What is a Shellac Manicure?

If you’ve been reading about manicures, you may be asking yourself what is shellac manicure.

A manicure with shellac nail polish is a revolutionary new type of polish that lasts two weeks, or even longer, with a stunning finish. It is a UV nail polish similar to gel, but even better. You can do a shellac manicure at home, once you learn where to buy shellac online and how to do the shellac base and top coat if you have a UV or LED nail lamp. Doing the base and top coats correctly is essential for the manicure to last. And yes, you can get a dazzling range of shellac colours.

Shellac manicures have become massively popular over the last couple of years, and everyone wants to know what is shellac nail polish. This isn’t a fad that will soon fade. Shellac colours are gorgeously glossy and look freshly done for a couple of weeks. You can find traditional shiny reds, funky glittery colours and more natural looking pastels and neutrals. Whatever you want in a nail polish, you can find in shellac colours. You should always treat your hands with respect and wear gloves for washing up and other housework, but when you have a shellac manicure at home or at your favourite salon you’ll be surprised at how durable it is.

How to Do a Shellac Manicure at Home

If you have a steady hand and a UV lamp for nails, you just need to know where to buy shellac online. You’ll need shellac base coat polish, shellac colours and a shellac top coat to do a beautiful and durable shellac manicure at home. Do you know how to cure gel nails? Then you know how to use UV nail lamps. Aside from the UV curing, applying shellac nail polish is not that different from applying regular nail polish.

After preparing your nails and cuticles, you start with the shellac base coat. Apply it starting about a millimetre from your cuticles and use even strokes to brush out so you cover the tips of your nails. Then you cure it with the lamp like you do UV gel nail polish, but leave it slightly tacky so the shellac colours adhere to it.

Next you apply the shellac colours starting a millimetre or so inside the base coat at the cuticle and brushing evenly out, stopping a millimetre shy of the tip. You want to leave a millimetre of base coat untouched by the colour around the edges. This is the secret to a long-lasting shellac manicure. Then you do more UV curing and repeat for a second coat of colour.

Finally you apply the shellac top coat. The edges should match the shellac base coat. This top coat protects the manicure, so it’s important to take your time and do it carefully. Once it is done, it’s back to the UV lamp for nails to dry the nails completely.

Keeping Your Hands and Fingernails Looking Their Best

With proper nail lamp curing, your shellac manicure will withstand a lot and look lovely for a couple of weeks. The shellac base and top coat are tough stuff. While it is very similar in many ways to UV gel nails, the polish itself is different and it comes off a bit easier than gel, which means less time in contact with acetone remover. Now we’ve answered the question what is shellac nail polish, let’s review how to give your hands and nails the care they deserve.

• You should make sure your nails are in good shape, regardless of what type of manicure you get and whether you do it at home or go to a salon. Be careful with the angle you hold the file when filing them so you are not creating a thin, easily damaged edge. Your diet has a big impact on your fingernails (as well as your hair), so make sure you are getting enough protein and vitamins. If your nails are easily damaged or in poor condition, try taking a prenatal vitamin for a few months and sticking to just a protective coat of clear nail polish that you don’t have to remove often. Don’t make the mistake of using nail polish of any sort to hide unhealthy nails. Keep them short and focus on getting them in better shape before you indulge in a manicure.
• Be aware of your nails throughout the day. Put on some gloves for washing up and any other household tasks that involve putting your hands in water or any sort of cleaning product. Gardening is a relaxing hobby with the bonus of a beautiful place to relax outdoors and plenty of fresh flowers and vegetables, but it is hard work too and your hands need to be protected if you are just pottering around deadheading roses or picking peas. Use a rich hand cream and wear your gardening gloves. Don’t forget your hands when you are applying sunblock, especially if you use UV nail lamps regularly.
• Moderation is the key to most things, and that goes for shellac manicures too. Shellac colours look so great, it’s natural to want to wear them constantly, but it is good for your nails to have a break and go without any type of regular or UV nail polish now and again. That’s part of a good, healthy hand and nail care routine.
• Your hands say a lot about you, so make sure they say something nice by treating them well, eating right and treating them to an occasional shellac manicure at home.