Introducing CND Shellac Hybrid Nail Color
Exciting news Fanatics! On my last day in NYC I tweased (tweet teased) about a secret nail service I received. I randomly mentioned it here as well and now I can finally share it with you.
CND is launching a brand new product that will make you DIY manicurists seriously consider going back to the nail salon. It’s so amazingly different that if I didn’t write this blog I would be a regular customer and that’s saying a LOT. I’m proud to introduce you to Shellac™!
CND (Creative Nail Design), the leader in professional nail, hand and foot beauty, is proud to introduce the first hybrid nail color after nearly five years of development in its state-of-the-art laboratory. Now you can say good-bye to chips, smudges, and dry time and say hello to Shellac™ Hybrid Nail Color! This revolutionary product applies like polish, wears flawlessly for 14 days of high gloss shine, and is removed in minutes.
If long lasting wear and polish-like application don’t draw you in, the removal certainly will. Check out my experience with Shellac™ and learn more about this revolutionary product after the jump!
So here’s my story. A few weeks ago I spotted a post on the Nails Magazine Blog about this “Top Secret Nail Color” from CND and because I’m the curious type I asked CND’s Co-Founder Jan Arnold about it the first chance I got. Much to my surprise and utter delight, Jan offered to arrange a preview of what she was calling the “magic secret.”
Throughout the week I heard little hints about this top secret product. Things like “no smell” “long-lasting wear” “will get women back in the salon” etc. Being a long time DIY girl you can imagine how the skeptic in me reacted to that last statement. I RARELY receive a salon manicure that wows me enough to go back, what could possible be so magical I’d even consider doing it on the regular?
Thoughts ran through my mind such as, “Is this just another soak-off gel polish?” I mean, big whoop! Been there, bitched about the removal. Besides, would Jan really be all secretive and excited over a product that’s already on the market? If not gel then what kind of traditional polish could guarantee long lasting wear? We’ve all heard those claims before. Could she be planning a rival to Minx that actually lasts? That doesn’t have a chemical smell. Well, when I finally got to the CND Suite to meet Roxanne Valinoti for my super secret magic service all my questions were put to bed.
Shellac™ truly is a hybrid of traditional nail polish and UV gel polish. Unlike soak-off gels it comes in a polish bottle and unlike traditional polish it cures/dries under a UV lamp. Though what I really liked is there is NO BUFFING. There is absolutely no damage to the natural nail in the process. So how does it work?
Shellac paints on like polish – base coat, color, top coat – and is cured in a UV light so there is zero dry time. The colors are hypo-allergenic, and “3-Free” – no formaldehyde, toluene or DBP. Shellac will launch in a range of 12 varieties of shades, from pretty French pinks and whites, to siren red and rich darks. The formula is thin and flexible like polish, so it not only looks natural, it provides strong natural nail protection with a resilient mirror finish that resists dullness and chipping, even during the most rigorous activities.
Just like your average manicure, Roxanne applied a base coat, two coats of polish and a top coat. The only difference is I placed my hands under a UV lamp in between coats. The polish dries completely in only two minutes. Say hello to winter pedicures that won’t leave your feet freezing or your polish wrecked. And because it’s so pigmented and applies like a traditional polish you’re not left with thick nails from coat after coat of gel.
I left the suite with a perfectly glossy, smudge and dent-free manicure in a fan fave from the old CND collection, Fedora. The initial set of shades will include top sellers from the old core line. To be honest, they’re a little bland for my wild color taste but I’ve been assured that more “me” shades are on the horizon.
I flew home the day of my Shellac-ing so I didn’t get a chance to take a pic on Day One but I couldn’t stop staring at my nails. I even ran into an editor backstage who complimented my color and it was hard to keep my trap shut. I wanted to gush about how great my nails looked. It is the BEST professional manicure I’ve ever received and I’ll swear on my polish stash about that!
Since I came home with the Fashion Week Flu (thanks NYC!) the first time I was mobile enough to photograph my nails was on Day 5. Will you look at that shine and flawless finish?
And because I wanted to swatch some polish, I ended up removing Shellac from three nails and just as Rox promised, the removal was a breeze. When they say it’s a 10 minute removal, that’s no joke! After just 10 minutes using the Shellac Remover Wraps the majority broke right off in pieces and what remained was easily pushed off with an orange wood stick.
