Shellac

A review of Shellac:

I first heard about Shellac a few weeks ago. A friend of mine said that she went to get a manicure and was telling the manicurist that polish never stays more than a few days. She said they had a new product that would keep her manicure looking nice for two weeks. Well, the manicure ended up lasting her for 3 weeks an I was very impressed.

Shellac is actually a colored gel that is painted onto the nails just like nail polish. After each layer the hand is placed under the UV light to cure. No damage is done to the nail bed. Only a soft buffing is required before the Shellac is applied. The result is a nice, glossy finish that will last for at least two weeks WITHOUT CHIPPING!!! It's even dry as soon as the last UV cycle is completed, just wash and go. No more waiting for nails to dry and possibly nicking one.

It is more expensive than a regular manicure. I paid $30 for my first one and $35 for my second. I have heard of some places that are as little as $15 and some that are as expensive as $75, so ask first. And make sure the salon is experienced in applying Shellac. It took four different applications the first time I had it because the salon I went to had not used it much and they kept applying it incorrectly. My only other complaint is that if you get a color, in about a weeks time there will be a line of regrowth at the bottom. I could have lasted until 14 days but the separation of color was driving me nuts. That's why I opted for a shellac french manicure the second time.

Day 1

Day 5

Day 10

Shellac french. I couldn't take the new growth so I went back to get French. I had a much more enjoyable experience the second time because I went to a more experinced salon. It is encouraged to have the polish removed in the salon and not at home because a short soaking is required to get the gel off without damaging the nail.