Young Nails Speed vs Core vs Cover: Which Acrylic Powder Should You Use?
By Edmond Lin, M1 Nail & Beauty Supply, Markham, Ontario. Last updated 8 October 2026. Set times, colour descriptions and shelf life are taken from Young Nails' published product pages and FAQ.
Young Nails Speed, Core and Cover are three ranges of the same acrylic system, and the main difference between them is how fast they set: Speed powder begins to set in 60 seconds, Cover in 75 seconds and Core in 90 seconds. All three are used with the same Young Nails Nail Liquid. Speed and Core come in clear, white and translucent pinks; Cover is the opaque range, in pinks, nudes and beiges.
In this guide
Speed vs Core vs Cover at a glance
| Range | Begins to set | Can be filed after | Finish | Shades at M1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Speed | 60 seconds | About 4 minutes | Clear, translucent and semi-opaque | 5 |
| Cover | 75 seconds | Not published | Opaque pinks, nudes and beiges | 10 |
| Core | 90 seconds | About 4 minutes 30 seconds | Clear, translucent and white | 6 |
The set times are the ones Young Nails prints on each product page. The filing times come from the Young Nails FAQ, which describes Speed as fast (1 minute before there is no movement, 4 minutes before it can be filed) and Core as medium to fast (1 minute 30 seconds and 4 minutes 30 seconds). Young Nails does not publish a filing time for Cover.
Which range should you pick?
- You work fast and want to move on to filing sooner: Speed. It sets 30 seconds sooner than Core and can be filed about 30 seconds earlier.
- You want more time to place and shape each bead: Core. It has the longest working time of the three.
- You need an opaque pink, nude or beige rather than a translucent one: Cover. Its set time sits between the other two.
- You want a custom colour: Young Nails says its powders can be mixed to make your own blends.
Every shade M1 stocks, by range
| Powder | Colour | Jar sizes |
|---|---|---|
| Speed Clear | Clear | 45g, 85g, 660g |
| Speed White | Bright white | 45g, 85g, 660g |
| Speed Pink | Translucent with a touch of sheer pink | 45g, 85g |
| Speed Frosted Pink | Semi-opaque light milky pink | 45g, 85g |
| Speed Bubblegum | Semi-opaque bright pink | 45g, 85g, 660g |
| Core Clear | Clear | 45g, 85g, 660g |
| Core White | Soft white | 45g, 85g, 660g |
| Core Pink | Translucent with a touch of sheer pink | 45g, 85g, 660g |
| Core French Pink | Bright translucent pink | 45g, 85g |
| Core XXX White | Bright white | 45g, 85g, 660g |
| Core XXX Pink | Medium translucent pink | 45g, 85g |
| Cover Pink | Opaque cool pink | 45g, 85g, 660g |
| Cover Bare | Opaque pastel nude pink | 45g, 85g, 660g |
| Cover Beige | Opaque light cool nude beige | 45g, 85g, 660g |
| Cover Blush | Opaque pink with a glitter sparkle | 45g, 85g |
| Cover Cherry Blossom | Opaque soft cherry blossom pink | 45g, 85g, 660g |
| Cover Earth | Opaque medium warm nude beige | 45g, 85g |
| Cover Flamingo | Opaque bright pink | 45g, 85g |
| Cover Peach | Opaque warm pink/peach tone | 45g, 85g, 660g |
| Cover Rosebud | Opaque rose blush | 45g, 85g |
| Cover Taupe | Opaque gray taupe | 45g, 85g |
Colour descriptions are Young Nails' own. Core XXX White and Core XXX Pink are sold by Young Nails as "XXX" powders and carry the Core set time; Speed Frosted Pink is listed by Young Nails as Speed Frost Pink. Cover Taupe is no longer listed on youngnails.com, so its description is M1's. The 45g and 85g jars suit trying a shade, and the 660g jar is the salon size.
What you need with the powder
| Step | Product | What it does | Sizes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Cleanse | Swipe | Cleanses and dehydrates the nail plate, removing dust, contaminants and oils before product goes on | 8oz, 32oz |
| 2. Bond | Protein Bond | Non-acidic bonder: a polymer that bonds to the keratin of the natural nail and leaves a stickier surface for the acrylic | 1/4oz, 1/2oz |
| 3. Liquid | Nail Liquid Monomer | Low-odor acrylic liquid with optical brighteners and colour stabilizers and no MMA; used with Speed, Core and Cover powders | 6oz, 32oz |
Getting the bead right
These points come from the acrylic section of the Young Nails FAQ.
- The right consistency depends on how much liquid is mixed with the powder. A controlled bead will not run and will not dry too quickly.
- If the brush holds too much liquid, press the back of the brush onto a paper towel for one second to take off the extra.
- The bead should have no dry powder around its edges before you place it.
- If the bead is too wet, the product sticks to the brush while you press it into place.
- You should be able to press the product into place without it sticking to the brush, running into the cuticle or drying before it bonds to the natural nail.
- For the reverse application, Young Nails suggests a bead about half the size of the nail plate, placed at the cuticle area and allowed to run toward the free edge.
Questions nail techs ask
What is the difference between Young Nails Speed and Core powder?
Set time. According to Young Nails, Speed powder begins to set in 60 seconds and can be filed after about 4 minutes; Core begins to set in 90 seconds and can be filed after about 4 minutes 30 seconds.
What is Young Nails Cover powder used for?
Cover is the opaque range of Young Nails acrylic powder, in pinks, nudes and beiges. Young Nails lists Cover powder as beginning to set in 75 seconds.
How long does Young Nails acrylic powder take to set?
Young Nails lists Speed powder as beginning to set in 60 seconds, Cover in 75 seconds and Core in 90 seconds.
Which liquid do you use with Young Nails acrylic powder?
Speed, Core and Cover powders are used with Young Nails Nail Liquid Monomer, which Young Nails describes as low odor and MMA-free.
Can you mix Young Nails acrylic powders?
Yes. Young Nails says its powders can be mixed to create custom blends, including the pinks and the coloured acrylics.
What is the shelf life of Young Nails liquid and powder?
Young Nails gives its acrylic liquid and powders a shelf life of 12 months when stored at room temperature and out of direct sunlight.
Where can I buy Young Nails acrylic powder in Canada?
M1 Nail & Beauty Supply stocks Speed, Core and Cover powders, Nail Liquid, Protein Bond and Swipe in Markham, Ontario, with in-store pickup and shipping across Canada. See the full Young Nails range.
Every Young Nails powder, liquid and prep product M1 has in stock.
Shop Young NailsSet times, filing times, colour descriptions, shelf life and bead advice are Young Nails' own, taken from youngnails.com in October 2026. Jar sizes and shades are what M1 stocked on 8 October 2026; live stock is on each product page.