As amazing as Shellac is on, removal is just as satisfying! No soaking, drilling or filing is necessary. Nails are wrapped in individual Shellac Remover Wraps -integrated cotton pads that limit finger and skin exposure to acetone by keeping it pinpointed on just the nail. Ten minutes of time in exchange for two weeks of perfect color is all it takes. Say good-bye to manicure frustration and hello to pure manicure satisfaction.
Here we are on Day 7 which is when I made this discovery. I had to leave the house so I dug out my bottle of Fedora and was pleasantly surprised to find that Shellac Fedora actually matches Fedora. What a concept! Are you listening OPI Axxium?
Today is Day 14 of my Shellac manicure and with the exception of my natural nail growth and extremely minimal tip wear, the finish is as glossy and perfect as Day 1. Like you wouldn’t know I didn’t just get my nails done unless you held my free edge up to your face. There are no scratches, no nicks, no wrinkling from my nails bending. The flexibility and shine really do hold up. Color me impressed!
So I know you die hards are saying the only way you’ll go to a salon is kicking and screaming. That you love the concept but would rather do it at home. That you’ll never give up your hundreds (or thousands) of color choices. Hey, I hear ya! But for all those women who left the salon because their manicures chipped in a few days, Shellac will wow you. Current salon clients will rejoice to reduce their appointments to once every two weeks.
Is Shellac for everyone? No, but it’s truly unique and the best option for anyone who wants a long lasting manicure. Period! I fully intend to get Shellac pedicures once they’re available in my area and I would love to gift my mom a Shellac-ing since she sports chipped polish way too often.
Shellac™ by CND is a professional salon service launching globally in May 2010. Pricing will be determined by salons but I anticipate it falling somewhere between a traditional manicure and enhancements.
So what do we think? Anyone ready and willing to give Shellac a try? What colors would you like to see included in the Shellac lineup? Would you opt for a Shellac pedicure over a manicure?
***EDITED TO ADD – To find a Shellac salon near you, use the salon locator on the CND website.***
Disclosure: I was furnished with a service by CND for potential review. For more info view my Disclosure Policy.
My Shellac lasted just over 3 weeks. Even then only one nail started to chip. Fantastic. Feel naked without it
Best stuff ever,huh? I trashed my collection of nail polish, cause a shellac attack is the only way to go!!
With shellac do you go in and get fills every two weeks? Or do they completelybrermove it and reapply all new polish?
You have to have it removed and reapplied each time but the removal is so much easier than acrylics. You can’t do fills with Shellac.
Plus, that way you get to change up your colour every two weeks! What’s not to love about it?
I. Can’t. Wait. to try it!
I think it arrives in Australia in the next week or so…
It’s in Port Melbourne at Feeling Smooth – my girlfriend had it done yesterday and I’m going next week – she loves it! I can’t wait!
Can you apply this over acrylic nails?
Just wondering if the removal of the shellac polish will also breakdown/remove the acrylic.
Thanks
since you dont soak off into a bowl, you wont damage the acrylic just make sure you dont leave the cotton longer than 10 minutes.
My shellac french manicure lasted for 3 weeks and still looked great! Only reason I had removed was I was also getting a shellac pedicure. It looks great also!
I had shellac done and it cost the same amount as a full set! My nails grew very fast so after a week I have to remove it. They also started doing that irritating lifting at the top and my hair gets caught when I wash my hair etc. This service is great for week+ vacations but its cheaper to get a full set because then you only pay for fills and not the full price each time. I am trying to acetone them off now and its time consuming. But I would do it again. I have never had a french last a week. It usually lasts a day before chipping.
I love my Shellac! It has lasted well for 14 days. My only complaint is with cracking. I have on the Cream Puff (white). The cracking started around day 3 and is on four of my nails. The nail tech says it is a combo of my soft nails along with the light color. But I am not convinced of that. Has anyone else experienced any unusual cracking?
It gets better the more you have it done. I had problems with the first 2, but the 3rd has been great, not perfect, but better than a traditional manicure!
