Gel polish and gel: what is the difference, pros and cons, differences, ranking of the best 2022

Advantages and disadvantages of gel polish

Shellac (another name for this coating), like any manicure product, has its positive and negative characteristics. So its advantages are:

• quick drying – dries within a few minutes;
• easy painting - applied with a regular brush;
• strengthening of nails - the plates become stronger;
• coating durability – lasts up to three weeks;
• preservation of the original appearance until the next manicure;
• the ability to neither smudge nor chip, nor weigh down the nails;
• no unpleasant odor.

But along with the advantages, shellac also has disadvantages. They are that:

• To dry it, you need a special device - an ultraviolet lamp;
• To remove the coating you need a special product;
• it takes a lot of time to remove it;
• You cannot continuously apply gel polish; you must periodically give your nails a break;
• Possible allergy to shellac components;
• cannot be used on weak, thin nails;
• also contraindicated for diseases of the nail plates;
• not recommended for thin and sensitive cuticles;
• a small palette of colors;
• high cost of both the gel polish itself and related materials.

But beauty industry manufacturers do not stand still and every year they strive to improve something, for example, by expanding the color range of this innovative product.

What is gel

Gel differs from gel polish in composition and purposes of use. This material has a porous structure that, when hardened, forms a dense coating. This property is used:

• to strengthen nails;
• plate alignment;
• building up.

Manufacturers produce a colorless product, sometimes with a pink or peach tint. The elements included in the composition do not harm the nails. The product is used sparingly.

The gel stays on the nails for a long time without visible damage - this is the main advantage of the material. Disadvantages: the coating can only be removed by cutting, the choice of shades for application is small.

Advantages and disadvantages of varnish

Conventional decorative coating, like shellac, is imperfect, so it has both pros and cons. Its positive points are that:

• easy and quick to apply;
• also easily and easily removed;
• washable with regular liquid;
• has a wide color palette;
• it has a low price.

The negative characteristics of the varnish are as follows:

• short-lived - lasts from 3 to 7 days;
• tends to smear, chip, smear;
• takes a long time to dry;
• has a strong specific odor;
• may cause an allergic reaction.

It was these shortcomings that made manufacturers think about creating a more advanced coating.

How to use it correctly

Another important difference between gel polish and regular polish is the complexity of its application. For a self-manicure, you will need to purchase, in addition to several shades, other products. This is nail oil, base coat, fixative, and a special lamp. You need to study well how to use gel polish correctly. Not everyone knows how its application differs from a simple manicure.

First you need to treat your nails, remove all the irregularities on them. Then apply the base coat. Dry it. Only after this is the gel polish applied. It hardens only under the influence of ultraviolet rays, so you need to dry your nails under a special lamp. On top you need to cover your nails with a fixative, which also needs to be dried.

Some women, trying to save money, make mistakes that ruin their manicure and make it less durable. Most often, instead of a layer of expensive coating, they apply regular varnish. This causes it to become weak and crack within a few days. Acrylic paints cannot be used for these purposes either. You need to remember that nails coated with gel polish need to be looked after daily. It is recommended to lubricate the cuticle with special oil.

Similarities and differences between gel polish and varnish

Since shellac is an improved product created on the basis of classic varnish and gel for nail extensions, they therefore have common characteristics:

1. They have a similar consistency.
2. Equally easy to apply with a regular brush.

Shellac has a number of properties that differ from regular manicure, because it was created to eliminate the shortcomings of the latter:

1. If a classic manicure lasts up to 7 days, then a gel polish can last up to 21 days.
2. A regular coating takes a long time to dry, but does not require special equipment, while shellac dries much faster, but this requires a special device.
3. The classic coating is removed using a conventional product, but to remove its improved competitor, a special liquid is required.
4. A manicure with gel polish costs much more than a classic manicure.
5. Unlike varnish, shellac does not have a sharp and unpleasant odor.
6. The color scheme of conventional varnishes is more varied than that of gel varnishes.

Still, in terms of their characteristics, these two products are very different.

Compound

The main myth that used to frighten girls when using any pigment is their danger. It is connected with the fact that almost all formulations previously contained one of three dangerous components:

1. Formaldehyde.
2. Toluene.
3. Dibutyl phthalate.

The substances are dangerous for the girl’s entire body, as they affect the condition of the liver, kidneys, pancreas, and disrupt blood circulation and normal metabolism. Because of this, even a one-time wear of the design led to negative consequences.

However, now most packages of the formulations contain the inscription “3/5/7 FREE”, which indicates the absence of major harmful additives and their derivatives.

