Frequently asked questions
What are the NuGenesis dip essentials?
The four liquids that run a NuGenesis dip set, Prep to dehydrate the nail, Base Gel for the powder to stick to, Activator to harden it with no lamp, and Finish Gel for the shine, plus the Brush Softener that keeps the base brush soft after it touches activator. ND sells each in a 0.5 oz bottle and a 2 oz refill, as a four-bottle Dip Kit, and as six-bottle kits of one liquid.
Is the 2 oz refill cheaper than the 0.5 oz bottle?
Per ounce, yes, by a clear margin, checked against the listing prices at ND on the day of writing. A station that dips daily buys the 2 oz refills of Base Gel, Activator, and Finish Gel and decants them into the 0.5 oz desk bottles, which keeps the refill clean and the desk bottle light in the hand.
Are the kits cheaper than the singles?
The six-bottle kits of one liquid are priced a little below six 0.5 oz singles, so they are the reorder for a salon with several dip stations sharing a liquid. The four-bottle Dip Kit of Prep, Base, Activator, and Finish is priced as its four bottles, bought to put a first station's liquids on one order line.
Which bottle runs out first?
Base Gel, because every layer of every set starts with it, including the tip-only coat on a French. Activator is second with two coats per set, Finish Gel third, and Prep and the Brush Softener last. A station doing a dozen NuGenesis dip sets a week holds a 2 oz refill of base plus two desk bottles.
Why does my Finish Gel go cloudy?
Usually because the Activator had not flashed off before the finish went on, or dust was left after buffing. Let the second coat of activator flash, brush and wipe the nail, then apply two thin coats of Finish Gel in quick short strokes. A base brush stiffened by activator also lays uneven resin, which the Brush Softener prevents.
NuGenesis dip essentials: Prep, Base Gel, Activator, and Finish Gel in 0.5 oz and 2 oz
This page holds the liquids that turn a NuGenesis dipping powder jar into a finished set: the Prep that dehydrates the nail, the Base Gel the powder sticks to, the Activator that hardens it, and the Finish Gel that shines it, plus the Brush Softener that keeps the base brush usable. At ND Nails Supply that is 14 listings: the four liquids in a 0.5 oz bottle and a 2 oz refill, the softener in 0.5 oz, a four-bottle Dip Kit of Prep, Base, Activator, and Finish, and six-bottle kits of each single liquid for the salon with several dip stations. The liquids are the same for every NuGenesis color and for the pink and white jars, they set the powder with no lamp, and the listing rates a dip done with them at two weeks of wear or longer. Everything is wholesale-priced for everyone, no license and no minimum.
What is on this page
| Listing | Count | What arrives |
|---|---|---|
| Prep, Base Gel, Activator, Finish Gel | 4 listings, 0.5 oz or 2 oz option | One bottle of one liquid, the size chosen on the listing |
| Prep, Base Gel, Activator, Finish Gel 2 oz | 4 listings | The 2 oz refill on its own listing |
| Brush Softener | 1 listing | One 0.5 oz bottle |
| Dip Kit | 1 listing | Prep, Base, Activator, and Finish, one 0.5 oz bottle each |
| Six-bottle kits | 4 listings | Six 0.5 oz bottles of one liquid, as pictured on the listing |
One of the 14 listings is out of stock at the time of writing. The bottles are numbered on the label in order of use, the Base Gel wears a 2, so a new tech follows the numbers across the station. The 2 oz refill is the working size for a busy station and the 0.5 oz bottle the desk size and the size in every kit.
What each bottle does
- Prep. The dehydrator. Wiped over the prepped nail before the first base so the base bonds to a dry, oil-free plate; it is the step that stops lifting at the cuticle.
- Base Gel. The resin the powder sticks to. Painted thin over the nail before every dip, and on the free edge only for a French tip. It is the bottle that empties first, because every layer of every set starts with it.
- Activator. The liquid that hardens the powder. Brushed over the dipped nail after the last powder layer, again after shaping, and it is what lets a NuGenesis set cure with no lamp. Never let it touch the base brush.
- Finish Gel. The gloss. Two thin coats over the activated, buffed set give the shine the powder is known for.
- Brush Softener. The bottle that saves the other four. A base brush that has touched activator thickens and hardens; a dip of the brush in the softener between clients keeps it soft and the base bottle usable to the last drop.
How the four bottles run a set
- Prep. Push back, remove shine, dust, then a wipe of NuGenesis Prep.
- Base and dip. A thin coat of Base Gel, dip the nail into the powder, tap and brush off the excess. Repeat for a second layer; a third on a thin or short nail.
- Activate. Brush Activator over the whole nail and let it flash off.
- Shape and activate again. File the shape, buff the surface smooth, brush off the dust, and apply a second coat of Activator.
- Finish. Two thin coats of Finish Gel, worked quickly in short strokes so the brush does not drag. No lamp at any step.
- Clean the brushes. Wipe the base brush and dip it in the Brush Softener before the next client, and wipe the neck of every bottle before capping.
Why the liquids matter as much as the powder
Most dip lifting, cloudiness, and brush trouble traces back to the liquids rather than the jar. A base applied thick pools at the cuticle and lifts; a base applied thin and kept off the skin holds. An activator that has not flashed before the finish goes on turns the finish cloudy; a set left to flash and wiped of dust comes up glass-clear. A base brush that was never softened stiffens into a paddle and lays uneven resin, which is why the four-bottle Dip Kit plus a softener is the first order for a new station. The NuGenesis liquids are made for the NuGenesis powders, and NuGenesis powder is the fast-setting kind; a salon that mixes another brand's base or activator into a NuGenesis set is guessing at the chemistry, and any lifting that follows is not the powder's fault.
Bottle counts and sizes for a dip station
| Bottle | Runs out | Hold at a busy station |
|---|---|---|
| Base Gel | First; every layer of every set uses it | A 2 oz refill plus two 0.5 oz desk bottles; the six-pack for multiple stations |
| Activator | Second; two coats per set | A 2 oz refill plus one desk bottle |
| Finish Gel | Third; two thin coats per set | A 2 oz refill plus one desk bottle |
| Prep | Slowest of the four | One desk bottle, a 2 oz once the station is busy |
| Brush Softener | Slowest | One on the desk |
The 2 oz refill is the lower price per ounce, by a clear margin against the 0.5 oz bottle (checked against the listing prices at ND on the day of writing), so a station that dips daily buys the refills and fills the desk bottles from them. The six-bottle kits are priced a little below six singles, which makes them the reorder for a salon with three or more dip stations sharing one liquid; the four-bottle Dip Kit is priced as its four bottles, bought for the order line and the first station.
Storage and shelf life
Cap every bottle straight after use and wipe the neck first; a base that is left open thickens, and a bottle capped over a resin ring will not seal. Keep the activator away from the base, on the other side of the station, so a stray drop never reaches the base brush. Store the bottles upright at room temperature out of sunlight; the base and finish are the two that thicken with age, and a thickened base is replaced, not thinned, because a thinner changes how the powder takes. Decant the 2 oz refill into the desk bottle rather than working from the big bottle, which keeps the refill clean for months.
Wholesale pricing at ND Nails Supply
Every NuGenesis essential is wholesale-priced for everyone, with no business license, no minimum order, and no membership fee. The 0.5 oz bottles sit at one price, the 2 oz refills at one price with the lower cost per ounce, the Dip Kit as four bottles, and the six-bottle kits a little below six singles. Free shipping on orders $100+, and in-stock bottles ordered before 2pm PT on weekdays leave the same day.