Bright red, plum, beige, brown, lilac... What colors of nail polishes the modern beauty industry does not produce. A beautifully designed manicure adorns any woman, instantly transforming her from a simpleton into a well-groomed lady.
There is only one drawback even with the most expensive brands of nail polishes - they don’t last very long. Many women solved this problem by replacing regular manicure with nail extensions. It would seem that everything is fine: for 4 weeks you can forget about the correction. But, as it turned out, this method is full of disadvantages: high price, the procedure takes a lot of time (4 hours), and severely damages the nails. And then a new technology called Shellac came to the aid of our beauties. It's time to figure out what it is and find out how long shellac lasts on your nails. We will find out all the pros and cons of this procedure. Here it is worth listening to the reviews of masters and clients of beauty salons who have adopted this method for themselves.
A few words about the creator
This technology was created by the American company Creative Nail Design or CND for short, which produces cosmetic products for the beauty of nails. It all started in a garage in a small town in California. A group of seven people, united by the desire to make a splash in the beauty industry, were developing and producing innovative manicure products. First, a new acrylic coating appeared, which was immediately adopted by leading nail modeling artists, then the Solar Nail series products went on sale. Following this, the already successful company released a number of innovative products for nail modeling and care, such as Retention+ acid-free acrylic coatings, Moxie material, which can be used in any weather, the revolutionary Brisa gel and much more. But, as they say, there is no limit to perfection. In 2010, Creative Nail Design invented a new product - a hybrid of nail polish and gel. The new technology is called Shellac.
During its production, the developers of this innovation were guided, first of all, by the desires of the women themselves, who want the following:
• so that the product is easy to apply;
• so that the coating is super-resistant;
• so that the product can be easily removed from the nails.
Now you probably won’t find a single fashionista who doesn’t know what shellac gel is. This procedure is in great demand in beauty salons. But we will find out exactly why by reading the following chapters.
Attention! Fake!
Now there are many intermediary companies offering to buy Shellac varnish. These products are not cheap and are in high demand among women. And this has become a good bait for various types of scammers. How to avoid running into such individuals? How to distinguish the original manufacturer from a fake? Firstly, you should pay attention to the bottle of the product. It must have the inscription “CND (Creative Nail Design)” on it. This is the name of the company that produces Shellac varnish. Secondly, you need to look at the country of origin. This can only be USA. If there are inscriptions such as “Shellac Bluesky”, “Shellac IBN”, “Shellac CCO”, and not “Shellac CND”, then rest assured: this is a fake. Thirdly, there is always a protrusion at the bottom of the original cardboard packaging. If it is not there, then it is a counterfeit. Fourthly, it is worth looking at the bottom of the glass bottle. There is always an image of a flower at the bottom of this product. It is not present on the fake. Fifthly, you need to pay attention to the cost of the product. The original cannot cost less than 880 rubles. The low cost of the varnish should alert you.
Shellac manicure samples
How to make shellac
In manicure, shellac nails can be done in different ways, for example, with rhinestones. When using them, follow the recommendations:
- inlay is not done on all fingers; according to the rules of good taste, it is permissible to decorate 1-2 nails;
- the color is chosen carefully so as not to look vulgar.
Rhinestones are glued onto gel polish; no other product should be used. If you follow the technology, the pebbles will hold securely. Stages of work:
- prepare nails for manicure, apply a base coat;
- apply colored gel polish and dry;
- repeat applying varnish and drying a second time;
- apply a thick top coat and immediately attach rhinestones according to the chosen pattern;
- dry your nails under a UV lamp and apply an additional layer of topcoat (no need to cover the rhinestones).
You can place rhinestones on the plates in different ways: decorate each nail with a separate crystal or place rhinestones along the cuticle on several fingers. Decorations are placed in a pattern, geometric shape or asymmetrically; any design can be created.
Shellac with rhinestones
Using shellac you can create any type of fashion design. In 2019, single-color coatings of different colors, matte manicure in a bright palette of colors with drawings and other decorative elements became especially popular. French manicure can mean classic, although today masters use not only white for it.
