Introducing Builder Gel: A Stronger, Healthier Alternative to Acrylics

Question
I had my nails done yesterday and when i was in the salon i saw this sign about some new nail technique that said its not gel and not acrylic its supposed to be better for your nails.  the guy actually said he was going to do them instead of acrylics because my nails were so thin due to me ripping off my acrylics a month before.  the process they used was painting what looked like a clear polish on the tip of my nail and then dipping it into a white powder the painting the entire nail and dipping it into a different powder and then painting it again and dipping it into another powder.  I really like my nails when they were done but today i broke one when i dropped my laptop on it and my nail salon is closed on Sundays and really need to know what it is called so i can go to another salon and have it fixed.

Answer
The most common product used for this technique is called "Backscratcher's Extreme," but most techs refer to this technique as a "tip and dip" or "powder glazing." I've heard that some salons refer to it as "Diamond glazing" or "Diamond nails."

It's simply a brush on resin (aka: Nail glue) dipped in traditional acrylic powder. It produced a very strong enhancement without the monomer (liquid part of acrylic products,) which is the component many people develop allergies to with repeated exposure through sloppy application.

The important thing to remember here is that there's not really such a thing as any product that is "better for" or "healthier for" your nails. If you rip these off you nails then you will rip up your natural nails just like when you ripped off your acrylics.

Damage is done to the natural nails by improper technique when applying the product or when removing it (take the time to soak the product off in acetone-- it takes longer, but it hurts less!)

That being said, powder glazing (my preferred term) is a great process and can produce awesome nails, so I'm glad you like it! The only thing to keep an eye on is that the resin is not as complex a polymer as gels and acrylics and will eventually become brittle and begin to chip, break, and lift more easily-- you may find that you'll need to remove them (by soaking, not ripping) and replacing them more often.