Mine is cracking as well and I used the hot pink color. It started cracking the day I went back to the gym which was about day 4.
I’m hearing tales that some salons aren’t using the right lamp or correctly applying the product, which is a shame. Did the salon have a CND UV lamp? From what I understand the lamps all have different types of bulbs and if the lamp isn’t powerful enough, the Shellac won’t cure properly.
Not sure about the cracking, but ive had infills for years and years,im finding shellac an alternative or should i say a safe alternative to that ,wouldnt say its cheaper,were all looking for that,but im giving it a go………..
I’ve had 3 shellacs so far. Found that plain, light colors work best for me. The French had problems with the white peeling off. But, the last I had done,Negligee, has lasted going on 3 weeks! I’ve had to file off a few rough edges, but the nail growth is fantastic! They are super strong and healthy. Much better than having to put on top coat every day or 2, risking more dents and flaws. Get rid of those nasty acrylics and go for shellac!
Rebecca, I just had my 4th shellac. I love them. I wore acrylics for about 20 yrs and ended up with a couple of damaged nail beds due to the buffing.
When I had my first shellac my nail tech said to buff off or file any rough edges that came up. The next time when I went in she said she was told not to file or buff the rough edges as it would break the seal on the shellac and cause it to peel off.
It is so nice to have a nail that actually appears to be mine and stays looking nice for so long.
I don’t do gel-nails, but apply polish directly on my nails. Is Shellac for me? Also, do I need the UV lamp or can I get similar results w/o it?
what causes the white to crinkle under UV lamp? I put on a very thin layer.
you probably have oils remaining on your nails, didnt dry it completely o totally not thin enough!
The lamp may not be the right wattage, or you need to change the lamps b/c it is not working at full strength. If you are using the lamp often the lamps inside needs to be changed at least every 3 months. Or maybe the application is not thin enough. When you apply the first later of the white tip it should be a little see-through. The second layer will make it opaque. The same goes for using all other colors.
My Shellacs stayed fresh and new for 24 days at the beach with salt water, suntan lotions, and sun! Only one nail chipped on day 18. My nail tech could not believe how well they held up. We thought about taking a picture after we had removed the polish. My suggestion, put cuticle oil on every night before bed. It helps them from drying out. I have only had nails put on once. My natural nail grows very well, but chipping and breaking has always been an issue. Polish has never stayed on, so clear was the only thing for me until Shellac. I will never have another “normal” manicure. Love the Shellacs!!!
Just looked at your article on Shellac. Slightly disturbed actually. I had this put on my nails at a “ladies evening” a week ago. It’s peeled and chipped and scratched. I wasn’t told how to remove it prior to application. Now I’ve been told I have to go to the salon and pay to have it removed. Is there really no other way to get this stuff off?
No, you can do it at home, you just have to soak them in nail polish remover and with a napkin, after about 10 minutes, rub it off and keep doing it until it is all out
I would like to try this but only do natural nail manicures due to a bad experience with what was left of my nail after taking off ONE acrylic that was supossed to be a temporaty fix…how is the nail when you remove the shellac?
The nail is fine, it will not damage or soften or thin out. My nails have grown more and are stronger since I started using shellac
since it doesnt contain formaldehyde and no buffing involved, it actually leaves your nails very strong and smooth enough to follow up with a new shellac application.
What steps do you recommend to do removal of shellac while wearing on your own nails? tried gloves but seemed to “roll-off” the color on my nails.Also have question to pedicures how to cut and shape nails that are extremely hard without soaking them first and will that ruin application of shellac during pedicures? Please send response quickly /
I am so excited! I got my first Shellac application today. I went to Isabella Nail Bar in Oakland (Montclair). What a fabulous experience. The staff was welcoming and polite. The Shellac process was no different than getting a regular manicure, with the exception of the UV light between each coat. The polish colors are limited, but I love the color I got. The best part, no dry time. After the last time under the light I was dry. I kept worrying about smudging them, but they were totally dry! Love it so far. I paid $32.
I would like to know if i can purchase the lamp,
snd polish,so i can do my nails at home?I live far away from the city about 100 miles,this would be convient for me. Thanks
The uv lamp dryer (74.00) and polish (19.49) are on sale on Ebay and Amazon.
