + TPO free) | LED 60 sec / UV 2 min | 2 to 3 weeks | Value |
| LDS Nail Lacquer | Pedicure services | N/A (air-dry) | No lamp needed | 5 to 7 days | Value |
| LDS Gel & Lacquer Duo | Mani-pedi matching | Depends on gel side | Gel: LED 60 sec | 2 to 3 weeks (gel) | Below two singles |
| LDS Dipping Powder | Dip-focused salon | Not labeled | No lamp needed | 3 to 4 weeks | Value, 1 oz and 1.5 oz |
| LDS Healthy 3-in-1 | One number as dip, gel, and lacquer | Not labeled | Dip: no lamp; gel: LED 60 sec | Dip 3 to 4 weeks, gel 2 to 3 | Three formats per listing |
How to apply LDS gel polish
The LDS application workflow is identical across LDS Gel Polish and LDS Color Craze. The dipping powder and 3-in-1 lines have their own systems.
- Prep the nail. Push back cuticles, lightly buff the natural nail surface, then dehydrate with a nail prep. Skip this step and lifting risk goes up significantly.
- Apply LDS Base Gel. One thin coat. Cure for 60 seconds under LED or 2 minutes UV.
- Apply LDS color (coat 1). Thin, even coat from cuticle to free edge. Cure for 60 seconds LED.
- Apply LDS color (coat 2). Most shades reach full opacity at coat 2. Cure 60 seconds LED.
- Apply LDS Top Gel. Seal with one coat of top, covering the free edge. Cure 60 seconds LED.
- Wipe the tacky layer. If the top gel leaves a residue, wipe with 99 percent isopropyl alcohol. Some LDS top variants are no-wipe.
Care & maintenance for clients
Salon clients who follow basic LDS care guidance hit the 3-week durability target consistently. The three rules to share with clients at checkout:
- Cuticle oil daily. Hydrated cuticles reduce lifting at the proximal nail fold. Recommend the Cuticle Oil & Massage Oil category at ND for client home stock.
- Wear gloves for cleaning. Bleach, ammonia, and acetone-based cleaners attack the gel film. Dish-washing without gloves is the single biggest premature-wear cause salons see.
- Book removal at the 3-week mark. Peeling off gel pulls the natural nail layer. Soak-off removal with 100 percent acetone-soaked cotton wrapped in foil for 10 minutes is the only safe method.
For salon storage, keep LDS bottles upright in a cool, light-protected drawer. Direct sunlight on the bottle accelerates pigment degradation over 6+ months.
LDS beside LAVIS: which house brand for which salon
ND carries two house brands, and salons often ask which to build on. The short answer is that LDS is the wider chart and LAVIS is the deeper specialty range.
| Question | LDS | LAVIS |
|---|---|---|
| How many gel colors? | 1,000 plus across the classic numbers and the Color Craze seasonal sets, the widest chart at ND | 276 numbered colors plus the C collections |
| Cat eye | A handful of 12-color sets (Pastel Fairy, Universal Cat Eye, and others) | The CE1 to CE18 line and the 24-color C collections, several hundred shades |
| Builder gel | Rubber base (Bouncy Blush, 30 tints) rather than a builder line | Builder in the bottle, in the jar, non-sticky, and poly gel |
| Dipping powder | The larger dip range, with 3-in-1 combos on the same numbers | The 2-in-1 acrylic and dip powder |
| Lamps and tools | The LDS lamp in several colors | The LAVIS 2-in-1 UV and LED lamp |
| HEMA-free | Color Craze (Healthy), as listed at ND | Deluxe Gel, cat eye, and the builder line |
Most salons that stock both run LDS as the color wall and the dip system, and add LAVIS for builder, cat eye, and nail art. A salon opening with one brand only picks LDS when its clients are dip-led and shade-hungry, and LAVIS when its menu leans on enhancements and effects.
Building an LDS wall in three orders
- Order one: the chart. A Color Craze 72-color set for the season plus the Nude 72, and the LDS Base and Top gel. That is a working gel wall on day one, swatched by set on the sticks the day it arrives.
- Order two: the dip side. The LDS Dipping Powder Essentials liquids (E.A Bond, Base Coat, Sealer Dry, Top Coat, Brush Saver, sold singly or as a kit) with the pink, white, and clear powders, then the dip numbers of the twenty gel shades clients wear most, or the same numbers as 3-in-1 combos so gel, lacquer, and dip arrive together.
- Order three: wear and retail. Six Bouncy Blush rubber base tints under the gel for the clients who lift, the duos of the top twenty numbers so the pedicure chair matches the manicure, and the lacquer bottles that go home with clients.
From then on the wall is fed by number: singles from the gel, dip, lacquer, and duo pages, and the next seasonal Color Craze set as it drops. Because LDS gel and lacquer match closely rather than perfectly (about 80 to 85 percent on most numbers), the desk keeps one swatch stick per format for the numbers it pairs most.
Wholesale pricing at ND
ND runs a wholesale-for-everyone pricing model on the full LDS catalog. No business license, no minimum order, no membership fee. The Buy in Bulk & Save pages add volume tiers on top of the wholesale price. Free shipping kicks in at $100 across the LDS lineup, and same-day dispatch ships any in-stock LDS product ordered before 2pm PT on weekdays.
Salons that order LDS monthly typically hit the free-shipping threshold on every order. Pairing LDS Gel Polish with LDS Nail Lacquer in matching duos keeps the SKU count manageable while letting salons offer the mani-pedi match service tier.