Shellac in Gotcha

Love love love Shellac's new pink, Gotcha. It's from their Spring line. This picture makes it look a little darker than what it is. It's very similar to Zoya's Barbie in person.

It's a must for Summer!

Gelac vs. Shellac

Many of you know that I'm totally obsessed with CND Shellac. I've done many posts displaying the different colors in the line and demonstrating how chip-resistant it is. CND just released new colors, and my friend Tina and I were super excited about them! The problem is: they are sold out. Shellac is such a hit in the industry and a growing trend, CND can't keep up with the orders.

So, feeling a little let down and limited by color options, my friend Tina, who also does my Shellac manicures, found IBD's Gelac. Gelac is described just like Shellac, as the 14-day manicure. The difference is there are a TON of Gelac colors! Gelac needs to be cured just like Shellac, and has one extra step, which is the 'prep' step.We 'held back' and only purchased 3 colors to start with, Pink Wink, Rosy Future and Black Licorice. Tina did my nails in Pink Wink on Sunday (pictured), which is really really light and would be nice with a french manicure. Sometimes I like the really light ones because it's easier to camouflage new growth. It's a very natural, clean look. It's holding up well, but we still have 11 more days to go!

Has anyone tried Gelac yet? If so, please leave a comment and let me know what you thought! I'll keep everyone updated on my experience, and let you know if its a good substitution for Shellac, or at least when you want to experience more colors!

CND Shellac Manicure in Romantique

My best girlfriend Tina gave me an at-home Shellac manicure last night. After 25 minutes, and a bottle of wine (!), my nails were painted with a base, 2 color, and a top coat, and out the door dry!

Romanitque is a soft pink that will go with basically any outfit and accessories. It could also be used for a stand-out french manicure base.

I highly suggest trying a Shellac manicure out for your next event or maintenance manicure. Check out CND's website to find the location nearest you! I paid $25 for my last Shellac manicure, but I've heard of salons charging up to $40 (and up to $80 in NYC). I would suggest calling around for the best price in your area.

I'd love to hear your experience with Shellac...comment below!

Shellac Manicure - Day 13

Amazing! Day 13 with my Shaellac manicure. Still no chips. You can tell int he picture that its grown out a bit, but not to the point where it looks bad.

I heard that in NY these manicures can run up to $80...that's too much. Great thing about living in the midwest...$25 for a Shellac manicure, and worth every cent!

CND Shellac Update

Shellac day 8...no chips, smudging or peeling. A little grown out, but other than that, it still looks like a fresh manicure. I have a bad habit of not wearing gloves when I wash dishes and I went swimming twice, and it's still super shiny. I love it!

CND Shellac nail polish

Shellac in Tutti Frutti - Day 1

Have you heard of Shellac yet? Creative Nail Design (CND) came out with Shellac polishes, which cure under a UV light and are suppose to stay chip/smudge free for up to 2 weeks!

I've been dying to try this out. Lack of planning, had me calling around Saturday morning trying to find a salon near me that had an open appointment. I ended up at Studio 103 which is an adorable salon in Howell, MI. Nicole did my nails and they turned out flawless. Between each coat (base, 2 color coats and a top coat) my nails went under a UV light, just like gel nails, but with polish.

I was out the door dry (in 30 minutes!) and confident that I wasn't going to smudge them. Apparently the polish only comes off with acetone. No backfills, no fill ins, you just remove the polish with acetone when they grow out and you're good to go. No damage done to nails! It wasn't a full manicure, but included filing, cuticle care, buffing and polish, all for $25. This will be more than worth the price if this stays on for 2 weeks.

I mainly wanted them done for my the wedding I had the next day, on the 4th of July. The true test is if they last for 14 days. I'll keep posting pictures along the way. Let's see if it lasts!