I LOVE my shellac nails! They still look wonderful 7 days later! And they only cost me $15 at Shear Dimensions in Ormond Beach, Florida. No cracking or peeling either.
hey I have experienced the same with french manicures, the peeling and rolling at the free edge, I know we need to go very thin with each coat, but we need coverage too… Any ideas??? Loving Shellac in Colorado!!! Suzy’s Spray Shack
you probably not using a very strond uv lamp, you must try curing two nails at a time and proceed with other two nails in the other hand… this way you wont waist time. cure for 2 minutes each coat.
I just love Shalliac, lasts for my customer more than 3 weeks. CND is on back order since June, they are telling my rep. not til the end of August. I need help, running out of base & top coat. Please help, need to buy. Send me a e-mail to blfigueroa@comcast.net….Thanks
Has anyone tried painting over Shellac with regular polish? Will it cause it to bubble?
Thanks!
polish will never blend, and/or dry completely.
I had the shellac on my nails for 2 weeks. They were growing very quickly away from the cuticle so I buffed them (medium) and put a Sally Hanson polish over and voila they dried nicely and FAST! I love the shellac nails but the person that applied it buffed my one nail so thin that it split up the center about 1/4 of the way
so I will use regular nail polish until it grows out a bit and when I get them done again, .. I will try them without the buffing.
Make sure you tell your nail tech not to buff with Shellac. Buffing is wrong with this product and its the whole reason I love it. She was not properly trained if she is buffing with Shellac
Thank you for the reply. I thought so
I had my third Shellac done today, and I am never going back to acrylic full sets. my natural nails & cuticles are problematic, which is why I started acrylics, and I’ve loved the look of a “normal” pretty nail with them. but the downside to acrylics for me was the inflexibility (which means I can’t play my musical instruments) and the toxicity of the soak-off – I have lupus, and the acetone burns my skin and induces a flare-up.
because I was unable to make a two-week appointment, I had to go 3 weeks this last time, but not only did the Shellac look as great at 21 days, I was able to put a regular polish over it while out of town, for a color change, and was able to remove just the regular polish later without damaging the Shellac. and small nicks in my own nails were easily filed down without damaging the integrity of the Shellac.
as far as I’m concerned, any additional expense incurred with Shellac is worth it!!
Can anyone tell me if they had a problem with having their nails buffed down too far?
My Shallac peel off after 4 days all gone!!
I spent $30 in this manicure and it was horrible. It lasted me a week, as soon as my nails started growing out it chipped off from the back. I wasn’t told there was a special process to take it off. I went back and asked how to get it off and they wanted to charge me ANOTHER $30 to take it off. It was guaranteed for 2 weeks but they wouldn’t honor the guarantee by fixing it. I’d never do this again!
I went to a Salon to get the shellac manicure before my vacation. This lady totally ruined my nails. The first red flag was when she used the drill to ‘rough’ my nails up prior to putting the polish on. I thought maybe it needed to bond (to my nails). She proceeded to the the french mani. and they looked horrible. I told her there was no way-I was walking out the salon with my nails looking like crap. She then took the drill and “removed” them and then tried to “sell” me on acrylics. It was my first time trying them, so I didn’t know what to expect, but that wasn’t what I expected at all. Stay away from Super Nail Care Studio on West Rd in Houston.
We JUST started protocol at the salon where I work for Shellac. Two of our stylists had it done to test it out, and despite the fact that they have their hands in water half the day, I think after two weeks one of them only had two minor chips on the corners, and the other was flawless. I can’t wait until we start actually selling this service.
THE SHELLAC POLISHES GET VERY THICK-VERY QUICKLY. IS THERE A PROFESSIONAL THINNER WE CAN USE?
Dawn I would suggest contacting CND. I don’t have any knowledge of the technical side of Shellac to offer. Sorry.
I just had my first Shellac manicure and I love it. One woman in the salon was on day 23 and her nails looked like she just had them done except for the area that had grown out at the base. I love the wet look and the fact that they are dry instantly. I think the people that have had cracking or peeling experienced a poor salon prep. If you have any oil on the nail at all it won’t stick. As salons get more experienced with this product I think that will change. Well worth it for me!
