Shellac at Home

I promise I do more than think about doing my nails...even though I realize this post, combined with yesterday's would lead you to believe otherwise. :)

So here's the scoop. Several years ago - like 12 or so years ago - I treated myself to manicures twice a month - as really my only treat in life. I wanted acrylic nails because I thought they were beautiful, but alas...the only small thing on my entire body is my nail beds. Too small for acrylics to fit. So my nail tech, Dee, had to hand-construct acrylic nails for me at every appointment. Bless her heart.

She moved, and I decided I needed to divert those funds elsewhere, so I gave up my appointments. Then about four years ago, I decided I wanted a treat again. So I called up Debbie, who came highly recommended, and told her I'd love to start coming to her regularly - if she could make me some nails. She agreed, but before my first appointment, she called back and said a brand new nail system {her exact words...I feel so official using them} had just come out and she thought it might be the perfect thing for me, if I wanted to try.

And that is how I started getting Shellac manicures. She described them as hybrid gel nails that went on like regular polish, but had a 2 week {or longer} staying power and wouldn't ruin my natural nails like acrylics. AND they were cheaper. OKAY!!

So Debbie did my nails until I had to give up manicures to buy more gas for my commute. And OH how I missed them when I had to quit going. I ended up doing my nails with regular polish about twice a week because they always chipped.

Ryan took pity on me and purchased a Shellac light for me for Christmas, and I used other Christmas money to buy the rest of the goodies, so I could start doing my nails at home.

Some of you have asked how I do it and what I use, so here's the scoop!!!

First...the light. This kind of manicure requires a curing under a UV light and this is the most expensive investment in the process. You can buy lights of all price ranges from all different companies. Ryan did quite a bit of research before making his purchase, and he settled on this one for me:

The great thing about this one is it's wide enough to cure both hands at once if I want...saves time from doing one at a time. And it has a variety of timing options on it as well:

I've been using it for 3 months now and it's working out great!

Now...to the rest of the supplies.

If I have polish on, I start by soaking it off with 100% pure acetone. There are 2 ways to do this. First way is to pour some in a bowl and soak your fingernails in it until the polish peels up and you can scrape it off. Works, but it's SO COLD! My nail tech used to tear apart a cotton ball into about 3 pieces, soak the piece in acetone, place it on top of my nail and then hold it in place by wrapping my fingertip in foil. So that's the method I use. {Removing polish the traditional rub-with-a-cotton-ball way does not work with this stuff.}

After I take off the polish, I cut and file my nails however I want them ,and then I wash my hands really well to get all the filing grit off there.

Then I use this to fully clean the nail the rest of the way:

It dehydrates the nail a bit and helps the polish adhere better.

Then I use this - which is actually by the Gelish company - as another bonding agent:

It brushes on like polish but disappears into the nail immediately, so you don't have to wait for it to dry.

Then it's time to do the base coat, top coat and color. I use CND and Gelish products - depending on whatever I can find that I like. Follow the directions on the bottle to see how long to cure that coat under the lamp:

After the entire base coat/color/top coat part is done, I take a cotton ball and rub a layer of rubbing alcohol over it. This finishes the process so completely that I can stick my fingers down in my purse and dig around as much as I want without chipping or gouging anything. TRULY AMAZING.

I'm really glad Ryan made it possible for me to do this at home; Debbie moved away, so this is the only way I'd get the nails done now! So far I only have two colors, but I'm excited to slowly build my collection. :) And it helps that one of my work buddies has an at-home system too, so she and I swap colors sometimes.

For those of you contemplating it...hope that helps!! :)