My Experience With Shellac

 

I mentioned in this post that recently I've been dipping my toes into the beauty pool that is gel polish, more specifically Shellac. With my sister's wedding coming up a few months ago, I wanted to experiment with properly getting my nails done for the first time, ever. Up until then I'd always DIYed my nails, but I had always thought about just seeing what difference it would make.

 

I researched into a few different salons before deciding on one which I liked and thought looked good. I then looked into the different types of nail work they do, and loved the sound of Shellac, as it claims to be a 'hybrid nail colour', meaning that it combines the format of a traditional nail polish with the finish of gel. I booked an appointment in a local salon which I thoroughly researched, along with a spray tan and off I went a few weeks later. All in all, I was very impressed. The colour was applied layer by layer - a base coat, two coats of the pink, two coats of the tips and a top coat - and between each one my nails were put in a little machine that sets it. This means that, when you're done, your nails are completely dry and you can rummage around in your bag for your keys and have no worries about any smudges or chips when your hands re-emerge! I really liked this, as my major pet peeve with DIY-ing my nails is that when I'm done, I go to do something and I ruin them as although they're dry, they're not fully 'dry' if you know what I mean!

 

The nails are supposed to last 14 day wear and I'd say mine lasted pretty close to this estimation. They certainly lasted for what they were intended for - my sister's wedding - but of course after that they did begin to slowly deteriorate when I went to work a few days later. Up until then though, they were chip free, so I guess it's all down to the type of person you are and what lifestyle you lead. If I hadn't of gone to work in the period of having the polish on, it probably would have lasted longer. I went and got them removed a couple of weeks after I'd had them done and again was impressed at how quick and speedy it all was. My main concern was also what state my nails would be in afterwards, but the polish was actually gently soaked off instead of any scrapping or scrubbing, leaving my nails looking exactly as they did before - result!

 

Last month I returned to get another set of Shellac put on for another wedding I was attending and this time, being only a guest, I went a bit more wild. I went for a single colour - pink, as it matched my dress - and again was very impressed with the whole experience. The technique was pretty much the same, only this time it took a little less time to do, as I only had one block colour. My nails were prepped before a base coat was applied, then two coats of the pink and finally, a top coat, with my nails being 'cooked' between each stage. The finish was again very shiny and fully dry after completion so I was free to rummage in my bag for my purse without fear or ruining them. If I had to compare the two, I'd say this set lasted slightly longer than my French one, whether this was a pure coincidence, other factors played an influence, or that one colour applied all over my nails simply did wear better, I'm not sure. What I do know, though, is that I will most definitely be returning to get them done again come the next big event - which going by this year, won't be too long at all...