Gel Nail Polish

[skiladyldp]

Hi Ladies. I usually always get a traditional manicure. For my upcoming cruise I am considering get the Gel Nail Polish since they say it last 2 to 3 weeks. For those of you that have tried this what are your opinions on this. Thank you for taking the time to offer opinions.

[KeithsKelly]

Most of the time for day to day stuff I don't get manicures because it never lasts for more than a day or so before the polish is chipping off. That being said, I have done gel manicures twice with mostly good results!

 

The first one I had my nails painted a pretty coral color and that worked very well. I got two good weeks out of the gel mani!

 

The second one I chose to have a french mani. That one was not as good. While the polish did stay on for 10-12 days, I was unhappy with the look of it. After about 2-3 days I could see tiny lines and cracks in the white tips that just drove me crazy. I'm sure those around me couldn't see them, but it sure bugged me! I'll do another gel mani for my cruise next week, but I will definitely choose a color. I'm thinking it must be something in the white polish they use (since it is a little thicker) that makes the cracks visible.

[cheshire cat]

I prefer Shellac to gel as it is easier to remove and lasts about two weeks.

[cb at sea]

My nails grow so fast, that even if the tips aren't wearing or I have chips, etc....the nail bed grows out and polish starts looking bad because of that. So, having something that long wearing isn't worth it, for me....

 

If you have fast growing nails, realize that you'll still need a "touch up" at some point!

[6rugrats]

Well, it does last 2+ weeks, but the disadvantage is when your nails start growing. Polish looks pretty good, but your nail bed does not (where it's growing in). This is pretty noticable after a couple weeks.

 

I don't know other people's experiences, but I had three shellac manicures in a row over this summer, all removed by the salon. They looked great for the first week. However, now that I'm no longer doing this, the nails are peeling at the top like crazy. Never had this before, so can't help believe that it must be related. They look no better now then they did two weeks ago.

 

I think I would pass in the future, but that's just my experience.

[CrimsonQueen]

Well, it does last 2+ weeks, but the disadvantage is when your nails start growing. Polish looks pretty good, but your nail bed does not (where it's growing in). This is pretty noticable after a couple weeks.

 

I don't know other people's experiences, but I had three shellac manicures in a row over this summer, all removed by the salon. They looked great for the first week. However, now that I'm no longer doing this, the nails are peeling at the top like crazy. Never had this before, so can't help believe that it must be related. They look no better now then they did two weeks ago.

 

I think I would pass in the future, but that's just my experience.

 

I had the same thing happen to my nails....it took the entire nail bed growing out before they were "normal" again :(

[loribelle1]

Not quite the same, but my Shellac pedicures have stayed perfect for 5 weeks! And you can put your shoes on right away! I will let my nails "breathe" over the dead of winter, when my toes are not on display, but I haven't experienced any nail problems so far.

[socallisa]

I have been getting gel manicures for about a year with no problems to my nails. They last about 12 days before the bottom part starts to peel. I'm sure it's different for everyone though. I love them as they don't chip for normal day to day stuff as opposed to regular polish.

[Froufie]

Always have a shellac manicure done before I cruise- looks pretty good for about 2 weeks (sometimes more?). Going on a 15 day transatlantic and happy to know that they provide this service on the Breeze so can get it redone if required. However it is not something I would get 'continuously' or over and over again - to let the nails breathe and rest a bit. (I do find they are in pretty good condition when the shellac comes off tho).

 

I have not ever done it on my toes tho as I find a regular pedicure lasts about 3-4 weeks anyway!

[GORDONCHICK]

I got a shellac mani before our cruise last March. Mine lasted 3 weeks, and yes, I saw growth. However, I'm the only one who noticed it unless I pointed it out. You do need to be very faithful about the cuticle oil 2X per day - I did it after I finished my make-up in the mornings & then before bed. The amount of time it will last depends on the health of your nails along with hardness, thickness, and length.

 

Removal does do a bit of damage to your nails because you basically soak them with acetone to get it off - even when done by the salon. I found if I buffed my nails and kept using the cuticle oil, mine grew out healthy. I don't normally wear fingernail polish anymore. I will probably get another shellac mani before our next cruise.

[reginaphalange]

I got a shellac mani for the first time 2.5 weeks ago and it still looks great! I'll definitely get another one just prior to our November cruise! :)

[CELTICGIRLCRUISER]

Shellac isn't a gel polish but it is fabulous. I have it on now, actually rockstar which is Shellac with embedded glitter. I jump between that and Minx. Can't wait for the cruise to jazz finger and toe nails up more.

