How many tips come in a DND Gel Tip box?

Each DND Full Clear Gel Tip box label reads 1,000 pieces in 15 sizes, plus extra tips in sizes 4, 4.5, 5, 5.5 and 6, the middle sizes that usually run out first. One box holds one shape in one length, so you only stock the looks you actually offer on your service menu.

Which box number is which shape and length?

The 25 boxes run in blocks of five: #01 to #05 are coffin, #06 to #10 square, #11 to #15 stiletto, #16 to #20 almond and #21 to #25 round. Inside each block the length goes from X-Short at the first number to X-Long at the last, so #18 is almond medium and #25 is round X-long. Each shape also has its own label colour, which makes the right box quick to find on a shelf.

Are DND gel tips the same as Gel-X?

No. Gel-X is the name Aprés uses for its own soft gel extension system. DND Gel Tips are DND's own full clear tips, sold one shape and length per box. Both are applied the soft gel way: the tip is bonded to the prepped natural nail with a gel adhesive, flash-cured to hold it, then cured under a lamp.

What adhesive should I use with DND gel tips?

Use a gel tip adhesive that cures under a lamp. LAVIS Soft Gel Tip Adhesive works with most tip brands, and Aprés Extend Gel is a slightly thicker option that gives more control. Retention depends mostly on prep, so dehydrate the nail and size every tip before you bond. On oily or lifting-prone nails, many techs bond with a builder gel from a jar instead.

Why do my soft gel tips pop off early?

The usual causes are incomplete prep, adhesive flooding the cuticle area, a tip that does not fit the nail, a smooth tip interior that was not prepped, and too short a cure. Size each finger before bonding, keep the adhesive thin and away from the skin, flash-cure each tip as you place it, and then cure the whole hand under your full-size lamp.

DND GEL TIPS

DND Full Clear Gel Tips in 25 boxes: five shapes, each in five lengths from X-Short to X-Long, with 1,000 tips across 15 sizes printed on every box label. DTK is an authorized DND reseller.

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What is in a DND Full Clear Gel Tip box

DND Gel Tips come as one box per shape and length, numbered #01 to #25. Every box label we checked reads the same: DND Gel Tip, Full Clear Tip, 1,000 pieces, 15 sizes, plus extra tips in sizes 4, 4.5, 5, 5.5 and 6. Each shape has its own label colour, so the boxes are easy to tell apart on a shelf: pink for coffin, green for square, teal for stiletto, beige for almond and blue for round.

Full clear means the tip is clear from the cuticle area to the free edge, so it can carry any gel colour, a French, an ombre or nail art on top. Pick the box by shape first, then by length, and keep the sizes in their compartments so a full set can be fitted quickly.

The 25 boxes at a glance

Shape	X-Short	Short	Medium	Long	X-Long
Coffin	#01	#02	#03	#04	#05
Square	#06	#07	#08	#09	#10
Stiletto	#11	#12	#13	#14	#15
Almond	#16	#17	#18	#19	#20
Round	#21	#22	#23	#24	#25

The numbering follows a simple pattern: each shape takes a block of five numbers, and the length grows from the first number in the block to the last. If a client rebooks the same look, writing the box number on the client card is enough to reorder it.

Stocking DND gel tips for a salon or home studio

Because every box is one shape and one length, you can build a tip wall gradually. Most desks start with the shapes clients ask for most often in one or two lengths, then add the longer boxes as extension bookings grow. A practical way to plan it:

Start with the short and medium lengths of your two most requested shapes.
Add X-Short boxes if you offer short natural-looking extensions or overlays on tips.
Add Long and X-Long boxes once you take regular nail art and ombre bookings.
Keep the box numbers on your reorder list, so restocking takes one search per box.

Choosing shape and length

Coffin and square: flat free edges, the usual base for French and colour-block designs.
Almond and round: softer outlines that suit clients who want a natural look at any length.
Stiletto: a pointed tip; the longer boxes in this shape are for statement sets.
X-Short and Short: the easiest lengths for first-time extension clients and for clients who type all day.
Long and X-Long: room for nail art and ombre, and for clients who already wear extensions.

Sizing and fit

With 15 sizes in each box, most nails can be matched without filing the tip down. Size and fit each finger before you start bonding: the tip should cover the nail from side to side without pressing into the skin. The extra tips in sizes 4 to 6 cover the middle sizes that run out first on a busy desk. A tip that is too wide or sits on the cuticle is one of the main reasons soft gel tips lift early, so it is worth the extra minute.

What to bond DND gel tips with

Gel tips are bonded with a gel adhesive that is cured under a lamp. LAVIS Soft Gel Tip Adhesive is a brush-in-bottle adhesive that works with most tip brands, not only LAVIS tips, and Aprés Extend Gel is a slightly thicker option that gives more control. Both reach very similar retention when prep is correct: retention depends mostly on nail prep, not on the brand of adhesive. On oily or lifting-prone nails, many techs bond tips with a builder gel from a jar instead of an adhesive for a stronger hold.

Find the adhesive in LAVIS tip adhesive and soft gel tips, and jar builder gel in builder gel for bonding tips.

How to apply full clear gel tips

Prep the nail: push back the cuticle, remove the shine and dehydrate, with a bonder or pH bonder if your system uses one.
Size every finger: lay out the tips for the whole hand before any product goes on.
Prep the tip: a full clear tip is smooth inside, so lightly etch the inside contact area if your adhesive calls for it.
Bond: apply adhesive inside the tip and on the nail, press the tip on at a low angle, flash-cure to hold it in place, then cure the full hand.
Finish: shape and blend, apply gel colour, then seal with a top coat.
Aftercare: ask the client to oil her cuticles and avoid long soaks in hot water for the first days.

Pro tip: keep adhesive away from the cuticle. Flooding the cuticle area is a classic cause of early lifting, and a thin, even layer cures better than a thick one.

Why soft gel tips lift

Incomplete prep: the nail was not dehydrated, or the bonder step was skipped.
Too much product flooding the cuticle area.
A tip that does not fit the nail, or a smooth tip interior that was not prepped.
Not enough curing time under the lamp.

To remove a soft gel tip set, follow the removal steps of the adhesive you used: soak-off systems are buffed through the top coat, soaked and lifted gently, never scraped or drilled off.

DND gel tips and other tip boxes

Gel-X is the name Aprés uses for its own soft gel extension system; DND Gel Tips are DND's own full clear tips, sold one shape and length per box. If you want to compare tip ranges from several brands side by side, see tip boxes from every brand, and for the Aprés system itself go to Aprés Gel-X tips and Extend Gel. Ready-made kits with a lamp are in gel extension kits with a lamp.

Lamps for gel tips

A tip service uses two cures: a quick flash cure to hold each tip in place, then a full-hand cure. Handheld units for the first step are in flash cure lamps for tip placement, and desktop lamps for the second are in lamps for the full-hand cure.

Finishing the set with DND gel

Once the tips are bonded and shaped, the colour work is the same as on natural nails. Pick a shade from DND gel colours to paint on tips, and seal with a DND top from DND base and top for the finish. For the rest of the brand, browse everything DND at DTK.