If you cover your nails with artistic painting, you will get an original and rich design.
Modern fashion uses drawings, paintings and geometric patterns in manicure. You can even experiment with drawings in the form of fruits, insects, and ethnic patterns.
Shellac gel polish is applied after filing off the top layer of the nail plate and applying a base coat to it. There are manicure options without nail deformation.
Applying shellac has its own nuances. Experts advise paying attention to the thickness of the coating: it should be small so that waves and air bubbles do not spread across the nail.
Bright tones of varnish are applied in 2 layers with polymerization of all layers separately. When using a delicate varnish, the first layer may turn out uneven. There is no need to correct the defect; the problem will disappear after the second application of shellac. Apply at least two layers of dark varnish, not forgetting to seal the nail.
The shellac coating is completed by applying a finish. It is applied thicker and takes longer to dry than color coating.
Gel polish can be removed very quickly with a special tool: the longer the coating is left on, the more difficult it will be to remove it.
If you follow the technology for applying shellac, there are no problems. If you work with high-quality certified materials and follow the instructions, even a novice manicurist can quickly achieve success. Shellac helps to create a fashionable design on your nails, taking into account the time of year: summer or autumn. Seasons dictate their fashion trends not only in clothing, but also in makeup and manicure. Today, shellac is not only a novelty in the field of nail design, but also a good way to achieve a beautiful and long-lasting manicure.
Advantages of the procedure
• Strengthens nails. This has become a salvation for those women whose hair is very brittle. The varnish strengthens the nail plate, making it possible to grow long nails.
• Durability of the coating. We already know how long shellac lasts on nails. As a rule, this period is 3 weeks. The coating is not destroyed by household chemicals and other factors. Hands look neat all the time.
• Glossy shine. The coating looks very nice. After all, as you know, Shellac is a hybrid of varnish and gel.
• Large palette of shades. Today, the development company offers its customers a large selection of varnish colors from classic pink and red to trendy turquoise and purple.
• Safety. The original product packaging says "3 Free". This means that it does not contain harmful traditional varnish substances such as dibutyl phthalate, formaldehyde and toluene.
• Easy to remove coating. You can do this yourself at home. To do this, you just need to purchase a special liquid for removing such a coating and foil lining.
The meaning of the nail plate for shellac
Although shellac stays on nails reliably - as long as required: on average 3 weeks, not every nail plate is suitable for such a manicure. Gel polish can only be used on healthy nail plates. They should be even, smooth, without visible damage.
Gel polish can only be used on healthy nail plates. They should be even, smooth, without visible damage.
Any changes in color, irregularities, or spots on the nail plates are a contraindication for this procedure. In addition, on brittle and fragile nails, shellac can last less time than on a healthy and strong nail plate.
Carefully! Any nail plate will suffer if gel polish, even the highest quality, is expired. There is another danger: when the lid is not closed properly and air constantly gets inside. Such gel polishes should be thrown away without regret, because the health of your nails is much more expensive.
Disadvantages of gel coating
There are not many disadvantages to this technology. Some manicurists believe that there are none at all. However, other experts are confident that Shellac varnish is very harmful to nails. Whether this is true or not is anyone's guess. The second disadvantage of the technology is the high cost of the procedure and products for its implementation. In a beauty salon, fashionistas will have to pay from 800 to 3000 rubles for it. In addition, it is worth considering that nails grow, and sooner or later they will have to make corrections. And this is also a costly procedure. Thirdly, the coating can contribute to the appearance and development of fungal infections. The fact is that under the influence of hot temperatures and other conditions, when we, for example, wash dishes or take a bath, our nail expands from heat and moisture. As the temperature drops, it narrows. This leads to nail deformation. Microcracks form on it, which are invisible to the naked eye. Through them, bacteria and dirt enter the nail. The result of all this is diseases, among which the most harmless is fungus. This is where the question arises: “How to remove shellac gel quickly and safely? What to do? Should I immediately run to the salon or try to do it at home?”