Shellac is one of the systems I invested in for my business so I know a lot about it.

 

If removed correctly it will not damage the nails at all. If someone wants to soak it off in a bowl of Acetone, run as that goes totally against the ethos of the company that make it. It should be removed by wraps that are almost like bandaids and the pad is soaked in acetone and only that goes on the nail and secured, the Shellac will then just slide off in under 10 minutes, any residue can be taken of with a wooden orange stick and nothing else. You nail should never ever be buffed before Shellac application either.

 

It is recommended that you do use CND solar oil to keep it in tip top shape. Your nail should definitely not be effected negatively by Shellac.

 

Don't think I can put the link but it is a dot com and the company is CND. Look for an authorised salon/spa in your zip as many places say they have it and it isn't Shellac or if they have it they don't have the full system which means it wont last as the company make a shellac specific lamp and a lot of places just use what they already have.

 

There are 36 colors and 6 more being released this month but they can be layered and jazzed up to make many many looks.

[Bleudevil]

I bought a do-it-yourself gel nail kit at Ulta last winter. Very easy to do if you're accustomed to polishing your own nails. It's unbelievable how well the polish holds up, mine lasted over two weeks with no chips and retained a beautiful shine. Needed to remove due to regrowth at the nailbed but never because of wear & tear.

Agree with the other posters that it's very hard on your nails. (soaking off the polish in acetone) T hese days I only do the gel polish manis for the holidays or special occasions - like a cruise.:D

[skiladyldp]

Thanks so much for the many replies. I think I will do the gel polish 3 weeks before I go to see how I like it and then do it again before I leave. I had a feeling that it would still be hard on your nails. I have had the shellac nails before and they really damaged my nails. I think it will be something that I will only do before a vacation or special event since it is hard on the nails.

 

Does it have the feel of your own nails or more like the shellac nails. I had a hard time getting used to those thick shellac nails.

[reginaphalange]

Shellac isn't a gel polish but it is fabulous. I have it on now, actually rockstar which is Shellac with embedded glitter. I jump between that and Minx. Can't wait for the cruise to jazz finger and toe nails up more.

Shellac is one of the systems I invested in for my business so I know a lot about it.

 

If removed correctly it will not damage the nails at all. If someone wants to soak it off in a bowl of Acetone, run as that goes totally against the ethos of the company that make it. It should be removed by wraps that are almost like bandaids and the pad is soaked in acetone and only that goes on the nail and secured, the Shellac will then just slide off in under 10 minutes, any residue can be taken of with a wooden orange stick and nothing else. You nail should never ever be buffed before Shellac application either.

 

It is recommended that you do use CND solar oil to keep it in tip top shape. Your nail should definitely not be effected negatively by Shellac.

 

Don't think I can put the link but it is a dot com and the company is CND. Look for an authorised salon/spa in your zip as many places say they have it and it isn't Shellac or if they have it they don't have the full system which means it wont last as the company make a shellac specific lamp and a lot of places just use what they already have.

 

There are 36 colors and 6 more being released this month but they can be layered and jazzed up to make many many looks.

 

Thanks for the tips! I got an American mani with the shellac, so I guess that's considered a "layered look" and it looks great!

 

Good to know about the do's & don'ts in regards to the removal process. When I was getting mine done for the first time a few weeks ago, I noticed the salon wrapping another lady's fingers in foil individually, but didn't see what went on under the foil. Must have been something that was soaked in acetone. Does that sound right to you?

 

How, exactly, does one use the solar oil? And what, exactly, does it do?

[suezyq50]

I love getting a gel manicure. I usually get a french manicure. I also give my nails a rest between manicures.

[djhatz]

Gel manicures absolutely should last up to two weeks if done properly. Be sure the polish does not touch your cuticles or you will experience peeling after a week or so. I bought an LED light and Gelish polishes so I can do my own -- very inexpensive except for the light itself, which lasts hundreds of hours. Normal nail polish (on me) chips after a few days but a good gel manicure can handle weeks of abuse and still look new.

[RDH Tooth Fairy]

Most of the time for day to day stuff I don't get manicures because it never lasts for more than a day or so before the polish is chipping off. That being said, I have done gel manicures twice with mostly good results!

 

The first one I had my nails painted a pretty coral color and that worked very well. I got two good weeks out of the gel mani!

 

The second one I chose to have a french mani. That one was not as good. While the polish did stay on for 10-12 days, I was unhappy with the look of it. After about 2-3 days I could see tiny lines and cracks in the white tips that just drove me crazy. I'm sure those around me couldn't see them, but it sure bugged me! I'll do another gel mani for my cruise next week, but I will definitely choose a color. I'm thinking it must be something in the white polish they use (since it is a little thicker) that makes the cracks visible.

