Shellac removal: What has it done to my nails?

So this is what my nails look like after removing my shellac. I have had nails this long before but I would always have at least one broken nail. So shellac has allowed me to grow my nails much better than I've been able to previously. However, the removal process was not one that I or my nails liked.

I'm sure most people have seen or heard of using tin foil to remove nail polish. Nail polish remover evaporates and wrapping the nail in tin foil with cotton wool soaked in remover pressed against the nail helps to prevent that. This is essentially the only way to remove shellac as the usual method of just rubbing it off with a bit of remover just doesn't even touch shellac. 

You're also supposed to use pure acetone to remove shellac but they didn't have any when I looked so I bought a false nail remover which had very high acetone concentration. Acetone is very drying and somewhat damaging to the nails so we're not off to a brilliant start already.

But as I learned, not even the tin foil method was enough to remove shellac. I had to then use a cuticle stick to gently peel of the polish. Soaking the nails had made the polish crumbly but did not remove it. Also when I say gently remove, when I used the cuticle stick gently it left a thin translucent layer of polish on the nails. Not wanting to really scrape at my nails, I ended up soaking them again. Then the rest of it came of with medium effort (I tried not to be rough but it simply didn't come off without a bit of not exactly gentle effort).

Despite all my attempts to try to damage my nails as little as possible, my nails are most definitely damaged. I can see through the whites of my nails and I could feel lots of ridges and roughness on the surface of my nails. I've now buffed and shined them which hasn't exactly done anything for the thickness of the nails but they now don't feel like a nail file to the touch.

I don't regret having the shellac and I've done a full post all about my experience of shellac. As I said at the start, the length I've achieved because of the shellac protecting the nails has been awesome. But I'll definitely have to weigh up the damage that removal causes before I get them done again.

Lots of love,

Nancy x

Shellac/Gel manicure: my experience

So I haven't done any NOTDs for a little while because I have had two Shellac manicures. Shellac is just a brand name for gel nail polish so don't be disgruntled if your salon only offers gel and not Shellac as it's the same thing. I get mine done at a local salon that uses Shellac polish.

The process of application is essentially the same as a regular polish manicure except that you cure the nails after each coat under UV light with the final coat being cured twice. The beautician also did file the surface of my nail which I'm not too sure of but I'll talk more about that later.

My first manicure I had a bright pink. It was the perfect pink that just didn't seem to clash with anything. But it chipped after just a few days. It wasn't a terrible chip but a week in and all of my nails were beginning to lift at the sides. Shellac is supposed to last 2 weeks so I was not particularly impressed. However, the length and strength that I had achieved in that week was pretty awesome so I booked to have a second manicure to give it a second go and ask the beautician what I could do to protect the manicure.

She told me that it may have been to do with my trip to Thorpe Park that weekend as she said that Shellac isn't indestructible but then as she was removing the previous manicure she said that she'd never seen it come off the nail so easily. She was able to lift the entire nail's polish off in one where she said she's often left scraping the nails for ages. I use a lot of creams on my face and body and on my hands as I have extremely dry skin that causes my cuticles to peel and split and makes my skin sometimes very sore. The beautician told me that that was probably the cause as when she was applying the new polish it was pulling away from the edges.

I did notice that she took a lot more care in applying the second manicure probably because she knew I was giving it a second chance after being unhappy. This is the manicure in the picture. I've had this for 4 days now and as yet no chipping or lifting which is better than the first time and my nails are probably as long as they've ever been. I have reached this length once before but by that time they had so many splits that they actually looked awful. With the Shellac my nails are protected from breakage so they are much stronger in their length.

Just a couple of things I don't like now. When I went for my first manicure I told the beautician that I had trouble with the strength of my nails and then she filed the surface of my nail. This might be needed for Shellac, I don't know, but it definitely went against one of the rules of nail care. Also if the problem was using oils and creams, why then at the end of the manicure did she rub in some cuticle oil? She even did it the second time after deciding that that was the problem.