For 15 years I have had french manicures every week on natural nails. They would chip after a few days. With Shellac I am now able to go every 2-3 weeks. It has allowed my 1 flaking nail to completely stop flaking. I have 1 nail that spilts, it not longer splits. I am happy to pay $40. and I remove at home before I go to manicurist by using non acetone remover on a cotton paid, place on the nail, wrap in foil. I let it soak about 10 minutes. I do one hand at a time and it comes right off. Use an orange stick or something that will allow you to peel it off.
Then just take the residue off like you would regular polish with a cotton ball and polish. This product will change the nail business. At this time the only problem other people are having is the nail tech that is applying it or the availability of the product.
I have even gardened and used windex on the windows with out huring my nails. I would love to buy stock in this product. I am sure it will change the nail business.
I have had the gel three times and each tme my nails developed larger and larger white spots. The last time the nail was lifting from the nail bed. the nail tech also had the lifting problem and has discontinued use on her own nails. Beware.
Do you know what type of gel she used? There are a lot of gel polishes, gel hybrids and traditional gels on the market. Was she using Shellac or something else?
Because my nails peel horribly, I am re-painting them every other day or getting manicures once a week So, imagine my surprise when my nail tech friend grabbed a hold of me and slapped on the Shellac (in the smokin’ hot Red Baroness color). I am going on Day 7 and my nails literally look as shiny and perfect as the day I got them done. This is unheard of for me and I am loving the results.
My only issue is that I am a die-hard OPI girl, and the color selection of the CND Shellac at this point is pretty slim. Hopefully they’ll add more to their collection!
Right there with ya Mariane: a dedicated OPI girl myself. But Axxium can’t touch this stuff. LOVE SHELLAC!
I’m crazy for a perfect manicure and gave it up entirely when my kids were little because I couldn’t touch up every day like I needed. This stuff is as good as promised.
I just had n=my third shellac and I love the way it looks and lasts!! I have to travel to get this done…with all the excitement about it I find it hard to believe I can’t find a salon in the Boston Brookline Norwood area?? Anyone know if it will soon catch on in this area??
You can go to the cnd website, there you will find a salon locater for salons that offer shellac. There seems to be quite a few in MA…like one in Cambridge, for instance. Some salons might offer it, kind of like a trial run, and not advertise it. The place I went to in RI is not even on the site’s list.
I was just wondering what people are paying for the shellac manicures and pedicures????
I pay $40.00 for a shellac mani…
I pay $26 with a mani, $18 for removal and reapplication without a mani. Lehigh Valley, PA
My mom was charged $24, but when i went to the same place a few days later they charged me $20….hopefully it’ll stay within that range (keeping beautifully manicured fingers crossed)
I told a co-worker about this article and she immediately made us both an appointment. Before I became a mom I had a million colors of polish and would keep them up, touching them up every other day, etc.
I LOVE this manicure. Me and the co-worker were still holding our hands in the “manicure” pose, but was assured by our manicurist we didn’t need to be so gentle and she was right!
My manicure is over a week old and it shines as much as day one. I’ve done dishes, packed for a trip, cleaned out the fish tank twice (including swishing out the gravel, spent long work hours typing and all I have is one minor chip to show (and that was from directly banging my nail on metal gym locker).
My manicurist was wonderful, told us she’d do touch ups if needed and removals both free. My only complaint is the rather limited colors, which I heard will be updated this fall. Oh, and now I have to budget my money to include this expense, but it’s going to be worth it.
I do my own Shellac-ing at home with a light I bought off of Amazon (45watts/2hands) for $60; NOT the official light. I’ve bought the product off of eBay and get weeks of perfect wear.
Don’t want anyone to think I’m an eBay seller of this stuff because I’m not, but I did have problems with 2 of 3 eBay sellers I used. I’ve noticed on Amazon that the sellers are honest about the fact that when you order Shellac base or top coat you are really just getting in line to get it soon because they don’t have it in stock. But Amazon sellers prices are higher.
This product is great for home use because it’s as easy as painting your own nails and using cotton balls to soak it off works just fine. Keep in mind I am a dedicated, lifetime DIY girl. Pedicures professionally done, but never mani.