 

You should ask the salon if they have OPI gel color. The French manicure lasts a long time- I actually have a curing light and do my own nails at home- I use OPI's "funny bunny" on my nails because I like a less brilliant white- actually very natural-looking...you should try it!

[Alrana Eris]

I'm getting a gel for my cruise next week. I am so rough on my manicures I love the gel polish.

[CELTICGIRLCRUISER]

Thanks so much for the many replies. I think I will do the gel polish 3 weeks before I go to see how I like it and then do it again before I leave. I had a feeling that it would still be hard on your nails. I have had the shellac nails before and they really damaged my nails. I think it will be something that I will only do before a vacation or special event since it is hard on the nails.

 

Does it have the feel of your own nails or more like the shellac nails. I had a hard time getting used to those thick shellac nails.

 

Shellac nails should not be thick. Do you mean the polish was thick or the nail became false looking and thick. Let me dig out some pictures of how it should look.

 

 

 

Thanks for the tips! I got an American mani with the shellac, so I guess that's considered a "layered look" and it looks great!

 

Good to know about the do's & don'ts in regards to the removal process. When I was getting mine done for the first time a few weeks ago, I noticed the salon wrapping another lady's fingers in foil individually, but didn't see what went on under the foil. Must have been something that was soaked in acetone. Does that sound right to you?

 

How, exactly, does one use the solar oil? And what, exactly, does it do?

 

Using foil and cotton is acceptable, it is just a cheaper way to do it as the wraps are expensive. It works in the same way; the acetone is on the cotton wool and secured with tinfoil and the heats helps the acetone work better and it will come off easily, it may take a wee bit longer than the wraps as those are tighter.

 

The solar oil is beautiful and smells great, we just recommend at least once a day, more if you want to. I put it all over the cuticle and nail and it definitely help condition the nail and cuticle.

 

I do say again that Shellac shouldn't wreck your nails as it isn't a gel polish that needs to be soaked in a bowl of acetone like traditional gel or the gel polishes like Gelac, Gelish, Opi Axxium and all the other copy cat products flooding the market from less than reputable places. This includes a product called Bluesky Shellac which is not the real thing, it is in almost identical bottles but it comes in from China.

 

Again I will dig out the list produced by the makers of Shellac which tells you exactly what to look for with pictures too. Don't get conned by salons saying they do Shellac and don't. It is a complete system which needs to be used to ensure the integrity of it.

 

Shellac should come off in under 10 minutes. Gels can take 25-30 minutes. We know instantly if it is not Shellac as there are only a certain amount of colors and the removal time is the biggest clue.

 

Same if you have regular gel nails, too many places do acrylic and just put on a gel top coat and charge for gels. I see it on a weekly basis and we have to sort it out but some of these women just say Shellac is rubbish yadda yadda when they actually never had it in the first place. It's hard work but as a dedicated owner I work to educate my clients and have built up a loyal band and we charge $40 for a Shellac manicure. French and lighter colors last them upto a month as the growth is less noticeable and darker colors normally 2/3 weeks as the growth is more noticeable. We then have our 2 weeks to the day client too.

[CELTICGIRLCRUISER]

As promised a helpful guide to Shellac

 

http://www.cnd.com/pdf/ShellacConsumrPamphlt.pdf

 

The second page is very informative and this is what you should be looking for when you have Shellac to ensure you are getting the real deal and correct application and removal.

[CELTICGIRLCRUISER]

Something else I hear a lot is letting nails breathe, they can't breathe they aren't alive:D! Nails are basically dead keratin, the same stuff that makes your hair hence why you can cut both with no pain!:D.

 

Of course, it is however OK to give them a "break" ocassionally as constant polish of any kind can yellow the nail.

[missyk55]

I had a gel manicure a few months ago and it ruined my nails. My nails were very long and after the gel manicure, they started breaking and splitting. They have still not grown back out. I will never get another one. This is just what happened to me, may not do this to anyone else.

[royalcruz]

I just bought Nutra Nail Gel Perfect at Walgreens and used it today. It was hard to work with because my nails are short and it was hard to keep the tips from sticking to my fingertips because the activator is like Krazy Glue. You also have to work very quickly so that the activator is still wet when you put the color on. I had to do an extra layer on some of the nails to get them smoothe. Now we'll see how it holds up.:)

[clairenadine999]

I have had success with Shellac, the french manicure was not as long lasting as a solid colour.