Frequently asked questions
What are the SNS dip essentials?
The liquids that set SNS dipping powder: E.A Bond, Gelous Base, Gel Base, Sealer Dry, Gel Top, Brush Saver, and Gel Thinner, sold in the SNS run and the SenShine run as 0.5 oz working bottles, 2 oz refills, and kits. The line is made in the USA, no lamp is used at any step, and the brand rates a set at two weeks or longer with proper prep.
What is the difference between Gelous Base and Gel Base?
They are the two SNS bases, the wet layer the powder sticks to before each dip. Gelous Base is the base in Kit 1, Gel Base is sold as a fast-dry bottle and is the base in Kit 2, and the SenShine Kit 3 carries both. A salon buys the kit with the base its techs are used to and restocks that base as a single or a 2 oz refill.
Is a step kit cheaper than the singles?
No. Checked against the 0.5 oz price at ND on the day of writing, Kit 1 and Kit 2 are priced as three singles and the SenShine Kit 3 as four. A kit is the one-order way to open a dip station; the singles and the 2 oz refills are how a station restocks the base and top, which run out fastest.
What is SenShine?
A second run SNS sells of the same liquids, bond, bases, sealer, and top, tagged on its own so a salon can order the run it prefers. The listings do not state a difference beyond the name, so this page does not claim one; a station that depends on one run can hold the other run's bottle of the same liquid as its fallback when one is out of stock.
Why does my base coat thicken so fast?
Air. Base and top thicken every minute the cap is off, so cap between nails rather than between clients and keep the bottles away from the lamp and sunlight. A few drops of Gel Thinner bring a thickened base or top back; a brush that has set once is replaced with a fresh 0.5 oz single, and the 2 oz refill fills that bottle four times.
SNS dip essentials: the liquids that turn SNS powder into a set
This page holds the liquids behind every SNS dip set at ND Nails Supply: 39 active listings of E.A Bond, Gelous Base, Gel Base, Sealer Dry, Gel Top, Brush Saver, and Gel Thinner, in the SNS run and the SenShine run, as 0.5 oz working bottles, as 2 oz refills, and as kits. The SNS Pro color books and the pink and white powders do nothing on their own; the bond prepares the plate, the base holds the powder, the sealer sets it, the top gives the shine, the brush saver keeps the brushes from setting solid, and the thinner brings a thickened bottle back. The line is made in the USA and rated by the brand to hold a dip set for two weeks or longer with proper prep. Everything is wholesale-priced for everyone, no license and no minimum.
What is on this page
| Listing type | Count | What arrives |
|---|---|---|
| 0.5 oz singles | 12 | One liquid in the working bottle with brush, SNS or SenShine |
| 2 oz refills | 12 | One liquid in the refill size, SNS or SenShine, including Gel Thinner |
| Step kits | 5 | Kit 1 (Gelous Base, Sealer Dry, Gel Top), Kit 2 (Gel Base, Sealer Dry, Gel Top), each in SNS and SenShine, and the SenShine Kit 3 with both bases |
| Single-liquid kits | 10 | One liquid, kitted, in SNS or SenShine |
Around fifteen listings are out of stock at any time on this page, so a station that depends on one run should hold the other run's bottle of the same liquid as its fallback; Vitamin Oil and Brush On Glue are drafted at the time of writing and return when they restock.
What each liquid does
| Liquid | Step | Job |
|---|---|---|
| E.A Bond | After prep | Bonds the powder system to the dehydrated natural nail; the step that decides lifting |
| Gelous Base | Before each dip | The wet layer the powder sticks to; the base in Kit 1 |
| Gel Base | Before each dip | The other SNS base, sold as a fast-dry bottle; the base in Kit 2 |
| Sealer Dry | After the last dip and again after filing | Sets the powder hard so it can be shaped, then seals the filed surface |
| Gel Top | Last | Two thin coats for the shine, no lamp |
| Brush Saver | Between clients | Cleans the base and top brushes so powder does not set in the bristles |
| Gel Thinner | As needed | Thins a base or top that has thickened in the open bottle |
The SNS dip steps in order
- Prep. Push back, remove shine, dust, dehydrate.
- E.A Bond. A thin coat on the natural nail, air dry.
- Base and dip. Gelous Base or Gel Base over two thirds of the nail, dip, tap, brush; base over the whole nail, dip, tap, brush; a third coat for strength if the client needs it.
- Sealer Dry. Over the powder, wait, shape and buff, then a second coat of Sealer Dry and a wipe.
- Gel Top. Two thin coats drawn on quickly; the top self-levels. No lamp at any step.
- Brush Saver. Wipe the base and top brushes before capping them.
SNS or SenShine, and Kit 1 or Kit 2
The page carries two runs of the same liquids. The SNS run is the original bottle a salon has used for years; the SenShine run is the second run SNS sells of the same bond, bases, sealer, and top, tagged on its own so a salon can order the run it prefers, and the listings do not state a difference beyond the name, so this page does not either. Within each run, the kits differ by base: Kit 1 carries Gelous Base with Sealer Dry and Gel Top, Kit 2 carries Gel Base with the same two, and the SenShine Kit 3 carries both bases with Sealer Dry and Gel Top for a station that keeps both on the desk. A salon opening SNS buys the kit with the base its techs are used to and restocks the singles as they run out.
Pricing and the kit math, checked against the singles
The step kits on this page are priced as the bottles inside them: Kit 1 and Kit 2 cost three 0.5 oz singles, and the SenShine Kit 3 costs four (checked against the 0.5 oz price at ND on the day of writing). A kit is the one-order way to open a dip station rather than a saving; the singles are how a station restocks the base and top, which run out two or three times faster than the bond and brush saver. The 2 oz refills are the volume tier: one refill fills the 0.5 oz working bottle four times, and a station that pours from the refill keeps a fresh brush bottle for every fill instead of working from a thickened one. The single-liquid kits are priced as kits and the listings do not state a bottle count, so they are not compared per bottle here.
| Format | Against the 0.5 oz single |
|---|---|
| Kit 1 and Kit 2, SNS or SenShine | Same per bottle, three bottles |
| SenShine Kit 3 | Same per bottle, four bottles |
| 2 oz refill | Four fills of the working bottle in one bottle |
| Single-liquid kits | Priced as a kit; count not stated on the listing |
Reorder workflow for an SNS station
- Count by fills, not by bottles. Base and top go fastest, sealer next, bond and brush saver slowest; hold two 2 oz refills of the base the station uses and of the top, and one of each of the others.
- Refill the working bottle, never top it up. Empty and wipe the 0.5 oz bottle before pouring from the refill, so old thickened liquid does not seed the new.
- Use the thinner before replacing. A base or top that has thickened takes a few drops of Gel Thinner; a brush that has set once is replaced with a fresh 0.5 oz single.
- Keep the lids on. Base and top thicken in open air; cap between nails, not between clients.
Storage and shelf life
Store the liquids upright, capped, and out of sunlight and heat; the base and top thicken with air and the sealer evaporates fastest if left open. Do not store the bottles beside the powder jars, since a spill of sealer into a jar sets the powder. A 2 oz refill kept sealed lasts a season; an opened 0.5 oz working bottle is used up in weeks at a busy station.
Wholesale pricing at ND Nails Supply
Every SNS dip essentials listing is wholesale-priced for everyone, with no business license, no minimum order, and no membership fee. The 0.5 oz singles are the working tier, the 2 oz refills the volume tier, and the step kits are priced as the bottles inside them, so they are the one-order way to open a station rather than a discount. Free shipping on orders $100+, and in-stock bottles ordered before 2pm PT on weekdays leave the same day.