Frequently asked questions
Do PLA gel polish, nail lacquer and powder share the same shade numbers?
Yes. Every PLA shade carries one number across all three formulas, so shade #120 is #120 in the gel polish bottle, the nail lacquer bottle and the 2 in 1 Dip & Acrylic Powder jar. That lets a salon keep one color for a gel manicure, a lacquer pedicure and a dip or acrylic set. Cured gel, dried lacquer and buffed powder can read a little differently under salon light, so swatch a new shade on a tip before promising an exact match.
What is inside each PLA collection set?
Each collection has a main listing with five Types. Gel Polish is one 12 mL / 0.4 fl oz bottle per shade, HEMA and TPO free. Nail Lacquer is one 12 mL / 0.4 fl oz bottle per shade. Dip & Acrylic Powder is one 46 g / 1.58 oz jar per shade. The Gel & Lacquer Duo combines the gel and lacquer bottles, and the 4in1 option adds the powder jars too. Seven collections hold 36 shades and three hold 18 shades, so you get 36 or 18 of each piece.
Can the PLA powder be used for both dip and acrylic?
Yes. The jar is labeled 2 in 1 Dip & Acrylic Powder. For dip, use it with a dip liquid system (base, activator and top) and dip or pour the powder as usual; no lamp is needed. For acrylic, use it with EMA liquid monomer and an acrylic brush. The powder sets do not include dip liquids or monomer, so add those to the same order if you do not already stock them.
Which PLA collection should a salon order first?
For the end of the year, the Holiday collection (#109 to #144) and the Fall collection (#253 to #288) match what clients ask for, and the 18-shade Glitter collection (#291 to #308) adds accents to either one. For a smaller first order, choose one of the 18-shade collections: Here's the Tea or Fashionably Light. Gel-first salons can start with the Gel Polish Type and add lacquer later, while dip and acrylic salons get the most from the powder Type.
Is the 4in1 set cheaper than buying each formula separately?
No. The Gel & Lacquer Duo is priced as the gel set plus the lacquer set, and the 4in1 option is priced as the gel, lacquer and powder sets added together. The combined Types are there for convenience: one listing, one line in the cart and every formula of every shade arriving together. Orders of $75 or more ship free.
PLA at ND Nail Supply
PLA is a numbered color system built around one idea: every shade carries the same number in gel polish, nail lacquer and powder. Shade #120 in the gel bottle is shade #120 in the lacquer bottle and shade #120 in the powder jar, so a salon can offer one color as a gel manicure, a regular polish pedicure and a dip or acrylic set without hunting for a near match from another brand.
This page holds every PLA collection we carry. There are 10 collections covering 306 numbered shades, from #001 to #308. Seven collections hold 36 shades each and three hold 18 shades each. Each collection has a main listing with a Type menu, so you choose the formula (gel, lacquer, powder) or a combination of them on the same product page.
All three formulas come in salon sizes. The gel polish and the nail lacquer are 12 mL / 0.4 fl oz bottles, and the gel polish label states HEMA free and TPO free. The powder is PLA 2 in 1 Dip & Acrylic Powder in 46 g / 1.58 oz jars, made to work as a dipping powder or as an acrylic powder with liquid monomer.
The 10 PLA collections
Each collection below links to its own page, where you can see the shade chart image and pick the Type you need.
PLA Holiday Collection
36 shades, #109 to #144. A fit for November and December bookings, when clients ask for party and gift season colors.
PLA Fall Collection
36 shades, #253 to #288. A full autumn wall in one order, useful for the September to November season.
PLA Glitter Collection
18 shades, #291 to #308. The glitter range, handy as an accent set next to any of the solid collections.
PLA Gram Gram's Rose Garden Collection
36 shades, #001 to #036. The first block of the PLA numbering and the start of the shade chart.
PLA Movies We Love Collection
36 shades, #037 to #072, the second block of the chart.
PLA What Happens in Vegas Collection
36 shades, #073 to #108, the third block of the chart.
PLA She's a Boss Collection
36 shades, #145 to #180, picking up right after the Holiday block.
PLA Here's the Tea Collection
18 shades, #181 to #198. A smaller 18-shade collection, a lighter first order for a salon trying PLA.
PLA Fashionably Light Collection
18 shades, #199 to #216, the second of the 18-shade collections.
PLA What's Cookin' Good Lookin' Collection
36 shades, #217 to #252, the block that leads into the Fall shades.
