Creative Nail Design • Shellac UV Polish System - 14-Day Wear • Polishes

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*TOP REVIEWER* ChristinaSF on 4/1/2013 2:15:00 AM more reviews by ChristinaSF

Age: 30-35   Skin: Acne-prone, Fair   Hair: Blond   Eyes: Brown    

Love. Shellac is an HG for me.

I tend to be hard on my nails and a bit fastidious about chips, so standard manicures aren't a good choice for me.

But shellac is amazing. As others have said, light cured, said to last 2 weeks.

For me, I find application matters. I had shellac done once (at a certified salon) but they didn't follow the recommended timings on the Uv light. That manicure lasted less than a week and caused my nails to peel so badly I couldn't get another's oxide for a full month.

But the other salons I've been to have been great and I get a minimum of 14 says per manicure. At 14 days there's some 'wear' on the tips and growth at the nailbed. But, they still look pretty good. I've even worn polish for 21 days.

I prefer my nails shorter - so I often trim my nails with a nail clipper at about 10-14 days. I don't file the nails, just a quick clip. I don't think you're supposed to do this, but I haven't noticed any problems and if there's any 'wear' on the tips (especially if I'm wearing a darker color) that makes the manicure look fresher.

For me the main problem is cuticles and nail growth. I have bad cuticles and they need maintenance more than every other week. I am vigilant about applying N aha cuticle reducer. Even so, I do go in a carefully push back and even from my cuticles after about 1 week.

Removal takes some getting used to. You can do it home with acetone, orange sticks, aluminum foil, and some patience :).

Solar oil is recommended. I have used solar oil even before getting shellac, but it is an oil and may take some getting used to. Supposedly, it works better than other cuticle products to strengthen the nail. I can't speak to that since I use it anyway.

So, for me an HG. I think application matters, so I tried a bunch of salons til I found one I love.

Downsides. Application takes 1-1.5 hours. Limited color selections. Expensive manicures. Any flaw in application is with you for 2-3 weeks.

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*TOP REVIEWER* missmanic on 3/27/2013 4:56:00 PM more reviews by missmanic

Age: 19-24   Skin: Acne-prone, Fair, Neutral   Hair: Black, Curly, Fine   Eyes: Green    

This stuff is amazing. I alternate between UV gel nails, Shellac, and doing my nails myself. CND Shellac was the only "gel polish" that actually did what it claimed on my nails. OPI Gel polish peeled off within a week. With CND Shellac my manicure looked absolutely flawless for THREE weeks. No chips, no peelies. Shiney and beautiful. This is amazing for me, since regular polish applied to my natural nails chips off within 1-3 days. Shellac also helped my nails stay strong and hard since the polish lasted so long and worked as a shield, thus letting my nails grow nice and long. I did notice a bit of nail damage, but nothing crazy and nothing a nice manicure couldn't fix. I wish my nail salon offered more CND Shellac colors. OPI Gel and Axxium did not work for me like lovely Shellac.

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Nashross on 3/27/2013 4:51:00 PM more reviews by Nashross

Age: 25-29   Skin: Combination, Fair   Hair: Blond   Eyes: Green    

I will have everyone know that you can totally paint your nails with regular polish... Let them dry completely, then apply base coat (2 min cure) and then top coat (2 min cure) and they last just the same! (Obviously wiping after curing with a lint free pad and alcohol) I'm a licensed cosmetologist so I do my own at home with the lamp (bought on amazon for 30 bucks) and this product is SO expensive in the professional beauty supply store! I'm so excited that I can still use all my regular polishes (which there are a million options out there) and they don't cost 16 dollars a bottle! Ill splurge on the top and base coat for shellac no chip but the color options just aren't enough! HOPEFULLY THIS HELPS PEOPLE SAVE SOME MONEY AND STILL HAVE FABULOUS NAILS..with ANY color/brand they want:)

3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

*TOP REVIEWER* Therealslayergrrl on 12/29/2012 1:56:00 PM more reviews by Therealslayergrrl

Age: 36-43   Skin: Combination, Medium, Warm   Hair: Brown, Wavy, Medium   Eyes: Hazel    

I took my acrylics off after 15 years. My nails underneath weren't as bad as I thought they were going to be. I was painting them on my own for a while with good results but decided to go back to the salon for this. After a few months my nails were worse than after I took my acrylics off. They're breaking and snagging on everything. tearing and look like hell. I think it's the pure acetone used to take this system off. Waste of money and time. All of my nails were over an inch long. Now I have to start all over again. Good for special occasions but I'll stick to painting my own nails and saving a few bucks. Hopefully I can get them back to being healthy again.