I’ve been searching for a light for myself. I’m a licensed nail tech but want to do my own nails at home. Don’t mind only having one handed dryer but was curious of specs on light to make sure it dries the shellac completely. Is 45watts the minimum wattage necessary or can a 36w work?
I’m definitely interested in trying this. For the people who have had problems, this is what I’ve learned from my experiences with Minx (a product I love) — ask the salon if they’ve been trained in the use of the product by the manufacturer. If they are doing in-house training with no help from the manufacturer, they might be a disaster.
We have been using this product since May in our Salon in Huntingdon, PA. The feed back is wonderful. I thought I would be the perfect one to try this out on with my hands being in water so much. I had Shellac on for almost 3 weeks. I love the product. The clients are loving it and most of my nail clients are converted to Shellac. Can’t wait to see the new colors in March.
Does anyone know where I can purchase a top and a base coat? I have been trying everywhere and can’t find it?
this product is backordered from CND and cannot be found anywhere at this time except is salons that already have it.
Got my first shellac today after reading this article last week…and I paid the same as a regular mani! $25 bucks is not bad…Now to see if it holds up as long as everyone says since I am super tough on my hands between typing all day long everyday and doing dishes everynight!
Just got my second round of Shellac. I am so hooked. My nails look wonderful. They stayed great for 2+weeks. Got one snag but used a file to catch before it spread. I have always been a french manicure girl but hated the fact that the manicure never lasted close to a week!!!! My nails look healthy…this is going to change my life and everyone else I can convince to try it…so much better than Axxium. That stuff can ruin your natural nails.
Axxium does not ruin the natural nail the nail tech does.
I am a licensed nail tech for four years in Maryland. I have tried everything you can think of on many customers. Acrylic nails has been the only thing that holds up. I have been reading in the nail magazines about the gel polishes. IBD now has come out with Gelac. It is similar to the Shellac. I would love it and I hope it works as well as customers are saying. I ordered colors that I thought my customers would like. I am looking forward to trying it. I am a little concerned about the removal process and if my clients will pay to have it removed. It would be great to work with something that has little to no smell.
Help! I got my first Shellac two weeks ago and am ready to remove it. My nail gal told didn’t tell me anything about removal pads. She just said to use acitone. The Acitone/cottonball is not working well(over 10 minutes for one nail). This is a deal breaker for me!! Any other suggestions?
Are you using pure acetone or does it have additives like moisturizers? Make sure you use pure acetone and that it stays in constant contact with the nail for the full 10 minutes. The acetone should break down the Shellac. Did your tech use any products besides the Shellac base, top and polish on you? Was it just one layer of top coat? It shouldn’t be this difficult to remove. I did it at home.
Thanks for your response. I was finally able to take it off. I just felt it should be easier. 10 min for one nail to too long…1 hour & 20 min?? Maybe with the nail pads your were referring to would have made it go quicker?
I had the Shellac done and it basically lasted for 11 days and then I took it off because it was starting to lift from the sides…kinda like picking up plastic, which is how I removed it. It was beautiful though for at least 10 days. Loved it, will do it again. I saw a video on you tube that walked you through the complete application and removal, which was very informative. It said to soak a cottonball with pure acetone and wrap the finger or toe with aluminum foil to keep constant contact. I was gonna do this, but mine peeled/lifted right off like plastic. I am gonna ask the tech about this next time.
The salon I went to wrapped the cotton wool ball round the nails with foil – apparently that helps the reaction! It was lef on for 10 minutes. Worked well!
Acetone evaporates really fast – I suspect that’s why they wrap fingertips in foil (and I thought I read up-thread that they suggest gloves too). That way the acetone can be maintained and stay in contact with the nail. I wonder if you can use regular old nail polish remover, not 100% acetone, if you do the foil+gloves thing? Anyone tried it?
I love Shellac and so do all of my clients. They will never go back to acrylic. Not to mention most of my manicure client have switched to Shellac also.
Does anyone know of a salon in the Seattle WA area providing Shellac? The only ones listed on the CND website are asking $60-$75 for a manicure with soak-off gel lacquer. That is a bit rich for me for a every two week color.