PLA collections by shade number
Use this chart when a client asks for a PLA number and you need to know which collection holds it.
| Collection | Shade numbers | Shades |
|---|---|---|
| Gram Gram's Rose Garden | #001 to #036 | 36 |
| Movies We Love | #037 to #072 | 36 |
| What Happens in Vegas | #073 to #108 | 36 |
| Holiday | #109 to #144 | 36 |
| She's a Boss | #145 to #180 | 36 |
| Here's the Tea | #181 to #198 | 18 |
| Fashionably Light | #199 to #216 | 18 |
| What's Cookin' Good Lookin' | #217 to #252 | 36 |
| Fall | #253 to #288 | 36 |
| Glitter | #291 to #308 | 18 |
Five ways to buy each collection
Every PLA listing has the same Type menu. The contents scale with the collection size, so a 36-shade collection gives you 36 of each piece and an 18-shade collection gives you 18.
| Type | What is in the box (36-shade collection) | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Gel Polish | 36 gel polish bottles, 12 mL / 0.4 fl oz, HEMA and TPO free | Gel manicure stations |
| Nail Lacquer | 36 nail lacquer bottles, 12 mL / 0.4 fl oz | Pedicures, regular polish, retail |
| Dip & Acrylic Powder | 36 jars of 2 in 1 Dip & Acrylic Powder, 46 g / 1.58 oz | Dip sets and acrylic color work |
| Gel & Lacquer Duo | 36 gel polish + 36 nail lacquer | Matching gel hands and lacquer toes |
| 4in1 Dip & Acrylic Powder + Gel & Lacquer Duo | 36 gel polish + 36 nail lacquer + 36 powder jars | A full PLA wall in every service |
The 4in1 name counts the powder twice on purpose: one jar covers two services, dip and acrylic, on top of the gel and the lacquer.
How to pick the right PLA option
- Gel-first salon: start with the Gel Polish Type in one 36-shade collection, then add the Nail Lacquer Type later for pedicure matches.
- Dip and acrylic salon: the Dip & Acrylic Powder Type gives one jar per shade that works for both services, so you stock one wall instead of two.
- Full-service salon: the 4in1 option puts all three formulas of every shade on the shelf, so any client can move between gel, lacquer, dip and acrylic and keep the same color.
- Hands and feet together: the Gel & Lacquer Duo covers the most common pairing, gel on the hands and regular polish on the toes in one shade number.
- Trying PLA for the first time: pick one of the 18-shade collections (Here's the Tea, Fashionably Light or Glitter) for a smaller first order.
- Seasonal display: the Holiday and Fall collections are the natural picks for the end of the year, and the Glitter collection pairs with either one.
Working with the three PLA formulas
- Pick the number first. Let the client choose from the shade chart, then pull the gel, lacquer or powder with that number.
- Gel polish: prep the natural nail, apply your usual gel base coat, then thin coats of PLA gel polish, curing each coat under a UV/LED lamp, and finish with a gel top coat.
- Nail lacquer: apply over a regular base coat in two thin coats, let each coat dry, then seal with a regular top coat. Lacquer air dries and needs no lamp.
- Dip: use the PLA powder with a dip liquid system (base, activator, top) and dip or pour the powder over the nail as you would any dipping powder. Dip needs no lamp.
- Acrylic: use the same jar with EMA liquid monomer and an acrylic brush to build color acrylic or an overlay.
- Check the match. Gel, lacquer and powder share a number, but a cured gel, a dried lacquer and a buffed powder can read slightly differently under salon light. Swatch new shades on a tip before you promise an exact match.
The powder sets do not include dip liquids or monomer, and the gel sets do not include a base or top coat, so plan those pieces into the same order.
Care and storage
- Keep gel polish bottles closed and away from windows and lamps, since light starts to cure gel inside the bottle.
- Close powder jars right after each client so the powder stays dry and free of dust, and tap the jar instead of shaking it hard.
- Wipe the neck of lacquer and gel bottles before closing them so the caps do not stick.
Store everything at room temperature in a dry cabinet. A shade-number order on the shelf (for example #001 to #308 left to right) makes it easy to pull the same number in all three formulas.
Pricing at ND Nail Supply
Each PLA Type has its own price on the listing. The Gel & Lacquer Duo is priced as the gel set plus the lacquer set, and the 4in1 option is priced as the gel, lacquer and powder sets together, so choosing a combined Type puts everything in one line of your cart without changing the total. An 18-shade collection costs half of a 36-shade collection in every Type. Orders of $75 or more ship free.