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ganicity on 12/28/2012 4:12:00 PM more reviews by ganicity

Age: 25-29   Skin: Other, Fair   Hair: Brown   Eyes: Brown    

OMG this is a gift from God I swear. This saves me money and time from having to travel to the salon to get a fresh coat. I don't like the price cause here in NYC salons charge $40 and up if you find spots that charge cheaper than you're lucky just make sure they are using shellac cnd products and not scamming you using some other brand close to it cause it's NOT!!!!! I got the hot chillis shade for the holiday it's like a shimmery pink red color very beautiful. I'm on week 3 and the top of my nail has not chipped even with washing and scrubbing dishes using harsh chemicals the color managed to stay on my nails. I'm going back to get a new shellac mani. They do have tons of colors check out their website.

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JenniaB on 12/20/2012 12:51:00 AM more reviews by JenniaB

Age: 25-29   Skin: Acne-prone, Fair-Medium   Hair: Black   Eyes: Green    

Love this gel system. I love dark polishes, but ever since having my son, hardly ever done those because my nails usually chip at the tip in the first couple of days and with a kid you don't have or want to spend time doing your nails every 3 days + wait forever for them to dry, only to wake up to sheet prints ; ) But this staff works. Since I am not a nail professional, it does take me a little while to properly apply all the layers (capping the free edge), but at the end without the drying time that the regular polish usually takes, I probably come out ahead in time saved.
Aslo, I have recently tried using shellac base and top with REGULAR nail polish in between!!!. I have so many polishes that are left unused, but now I am looking forward to using them with this system. I have heard that some polishes might not work, but OPI does and I am going on week and a half and have regrowth already and one chip (my fault). The only downside to using regular polish, you still have to let the polish dry before sealing it with shellac top. And after u apply the base, u need to cure it as per instructions and then wipe the sticky layer off with alcohol.

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*TOP REVIEWER* NewWave on 10/1/2012 4:25:00 AM more reviews by NewWave

Age: 25-29   Skin: Dry, Fair-Medium   Hair: Red, Wavy, Fine   Eyes: Blue    

I get my shellac done at the salon, so I cannot really comment on the application and packaging, but I love the results I am getting. On my toes it is bright and perfect for up to a month, which is super convenient in summer. On my fingers I have t renew every 3 weeks, but it still looks perfect except for light shades that do look streaky sometimes. Now in fall I have switched to purples and greys and I love that Shellac accomodates those shades. I wish there was navy blue available also.

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lovesmakeup525 on 9/24/2012 9:32:00 PM more reviews by lovesmakeup525

Age: 19-24   Skin: Normal, Fair   Hair: Blond, Wavy, Medium   Eyes: Green    

i am in love! although if you only like your bare nails you may not be a fan.some say it is not good for the nail but from someone who used to get acrylic where they use an electric drill, and here they just soak the stuff off and reapply, it seems much gentler.

but, it does stay on for weeks and i had no chipping! (i notice a diff between this brand and OPI gel-OPI chipped on me especially at the bottoms once i started getting new growth) but this one stays on flawlessly and is a bit harder/thicker but still looks like polish not plastic (unlike acrylic or powder or other fake nails)

i have naturally crappy nails, they only look nice if i polish them several times a week (even in a few days a regular manicure looks ugly on my nails, chips so fast) and they chip like mad and always break.

so they look ugly unless i resort to a more permanent method than regular polish. first it was acrylic for a long time but they looked so fake not to mention awful for the nails.

with this stuff it looks like polish it just feels harder. you don't have to wait for them to dry. i do not like to change my color all the time i just like my nails to look shaped and polished without chips. two weeks after my manicure there is slight growth but the polish did not chip and my nails did not crack. they look flawless and are actually getting long.

i love it. will keep getting. $25 by me but unlike acrylic i can go 3 weeks with this stuff, apparently because after 2 they still look really good. perhaps even 4 weeks. 25$ once a month is not really more expensive than acrylic, which i had to get twice a month. and it looks so much better than acrylic too. nobody asks me about my "fake nails" anymore.

now they just look like regular flawlessly polished nails that don't chip and they stay shiny.

They don't have a TON of colors like regular polish but I like ordinary colors and I really don't mind my main concern is polish that stays on without chipping and nails that don't break and stay shaped.