But as I said this one seems to be lasting a lot better. I think that just might have something to do with the more careful application as I haven't stopped using any of my skin care. Overall, I'm happy with Shellac due to the length and strength I've achieved but I was not happy with the fact that it only lasted a couple of days the first time around before it chipped when it is supposed to last two weeks and many people find that they can get it to last 3-4 weeks.

Lots of love,

Nancy x

NOTD: Seventeen Rock Hard Couture Nail Effects in Bijoux Baby

This is 2 coats of Bijoux Baby with 2 layers of top coat. The photo is take in artificial light with no flash.

This is a gorgeous peachy pink glitter with gold particles. It was a little difficult to apply because of the quite gritty texture but it is a full coverage glitter polish which can be hard to come by in the high street brands.

I think this is supposed to be worn without top coat but it felt REALLY gritty. As in, it felt like it was all just going to scrape straight off my nail. It still feels quite rough now even with 2 layers of top coat but it feels a little less like I could use it as a nail file now!

Lots of love, 

Nancy x

NOTD: Seventeen Colour Clash Nail Effects in In The Surf

This is 2 coats of a black creme from Rimmel (Black cab I think?) then 1 coat of Seventeen Colour Clash Nail Effects in In The Surf. The photo is taken in natural light with no flash and I'm not wearing top coat but I have since put some on.

I love how this looks. I think this looks like when people do paint splattered nails except it took seconds to apply.

Since putting this on I've been looking into lots of similar polishes as I have fallen in love with this effect.

Lots of love,

Nancy x

NOTD: Gelly Hi-Shine Nail Paint by Barry M in Guava

I couldn't quite capture this nail polish in its full glory this picture just makes it look like a plain old blue - a pretty blue but not the gorgeous blue toned green it actually is. This photo is of 2 coats of guava then a coat of Rimmel London Finishing Touch Ultra Shine Top Coat taken in natural light indoors with no flash.

Whenever I wear this I get comments. I think it's because to begin with it doesn't look like anything special but it continues to draw the eyes.

I've also been really impressed with Barry M polishes recently particularly this gelly formula. I think the brand has really embraced the fact that they were becoming more known for their nail polishes than their make up and have been bringing out collections much like the high end nail polish brands. Their aquarium collection is full on gorgeous and I want every single polish.

Lots of love,

Nancy x 

NOTD: Gelly Hi Shine Nail Paint by Barry M in Grapefruit

I haven't been able to paint my nails recently because I'm on clinical placement and you can't wear nail varnish as an infection control measure. But I really felt the need to have a bit of colour on my nails even if it can only be for the weekend. So I bought this one from Barry M and I really like it. It's very summery as it is a bright coral toned pink which I am tempted to call neon.

In the picture I'm wearing 2 coats of Grapefruit and then 1 layer of Rimmel London Finishing Touch Ultra Shine Top Coat. My cuticles are very dry and therefore peeling because I am having to use alcohol gel so much at the moment. The photo is with no flash in natural light.

Lots of love,

Nancy x

NOTD: Avon Nailwear Pro+ - Apple Of His Eye

  

I was digging through my nail drawer when I found this one. I've probably only worn it once before but after applying it today I'm sure it will become one of my most used.

It's an orange-almost-red coloured jelly base with a beautiful gold glitter running through it. The glitter isn't obvious on the nails in the photo but in real life it looks a lot closer to how the bottle looks. This is definitely not a glitter polish but there is a nice amount of glitter which spreads evenly over the nail.

I ordered this from a catalogue and it looked like a true apple red in the photo (hence the name) but in actuality it is definitely orange. I remember being initially disappointed by this but it is a beautiful polish anyway. I've been changing my nails everyday since getting home for the Easter holidays but I am planning on keeping this for at least a few days.

I'm wearing Rimmel London's Nail Nurse Base and Top Coat underneath 2 coats of Apple Of His Eye then the Rimmel polish as top coat as well. The photo is taken inside in the evening under artificial light with no flash.

Lots of love,

Nancy x