Acrylic nail powder is a polymer powder that is used in the creation of fake nails. It is used in combination with a monomer liquid, which hardens to form an acrylic resin. The primary ingredient in acrylic powder is polyethylmethylmethacrylate, a combination of 70 percent ethyl methacrylate and 30 percent methyl methacrylate. The combination creates a resin that is flexible and strong, much like natural nails. Without the use of acrylic powder, artificial nails would just be flimsy pieces of plastic that are glued to the nail.

A chemical reaction, referred to as cross-linking, occurs when the acrylic nail powder is mixed with the monomer liquid. This reaction causes long chains of polymer strands to form, which quickly harden and can be shaped to resemble a fingernail. Dyes and pigments are added to alter the resin's appearance. One example is benzoyl peroxide, which is added to the nail powder to create a white appearance. Color stabilizers are also added to prevent the discoloration of the resin caused by exposure to UV rays.

Alterations can be made to the acrylic nail powder to create gel and fiberglass artificial nails as well. By prejoining the monomers into short chains called oligomers, you can create gel nails. Oligomers are several thousand monomers long, making the nails rigid and inflexible when the resin hardens. This gives the fake nails a glass appearance and structure, causing them to shatter when they break.

Fiberglass nails can be made by spreading the polymer acrylic powder and monomer liquid mixture over the top of a fiberglass wrap. A nail technician will wrap the natural nail in a fiberglass fabric and apply the coating.The fiberglass fabric absorbs the resin as it penetrates into the weave. The result is a thin, strong and natural-looking artificial nail.

Acrylic nail powder is very easy to use. After priming the nail, and adding either acrylic tips or fabric wrap, the acrylic nail powder is mixed with the monomer liquid. Mixing the two substances ahead of time will result in the resin hardening too soon, rendering it useless. The mixture is then applied to the nail bed with a nail brush. The manicurist will usually apply the acrylic mixture to the back of the nail bed and spread it towards the tip of the nail.

The vapors produced from the combination of the acrylic nail powder with the monomer liquid are extremely toxic. Pregnant women should refrain from having acrylic nails applied until after childbirth. When using the drill, nail technicians are required to wear dust masks to prevent inhaling the dust particles.