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paintednightsky on 8/5/2012 1:43:00 AM more reviews by paintednightsky

Age: 25-29   Skin: Normal   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Brown    

I wouldn't do this again unless it was a special occasion such as my wedding or funeral...

I did this twice in a row at a salon. However, unless you keep it up, it will leave your nails damaged. Although it is nice not having to apply polish -and be able to clean and wash dishes without worrying for 2 weeks, the brittle, split nails you are left with unless you keep up with appointments is a pain. Although it did make my nails longer because they were harder and didn't break the tips, once you take it off you can't take a break in shellac otherwise your nail tips will break off. It kind of defeats purpose unless you keep up appointments and it is costly and time consuming even though it saves you reapplication wear-just the trip itself is more time than reapplying polish yourself. It is such a pain to get the polish off by yourself as well. The novelty of super long wear shellac wears off after awhile and it just isn't worth it to me to repeat.

Another thing to think about is that it does get boring having the same color for 2 weeks. Also the color selection is a bit limited. I have quite a large nail polish collection that was sitting unused. When I thought about it, it really isn't too bad to change polish and it is quicker than having to scrape off shellac and deal with the after effect of short and stubby nail..

Another thing to think about is finding a good salon. Not a lot of them are trained properly. Although the removal process is supposed to be better than for gels, some salons will still dip your nails in acetone since it is probably easier for them for removal.

Spending about $120 dollars (2 manicures and 1 pedicure-by the way pedicure really isn't worth it since my pedis last long time without the shellac anyway) with tip for damaged nails was just not worth it in the end. Just think about all the nail polish you could buy with that money instead...

4 out of 5 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

LemonSherbet on 6/20/2012 5:06:00 AM more reviews by LemonSherbet

Age: 19-24   Skin: Combination, Fair   Hair: Brunette, Curly, Medium   Eyes: Hazel    

After hearing all of the hype, curiosity got the better of me and I headed off to my local salon to get my first Shellac manicure. The process was fairly simple- base coat, a few coats of colour and a top coat were applied like normal nail polish, and my nails were placed under the UV light machine for around a minute between each coat. My nails looked extremely shiny and were dry immediately (didn't stop me from instinctively walking around like a zombie, trying not to catch them though!). I chose a neutral pink colour which looks nice, although there was lots of colours to chose from.

I am usually very lazy when it comes to my nails. I rarely apply polish and when I do it is usually chipped by the next day! I was so impressed by my Shellac manicure. After one week, they looked just like they did when I walked out of the salon, still very shiny and chip free. After week two, there was some slight wear at the end of my nail and some visible nail re-growth, but nothing terrible. I am now half way through week 2 and will probably have to remove the polish soon. What impressed me the most was how it withstood my weekend job as a cashier. Usually dipping my hand in and out of the till causes my polish to chip immediately, not Shellac though! Would definitely recommend.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

Andiee0929 on 6/1/2012 5:14:00 PM more reviews by Andiee0929

Age: 19-24   Skin: Dry, Fair, Warm   Hair: Black, Straight, Fine   Eyes: Hazel    

I decided to buy my own supplies after hearing all the hype. I'm pretty skilled when it comes to normal nail polish application, so I figured why not? I watched plenty of how to videos and began my first mani. There were no chips in my polish for over 14 days. Tipwear was quite minimal. However, there was nail growth that can't be filed like a normal gel or acrylic manicure. Obviously, this is the expected outcome after using this system. This has changed my life. Please go out and try this at a salon, you will not be disappointed!

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CynthiaH on 6/1/2012 4:47:00 PM more reviews by CynthiaH

Age: 56 & Over   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium   Hair: Blond   Eyes: Green    

I love Shellac with one exception. When I get a french manicure with it, after about 10 days, the tips of my nails start to turn dark. I don't work in dirt or ink and I have tried to keep this from happening, but haven't found anything that prevents it. I cap my nails with clear polish after one week and I scrub the tips with a brush every time I use self-tanner. Does anyone know why this happens?

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streeetdoll on 5/11/2012 2:49:00 AM more reviews by streeetdoll

Age: 25-29   Skin: Acne-prone, Fair-Medium   Hair: Brunette, Medium   Eyes: Brown    

Shellac is a godsend! I'm always having to meet clients and am never seen without color on my nails. Until Shellac, I find myself having to have manicures every week or so, which is a real hassle for a woman on the go like me. I couldn't really deal with the long drying time/ smudges etc especially because I'm so heavy-handed, and would usually smudge something even before I step out of the nail salon. With Shellac, I love how I can immediately dig for my keys in my purse after the manicure, there's ZERO drying time! I can have shiny, chip-free nails for about 10-14 days, and it lasts for about a month on my toes. I've even invested in a CND UV lamp and the Shellac polishes so I can give myself a manicure in the comfort of my own home. By the way, I haven't gone back to regular polish since discovering Shellac. My go-to color is Wildfire, a ferrari red color that will flatter most skin tones.


