While there is nothing wrong with shellac itself, it's the curing process that raises safety concerns. LED light lamps used to cure shellac emit UV rays, and extended exposure to UV rays can have potential side effects, including premature aging of the skin, age spots, and skin cancer.
Shellac polish can ruin your natural nails. Scraping and peeling off cured nail polish can physically remove the top layers of your nail bed. If the damage is already done, learn how you can repair broken, brittle, or flaky nails with all-natural ingredients.
Even if you're not pulling the polish off, Dunne says that frequent shellac manicures can take a toll on your nails. “During the removal process (especially if not done properly), you can risk removing layers of your natural nails and weakening the nails,” she explains.
One drawback to shellac, Seney points out, is that because it has traditional polish mixed in the formula, gel nails last longer. Although shellac is a little bit more susceptible to chipping than gel, both still last much longer than regular polish.
Shellac is much less damaging to nails than traditional gels (or acrylics), and if your goal isn't to make your nails longer, then they're a great choice. Shellac looks like a thick glossy gel polish, and the main benefit is that it reduces chipping.
Manicures with shellac or gel nails use ultraviolet (UV) light to dry the polished nails. The issue here is that UV nail dryers expose people to UVA radiation — that is, the same harmful rays emitted by the sun, which have been linked to an increased risk of skin cancer.
Most salons only charge a small amount for shellac removal and use high-quality products that leave your nails in tiptop condition. Most salons use acetone with a 60% concentration or more.
If you do want to do it at home, however, know that because shellac is a polish, it's easier to remove than gel and kinder to your nails as you don't have to buff your nail plate to 'break' the bond.
Shellac was the first hybrid polish, produced by CND, and you can expect manicures to last about two weeks. Some may find that the chip-free finish lasts longer than this, but it's recommended that you get them removed after 14 days as by this time your own nail will have started to grow out.
You can use a drop of cuticle oil every night to keep the nails moisturized too. Drinking enough glasses of water daily can also help you stay hydrated which is great for skin and nails. Some shellac colours are affected by exposure to too much sunlight.
Washing up liquids and bleach all contain chemicals that may weaken, corrode or dissolve your nails which will make them much easier to come off. Simply wearing rubber gloves provides you with an effective extra layer that eliminates exposure to these chemicals.
Experts suggest that nail polish wearers take breaks from gel and acrylic manicures for several reasons. First, gel manicures need to be removed and reapplied every two weeks. This causes wear and tear on the nail cells, and can lead to ridges in the nails and a condition called keratin granulation.
IMPROPER REMOVAL/APPLICATION – aggressive removal of CND™ Shellac™ including harshly scraping the natural nail with a metal tool can cause damage. As can over buffing of the natural nail – over buffing every few weeks can cause your nails to become thinner and weaker.
To sum it up, if you don't want length, have healthy nails and want nails for an upcoming occasion Shellac is likely your best bet. If you want length, have weak, brittle or peeling nails then Bio Sculpture is likely the better option for you.
We recommend Shellac long-lasting polish to those who want the lightest and gentlest possible, but durable polish and always beautiful nails. Shellac long-lasting polish works both as a continuous service and as a one-time treatment, for example for parties. The age limit for Shellac is 16 years.
You can remove them easily enough yourself, with nothing more than a few cotton balls, some foil and nail-polish remover.
Because the product is cured, there is zero drying time. When applied and removed correctly Shellac should not cause any damage to your nails - here are some for looking after your Shellac ... Shellac can last flawlessly, with normal wear and tear, for at least 14 days.
Looking after our nails is so important to keep them looking their best and to keep our general body health in check. So remember to take a break every three or four weeks to help our nails restore and build back some strength. When your nails are feeling better, treat yourself to a LeSalon manicure!
Choose soak-off gel nails instead of acrylic nails.
While gel nails can cause nail brittleness, peeling, and cracking, they're more flexible than acrylic nails. This means your own nails are less likely to crack. You'll want to ask for gel nails that soak off rather than ones that must be filed off.
"I usually say Shellac doesn't damage nails; humans do." Gel polish is typically best removed with acetone, but CND makes a remover specifically for its Shellac formula that's designed to also hydrate the nails. Acetone is notoriously drying, which is why nail professionals recommend using a cuticle oil post-removal.
Shellac polish can also be used on the toes which can be nice in the winter, shoes can be put back on and there are no worries of smudging etc. It has to be removed the same way as the nails so it can be a process that isn't as necessary for the toes which hold polish much longer than fingers.
Dissolve dry shellac flakes in denatured ethanol, which is sold in most paint stores. It also dissolves in methanol, butyl and isopropyl alcohol. Methanol will evaporate the quickest, followed by ethanol, butyl and isopropyl alcohol.
While you can get your shellac manicure removed at the salon, you don't have to. You can buy special shellac remover wraps, but you don't need them. The acetone should loosen the shellac so it can be gently pushed off of the nail; you don't need to scrape or file or otherwise mistreat your nails to remove it.
Although you may use gel nail polish without a UV light, the curing process takes much longer by air drying. It is not recommended to completely rely on air-drying because it will take days for your manicure to completely set if you do not have access to a UV nail lamp.