January 13, 2012

Shellac Review

I finally tried the Shellac manicure (a gel formula) and I have to say - I'm VERY impressed!! This is what they look like 2 weeks after I got them done.



Pros: I had a consistent shiny nail, no chipping and it lasted for a very long time. Even when I get a basic manicure, it always begins to chip on some of the fingers I use the most, in a few days. I never had to worry about a touch up! Also, they were so smooth!! If you've ever had acrylic nails, they feel very similar.

Cons: Price - it's not cheap! My salon does it for $35, compared to a basic mani for $15. Next, you have to go to a salon to remove the gel. Finally, you can only use Shellac nail polish, and their color selection is slim. Currently there are 50 colors in rotation, and while I did find a couple I liked, I can't incorporate the fabulous polishes I have in my personal collection of Essie, Butter and Deborah Lippman. I've heard some complaints about having your hands under the UV lights, thus exposing them to pre-mature aging. However, for my regular manis, they use the same UV lights to dry my nails, so either way I'm being exposed.

Overall, I'll probably continue to get gel manicures on a regular basis, just because the maintenance is so low and I don't have to worry about at-home manicures every week (or more, for touch ups). I'll probably take a break here and there so I can use some of my colors, but I'll be hoping they come out with more colors soon! Have you had a Shellac manicure? What do you think?

4 comments:

CBH said...

They totally destroy your nails-even though everyone says they don't. I did everything right and they are ruined. Its not as bad as acrylic but its close. For the price, its not worth it unless you plan on doing it for months. I had 3 in a row and took a break and all my nails have broken :(

But I agree-they are so much nicer than a regular mani and last so much longer.

cheryl denise said...

i just changed to a basic mani today...they don't seem that thin, so hopefully i don't have a similar experience!

L.A. in the bay said...

wow, lucky you. Mine chipped in 2 days!

granola2glam.blogspot.com said...

Do it yourself :) and gelish has waaaaay more fun colors. Check out my blog for my first experiences With DIY.