The composition of the dyes itself is standardly the same:

• Pigment. The saturation of the shade when applied to the nail bed depends on its quality and quantity;
• Thinners. Provides adhesion of the dye to the nail and ease of removal;
• Photoinitiators. Polymers and monomers, which are responsible for the polymerization of the decorative coating in an ultraviolet lamp;
• Film formers. Ensure the density of the manicure and prevent its deterioration under the influence of external factors;
• Fragrances, fillers to increase the elasticity of the composition.

Most shellacs and gels are now made hypoallergenic, so an allergic reaction to them is rare.

As a standard, more thinners are added to shellac, so it has a longer shelf life.

Application method

There are several features of the application of the composition that should be taken into account, however, their saturation depends on the amount of pigment added by the manufacturer. The number of layers that need to be applied to the nail depends on this.

The basic technology for using solutions is followed, but shellac does not require the use of a primer, since it itself has high adhesion to the surface.

The method of applying pigments is similar:

1. Performing nail treatment. When working with gel, it is not necessary to completely sand the plate, since the composition is self-leveling.
2. Applying dehydrator.
3. Apply and dry the top.
4. Distribution of 1-3 layers of pigment, which depends on its density.
5. Fixing the work with topcoat and drying it.

Also keep in mind that shellac most often does not have a sticky layer, and at the end of working with gel polish you need to use a special product to remove it.

Duration of wearing

Since the compositions and methods of drying the coating are the same, there are no significant differences in the duration of wear of the work. It depends on the length of the nail, as well as the quality of the manipulations performed by the nail service technician.

The minimum period for wearing shellac and gel is 2 weeks. During this period, the marigolds remain in the same condition even in the presence of mechanical stress on them. However, most often both decorative coatings last up to a month or more if the client handles his hands carefully during this period.

The optimal time to perform manicure correction is 3 weeks, but not all girls take this parameter into account.

The only differences are in the type of coating damage:

• Due to the high adhesion of shellac, it can chip and scratch along with a woman’s nail bed if there is strong pressure on it;
• Gel polish is most often subject to peeling, it moves away from the surface, which is why a void appears underneath it.

Reviews

Karina: for me shellac is like a godsend. I am a busy person, I work, I have a family, two children. Constant washing, cleaning, cooking. I don’t always remember to wear gloves when doing housework so as not to damage my manicure. At the same time, when I come to work I must have well-groomed hands. Regular manicure, unfortunately, does not have this opportunity. Firstly, in order for it to dry completely and be able to do household chores, more than one hour must pass. I don't have that much free time. With gel polish coating everything is much simpler - it dries quickly and is not afraid of either water or impacts on various interior items. What can you say about classic manicure?

Tamara : I use both shellac and just varnish. I am a creative person, so I don’t like monotony. In this regard, I like regular varnish, which can be easily washed off and painted on again, but with a different color. And you can do this at least every day. But this is only if you have a lot of time. When this is not the case, shellac comes to the rescue. Its ability to maintain its original appearance for at least a week is an undeniable advantage compared to conventional coating. But there is another nuance here, this is the cost. Shellac is more expensive than a regular manicure. In this case, everyone chooses what is more valuable to them, time or money.

Irina : my first acquaintance with gel polish manicure was unsuccessful. And all because I decided to save money. I think I might not like it, I’m doing it for the first time, why pay more. My manicure peeled off without even lasting 7 days. Although I heard reviews from girls that this coating lasts for almost three weeks. I talked to friends and work colleagues who did shellac, some of them got their nails done in the same salon, with the same master. The second time I didn’t save money and went to the recommended specialist. And indeed, the shellac lasted more than two weeks. Until the nails had grown quite significantly, and simply from an aesthetic point of view it was ugly. As the master explained to me, gel polish products come in different qualities, from conscientious and not so conscientious manufacturers, and the level of skill of those doing shellac manicures also varies. Therefore, it is still worth contacting trusted professionals and well-established salons.

Svetlana : During the period of spring vitamin deficiency, my nails began to peel a lot. The view is naturally depressing. You already need to take off your gloves, but where should you hide your hands? I decided to disguise the imperfections with a manicure. But as the master at the beauty salon told me, the disguise will not last long, even if covered with shellac. Therefore, she advised me to first treat the nail plates with special strengthening agents, and then come for a manicure. The master turned out to be honest. After some time, having eliminated the consequences of vitamin deficiency, I got a manicure with gel polish on the advice of the master. According to her, nails coated with this improved product begin to grow faster and become stronger. Although I didn’t believe it at first. It turned out to be in vain, I began to notice that the nails really became stronger and stopped peeling.

Listening to the advice of a manicurist, taking into account all the advantages and disadvantages of varnishes, you need to choose the type of coating that is needed at a given time.