I much prefer Shellac to Gelish because with Shellac, the polish has a more gel-like consistency and the brush picks up just the right amount vs Gelish where the polish has a texture similar to a regular polish and is more runny. You have to really make sure you get just the right amount on the brush which could be a real pain. I hope Shellac will come out with more colors soon!

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

*TOP REVIEWER* keanash on 4/28/2012 9:17:00 PM more reviews by keanash

Age: 25-29   Skin: Combination, Fair, Neutral   Hair: Red, Wavy, Fine   Eyes: Green    

I pay roughly 25$/mani every 2 weeks. I've been having this type of manicure done for almost a year straight now and I don't see any problems with my nails when the polish is removed. I don't have trouble with lifting or peeling unless we use a glitter method involving painting glitter on with a brush and then sealing with the CND top coat. By the way, that method usually works very well and I love the different amount of colour options I have when we do that!

I love that it doesn't chip, etc. My nails look beautiful all the time. I love that I don't have to be overly careful with them. As a nurse, I wash my hands all the time and use harsh hand sanitizers every time I work -- but the shellac lasts two weeks, three weeks, even a month through all that.

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QweenB on 4/15/2012 11:45:00 PM more reviews by QweenB

Age: 25-29   Skin: Acne-prone, Fair-Medium   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Green    

I have been getting CND shellac nail manicures for about 12 months now. I love that the colour range is building and I love how great the end result is. The fact that it paints on is fantastic!

I had an OPI colour put on the other day - for those of you wondering - they are completely interchangable, you can use the OPI shellac with the CND base and top. As far as quality it comes in the same.

I am about to move out of the area and decided to set myself up at home rather than find a new technician - I am in Australia so I pay $55 per session, fortnightly. That equates to $1250 a year! For $250 I can have my own set up - will definitely do so.

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nermend on 4/3/2012 3:18:00 PM more reviews by nermend

Age: 36-43   Skin: Dry   Hair: Brown   Eyes: Green    

I loved CND shellac for a while, but then my nails became so dehydrated that they had huge white marks on them. I am OCD about my nails and VERY committed to applying the solar oil my nail tech recommends. I also have a VERY skilled nail tech. I can use shellac for a few months with great results and then my nails become so dehydrated that the shellac just peels off within days. Right now I'm taking a break and my nails are so dry and peeling that it's frustrating. I'm waiting for them to grow out. I've decided that I will NOT get shellac again unless CND comes out with a remover that will not dehydrate the nails. If they don't they will lose countless customers, because after reading many blogs I know I am not the only person having this problem. The problem is the acetone, plain and simple. Come on CND, come up with a solution!!!!

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*TOP REVIEWER* Bellona on 3/30/2012 12:49:00 AM more reviews by Bellona

Age: 30-35   Skin: Sensitive, Medium, Warm   Hair: Brown, Wavy, Medium   Eyes: Brown    

I honestly think that any bad experiences are caused by improper technique by the nail technician. I've had them done twice. My first experience I bought a groupon at a local salon and had them done for V-day. By the end of the first week they were lifting at the bottom. It was SO irritating washing my hair, cuz my hair would get stuck in between the shellac layer that was lifting and my nail. I hated them. They chipped like crazy and generally looked like crap by week 2. I them called the salon to get them taken off and they couldn't get me in for days, so I made the mistake of trying to take them off myself. The result - peeled a layer off my natural nail. YIKES! ]
So I gave it about a month for fresh growth and forked out the full price of $45 Canadian at my fav spa. And the results is dramatically different. I LOVE it! I'm at week 2 and have no lifting or chipping at all. The color looks great. I'm really hard on my nails and yet they still hold up. My only complaint would be that you can really see the growth space near the cuticle. I read another reviewer who suggested you get the nail tech to get in really close to your cuticle and I agree. When I go back for my next application I'm going to ask her to do just that. But other than that, I love it. I don't think I'd go back to regular polish and may spring for the home system. Shellac has allowed my nails to grow and they seem stronger with the polish on top than bare nails (my nails have a tendency to peel). For the extra $5 cost on top of a regular mani I'd say it's totally worth it! :)

