Shellac for the Season
Today, Jennifer shares her favorite beauty solution for the season:
A couple of weeks ago some gal pals and I went to a local salon, Lexington Nails in Lexington, to check a miraculous new gel-based nail polish we'd heard about called CND Shellac. Apparently it's strong enough to resist the smudges, chips, and fading that we moms experience all too quickly after treating ourselves to a manicure. Since the product is so new, this particular salon only offered a few colors, so I went with a basic pale pink just to be on the safe side. It took only 20-25 minutes to apply and dry under a UV lamp. It was crazy fast drying. Like, no-worries-digging-for-your-car-keys-in-your-handbag-right-after crazy fast. We all marveled at our nails over coffee afterward.
For the next several days I watched in fascination as, despite loads and loads of laundry, dirty dishes, and pulling apart teeny tiny Lego pieces upon my 7-year-old's request, my glossy, thick color stayed completely intact. I'm in love...hook, line, and Shellac! For the holidays I plan to rock the deep, deep red.
A couple of things to note though -- because of the awesomeness of the Shellac, the manicure is a bit more expensive; $20 at this particular salon vs. the normal $15. And, you are advised to come back to have it removed. Once my nails started to grow out in about a week, I found that regular nail polisher remover didn't cut it; they remove the Shellac with acetone wraps at the salon. And while this may seem a bit of a hassle, in my opinion -- particularly during this time of year, during which I have multiple mani-worthy events -- the benefit of the strength and quality of the manicure outweighs the need to go back to the salon for removal and reapplication (plus, I would venture to guess that you deserve 25 minutes to yourself every couple of weeks...).
You can check out CND's website for a list of salons near you. I noticed Lexington Nails wasn't on the list, so I'd call your favorite place to get the scoop. My guess is most salons will carry this soon!
Image credit: CND
Comments
I am a recent Shellac convert! Got it a week before before our vacation and it lasted thru working in the yard, packing, a trip to Disney, unpacking, and work. For 2.5 weeks it held up without a nick, smudge, and the dreaded wearing away at the tip of the nail (which usually happens for me within 24 hrs of a regular manicure). I realized I needed a "touch up" when my nails had grown so much there was a big stripe between my cuticles and the color!
Posted by: LizW | December 5, 2010 7:43 PM | Reply to this comment
sounds pretty toxic.
Posted by: lulu | December 5, 2010 8:28 PM | Reply to this comment
I tried a similar process from OPI called Axxium a few times but found the removal process was really hard on my nails.
Additionally, I'm concerned about the toxicity of the ingredients especially since I'm trying to avoid traditional nailpolish, even the three-free polishes. When I want polish, I've been using Hopscotch and Scotch Naturals watercolors that I apply myself that actually last a while. Otherwise, my nails are naked or I'll buff them which I'm told is what the upper crust do.
That said, there ARE times when I do want long-lasting colored manicured nails (like a wedding or special event) so I'll probably get it again but not any time soon.
Posted by: Danielle | January 24, 2011 10:00 AM | Reply to this comment
I LOVE Shellac manicures! I got one at a spa down the street from my house in Brookline (Southwest Day Spa) and it lasted for three weeks - no joke! They did a french manicure, which held up perfectly over the holidays. The only downside is that it's pretty tough to remove. You don't always have to go back to the salon to have them remove it, but if you do it at home, you need to soak your nails in nail polish remover for about 10 minutes and then use a wooden stick, or something like it, to push it off. Just a tip!
Posted by: Elizabeth | March 2, 2011 8:15 PM | Reply to this comment