How to remove shellac gel?
This is done in several stages:
- Soak cotton pads with a special liquid for removing this coating and place them on your nails. Instead of this product, you can use regular acetone or nail polish remover.
- Wrap your nails tightly with special attachments to prevent the solution from evaporating. You can use regular foil instead.
- After 10 minutes, use a wooden orange stick to remove the coating from your nails.
- Lubricate your hands with a good nourishing cream designed for hands and strengthening nails.
It is worth noting
One of the most important rules to follow when using gel polish is to apply very thin layers.
In addition, each layer of varnish must be thoroughly dried using an ultraviolet lamp for shellac for at least two minutes. If the layer is too thick, it may not dry completely, as a result of which the appearance of the manicure will soon become unusable. That is why the shellac application procedure must alternate with the drying procedure and be repeated several times for each nail.
We recommend: Shellac base and top – what are they for and how are they used
Another important point that guarantees a high-quality manicure with shellac is the correct preparation of the nail plates. It is necessary that first the nails be degreased using a special product, and then a special base must be applied to them, and the base must also be dried in a lamp. Only after this can you choose your favorite shellac polish colors and decorate your nails.
I would like to say a few words about the storage and use of shellac; like regular varnishes, it is best to store it in a dry and dark place with the cap tightly closed to avoid drying out.
How long does shellac last on nails?
It's time to find out how often you need to do this procedure so that your nails are always in perfect condition. Beauty salon professionals assure that shellac coating lasts from 2 to 4 weeks. It is possible that it would have lasted longer. But after 2 weeks the nail grows back and a space appears between its edge and the gel. It doesn't look very aesthetically pleasing. Therefore, many women prefer to make corrections every 2 weeks. True, there are those who are not inconvenienced by this defect, and they agree to re-treat their nails only after 4 weeks.
Application rules
This coating should be applied in several steps, curing each step with a UV lamp. If unfinished areas remain, there is a danger of shellac delamination:
- Dry your nails first. If water or cream is on your hands, even in small quantities, there is a risk of a short-lived coating;
- In order to remove the cuticle, you should use a cream or gel with mild acids;
- Dry your nails only using a UV lamp for no longer than 2 minutes for each layer;
- Monitor the density of all layers. There is no need to apply very thick layers of Shellac, it will curl up during drying;
- Don't forget about the base before the main coat;
- The cuticle must be in order before the gel polish is applied. Otherwise, the coating will not last long;
- It is necessary to ensure proper storage of the product. Cold, heat or direct sunlight are not very good conditions for this;
- Do not mix with acetone or gel polish. This can damage your nails and ruin your manicure.
Positive feedback from women
Many of our fashionistas liked this innovation in beauty salons.
Some people purchase shellac gel on their own and carry out the procedure at home. The most important thing here, in their opinion, is a competent approach to choosing drugs and focusing on positive reviews from friends who had such a manicure in a beauty salon. In this case, the durability of the coating, its aesthetic appearance, and harmlessness can be guaranteed.
We talked in detail about Shellac technology, which is popular in the nail industry today, and also found out how long shellac lasts on nails.
Factors that reduce the wear life of shellac
Sometimes it happens that after a long procedure, unexpectedly after a few days, the gel polish cracks and the nails are in terrible condition. Why does this happen, shellac on nails does not last as long as it was designed for. Often the culprit is the woman’s body.
Gel polish does not adhere well if there are abnormalities in the hormonal system
Gel polish does not adhere well if there are deviations in the hormonal system . Therefore, it is not recommended to do this manicure for pregnant and nursing mothers, or women taking complex hormonal medications.
Skin diseases or abnormalities in the functioning of the thyroid gland or recent surgery may also be the culprits. Gel polish does not apply well to nails that are loose and very soft. If a woman sweats excessively and her hands are constantly wet, shellac can quickly crack and chip.