Karen,
Go on Google Maps and search for “nails” and your zipcode. That should bring up a whole list of nail salons near you. Start calling them. The product is now very popular so you should have very little problems finding one that offers Shellac. Pricing depends on how many nail salons are near you and whether it’s a “spa” or a “strip mall” salon.
FYI: Ask that the salon uses ALL Shellac products; because due to CND’s production issues, you’ll find a lot of mixing of lines so you’re not getting the TRUE Shellac service. If it matters to you, then ask the salon specifically if they use ONLY Shellac top/base coat.
You are all so lucky!!! I LOVED my Shellac – but unfortunately my body doesn’t! I am so bummed, because I REALLY LOVED THIS STUFF! Karen – look on Creative’s web site for a salon in Seattle. I was able to pay $30. Please ask how the acetone is disposed of after soaking it off. It is an environmental hazard, and this is the ONLY downside to the product that I can see (other than my unfortunate reaction). I am still a fan…LOVE THIS STUFF.
I love shellac. I am a Manicurist at a Spa and I have more clientele now that this product has come out. Usually most people will not get manicures because the polish does not last. Well now that has all changed. Also what I really love about shellac is that it covers imperfections that you have, like ridging. They look so smooth.
Right now we are having problems on getting the base coat. We ordered the shellac base coat about 2 months ago and have not received it yet. We have looked everywhere for it and no one has it. Do you know how long it will be before we see more shellac products. We have a long list of clients waiting and we still havent received it. We want to know what is the hold up?! =)
I am EXTREMELY disappointed in my shellac manicure! I was so excited to try it, because it was my first professional manicure ever. I looked forward for not having to do my nails for two weeks. I didn’t file or prep my nails that week because I was excited to have them professionally done. Well guess what? The salon did NOTHING to prep my nails. They removed polish, but no filing, buffing, cuticle pushing, exfoliating, or moisturizing. Okay, so maybe that’s not part of a regular manicure? They insisted the 4 colors of Shellac they had were the ONLY colors it came in (which I know isn’t true) so I was forced to pick a boring pink. (As if the color selection were not poor enough, they couldn’t even have the whole line) Then they weren’t careful to get all the cotton off my nails before they applied polish. So several of my fingers had bumps dried into them! I always apply my polish flawlessly, so I expected a ton more from a salon. It made me crazy to have less than perfect nails for two weeks!
I could always overlook those things because they are a fault of the salon, but the product did not impress either. I had Shellac done on a Thursday, and the following Monday I already had chips! Not even 4 days! I can get at least 8 with regular polish. Two of my nails had small but noticeable (to me) chips, and another had a HUGE chip! I don’t want to remove my $40 manicure after only 4 days, so I feel forced to have chipped nails for the entire two weeks. The tips did not wear well either, and looked bad in less than a week. Plus the salon charges an extra $10 to have the polish removed?! Shouldn’t that be included in the $40 I already paid? I feel like I will never get a salon manicure again!
It sounds like your Salon “sucked”. Sorry about the language, but that is ridiculous…leaving cotton stuck to the nail and then painting over it. I would definitely complain to the owner. The tech seemingly was not educated as to the proper application of Shellac. This kind of bad publicity will ruin a good product. I watched a video on application of Shellac on youtube before going to my appointment, so I knew what to expect. She followed it to the letter. I loved my shellac nails and removed them myself and will make another appointment. Also, the salon I went to is a very reputable salon in our area and usually very pricey, but the manicure with Shellac was only $30.00.
I have had my fourth set of shellac nails on for three weeks now, and just starting to grow, no peeling no cracking, no problems just great nails even after two weeks in the sun. Only complaint is can we have more colours please….pehaps I will try it has a french manicure next time.
I had a fill and then the Shellac french. OMG, I went 4 1/2 weeks, they still look fresh.. I got soo many compliments. I am lost without it. I can only find a salon about an hour away. I hope more salons get it. I been telling my local salons about it.
We got it into the Salon were I work on the gold coast (Beauty on Olsen) and am loving wearing it and doing it on my clients, all the clients I have done are loving it.
I use Shellac in my salon,and I have great results,my clients love it, my salon is Happy Nails in north Miami, 305 9474488