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

peachy3670 on 3/26/2012 11:01:00 PM more reviews by peachy3670

Age: 56 & Over   Skin: Combination, Medium   Hair: Blond, Wavy, Fine   Eyes: Blue    

Love, Love, Love this product! I have had acrylic nails and going to the nail salon to maintain them for 20 years. Last year, I retired and moved to a new city. I decided not to continue with the acrylics for several reasons: 1) The same guy in Dallas has been doing my nails for over 15 years and did a fabulous job and I couldn't find anyone in my new city who could do them to please me; 2) I really didn't need the expense of going to the salon any more since I wasn't working; and 3) I certainly have the time to do my own nails (again since I'm not working). I had been reading a lot about the Shellac system and have never had it done in a salon. I went out on Amazon and purchased a 36W UV light (less than $30), a bottle of the CND base coat and top coat (approximately $26 for both) and a bottle of color (I think it was about $14) ... so about $75 for the initial investment. It all arrived promptly and in good order. I sat right down and did my nails. Base coat, cure for 10 seconds; first coat of color, cure for 2 minutes; second coat of color, cure for 2 minutes; topcoat, cure for 2 minutes. Viola!!!! Nails all done and dry immediately!! At the time I only had 70% alcohol, but it worked perfectly well. I love it!! When right out on the web and order more colors. I do not plan to do it on my toes as I still plan to go periodically and get a pedicure at the salon. I am not willing to pass up the good foot/leg rub ... LOL. But I doubt I will ever be going to the salon to get my fingernails done again. I did notice on CND's website that they state if anyone other than a professional is able to buy this then it is being sold illegally, but I also find that there are scads of websites out there selling it to anyone who wants to buy. CND needs to get with the program and realize that we are perfectly able to apply and use this product by ourselves and don't need someone else to do it for us!

6 out of 6 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

*TOP REVIEWER* bloodymerry52 on 3/19/2012 1:06:00 PM more reviews by bloodymerry52

Age: 36-43   Skin: Normal, Fair, Cool   Hair: Blond, Wavy, Medium   Eyes: Hazel    

I am new to Shellac. Got my first Shellac mani a few weeks ago at my local spa, it was $44. I chose Zillionaire as my color. It did last with no chips. On day 8, I had to remove because the sides were cracking and because of the new growth, much like a fill-in. If the nail tech had applied it better, I'm sure it would have lasted the full 14 days. Since then, I have purchased a 36 watt UV lamp from eBay for $23.94 (seller: hot-shirt-7) and a couple of colors from beautysupplyonsale.com for $11.96 per bottle, but the base coat and top coat were $15.95 each. I used 91% rubbing alcohol as my nail cleanser. I did my first mani last night, it took about an hour start to finish. I used two coats of Romantique and it was still "streaky" and not opaque enough for me so I used one thin coat of Iced Coral on top of that. Now it is a pink with pink/green shimmer, like "mother of pearl". I applied the top coat and it looks good. This was my first time doing it myself, and it does take a little while to get the hang of it. I plan on removing this polish in a day or two because I just don't really like this color, and would prefer something else. Overall I do like the Shellac system. I plan on substituting other polishes from other brands to see how it works with the UV light. I don't think you have to only use Shellac polish to get the same result. I like that once I'm done polishing my nails that I don't have to tip toe around objects until it has dried. Major brownie points from me!

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

*TOP REVIEWER* NerdyLibrarianGirl on 2/12/2012 7:51:00 PM more reviews by NerdyLibrarianGirl

Age: 30-35   Skin: Combination, Fair, Cool   Hair: Black, Wavy, Medium   Eyes: Hazel    

I had never had a manicure at a salon, because I am always annoyed by how quickly nail polish starts chipping off. It never seemed worth it. I heard about shellac, which CND claims lasts 14 days, so I gave it a try. I got it in Asphalt, described as "concrete grey". The colour was beautiful; really dark grey. I got many compliments on it. The shellac colour is way more intense than regular polish, and so shiny!
Did it last 14 days? Yes! I didnt get my first chip until day 13. By day 15 or 16 it had started to wear off a little around the egdes on several of my nails, and on a couple of nails, it started to lift up around the edges. I paid $35 (Canadian). But to actually have polish looking perfect for 2 weeks, it was totally worth it. I loved it. Will definitely do it again.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No