Nail recovery after acrylics.

mazza245

I have been wondering what the difference is with gel and shellac. I only asked a friend yesterday if she could help me find out. I see shellac advertised everywhere cheapish and wondered if it would be any good for me. I have only had acrylics done a few times but it has taken me months to get over each time. My nails are quite weak and thin and I have only got them better by using the nail strengtheners mentioned above. I do fancy shellac if it is what I think it is - just a coating really over your own nails. Is that right? Would you recommend it over gel?

Also my daughter has dreadful nails and has decided she is fed up of not being able to grow hers and wants something doing. Would she be better with gel or shellac over the top of hers until the natural nail grows? She think, oh blow it, why shouldn't I have acrylics then at least they look nice but she hasn't thought about the frequent infilling or the expense, I don't think!!

Clarabow_2

I'm a nail envy girl myself ,,, couldn't get on with nailtiques. It so depends on your nails.

Good luck. Keep em short well groomed and moisturise at all times x

nikki2804

mazza245 wrote: »

I have been wondering what the difference is with gel and shellac. I only asked a friend yesterday if she could help me find out. I see shellac advertised everywhere cheapish and wondered if it would be any good for me. I have only had acrylics done a few times but it has taken me months to get over each time. My nails are quite weak and thin and I have only got them better by using the nail strengtheners mentioned above. I do fancy shellac if it is what I think it is - just a coating really over your own nails. Is that right? Would you recommend it over gel?

Also my daughter has dreadful nails and has decided she is fed up of not being able to grow hers and wants something doing. Would she be better with gel or shellac over the top of hers until the natural nail grows? She think, oh blow it, why shouldn't I have acrylics then at least they look nice but she hasn't thought about the frequent infilling or the expense, I don't think!!

Shellac is a hybrid polish. Its not a normal nail polish but its not a gel either. Its a 3 step system (base, colour, top coat) which is cured under a UV lamp. It will, to an extent, even out ridges and uneveness. It also gives amazing shine for a minimum of 2 weeks. No drying time either which means no smudging.

Shellac will suit you if your nails are weak as it will 'protect' them. Just make sure that you don't pick them off as that can damage the nail plate further. Also paler colours or french manicure seem to last longer as the re-growth is less noticable. Most therapists who offer shellac will also promote solar oil. This nail oil is made of tiny molecules which fit through the shellac and keep the nail plate healthy. Its a great investment. My 15 ml bottle is stll going strong after 6 months.

Personally I rate Shellac over gels/acrylics. Acrylic would involve thinning the nail plate to give the nail something to 'stick' too. Strictly speaking, a good nail tech will apply the nail so that it does minimum damage to the nail, a bad/over zealous tech can do a lot of damage.

moneylover

niki 2804, is gellish more or less the same as shellac?
Also, is there something a bit less startling white than french polish ? French polish = artificial nails in my head when I see someone with it. Not that it doesnt look nice, I just think its not such a good look in my sixties! Is there something called American French or similar - I think its not so white? Just looking for something subtle! Mind you, am having the brown blotches on my hands done at SK:N so maybe will have hands that look 10 years younger.
Just something people may not know - if you have brown marks and more on your right hand that is becuase you drive a car (just shows the importance of sun protection even thru glass!

Jariya

I looked at Shellac after seeing this and also found a few places price lists.

Part of my reason for stopping with the nails was wanting to cut the costs on acrylics which I pay around £25 for every three weeks.
The prices I've seen Shellac would be around £40 every twp weeks plus travel..eek!
Nice idea but I think I'll wait til I win the lottery!

karen24_2

After I stopped wearing false nails I found my nails were the thinnest they'd ever been and I kept them very short until the damage had grown out. I used lots of different strengtheners but to be fair I didn't persevere with any of them so can't recommend one over another.
In the end I started keeping my nails well moisturised with oils and creams to keep my nails and cuticles hydrated. I also invested in a crystal nail file as it's a lot easier to use as there is no rule about filing in one direction. I found that the combination of hydration and crystal nail file have finally enabled me to grow my nails to an acceptable length.
After lots of practice I can paint my own nails, I find it easier to do my dominant hand first. I bought a bottle of Leighton Denny corrector with a brush for the bits where I go wrong and it's much easier than using remover and a cotton bud. Alternatively you could just pay someone else to paint your nails!
Good luck

**Juice**

Jariya wrote: »

I looked at Shellac after seeing this and also found a few places price lists.

Part of my reason for stopping with the nails was wanting to cut the costs on acrylics which I pay around £25 for every three weeks.
The prices I've seen Shellac would be around £40 every twp weeks plus travel..eek!
Nice idea but I think I'll wait til I win the lottery!

Wow, where do you live? Shellac is around the £20 mark where I am. It is more if you want a full manicure with it every time though, which I don't but even then, not £40.

nikki2804

moneylover wrote: »

niki 2804, is gellish more or less the same as shellac?
Also, is there something a bit less startling white than french polish ? French polish = artificial nails in my head when I see someone with it. Not that it doesnt look nice, I just think its not such a good look in my sixties! Is there something called American French or similar - I think its not so white? Just looking for something subtle! Mind you, am having the brown blotches on my hands done at SK:N so maybe will have hands that look 10 years younger.
Just something people may not know - if you have brown marks and more on your right hand that is becuase you drive a car (just shows the importance of sun protection even thru glass!

Gelish is a gel polish so would last longer than Shellac.

Shellac has a patent so there is nothing else like it on the market as far as i'm aware.

If you dont like the stark white tip then you could ask the therapist to put the colour over the tip. For instance, base coat, cream puff (white) then beau (i love beau) or maybe romantique then top coat. That should take the starkness off. I do find Shellac french really natural looking though.

There are many subtle colours, rose bud is a lovely pinky colour that a lot of my more mature ladies love. Romantique aswell, many therapists will have a nail wheel which should have all the colours on it.

To me, an American manicure is just base, white tip then top coat. No colour, may be different elsewhere though =/

I normally charge £20 for a full Shellac manicure, seems to be the average in my area although I have seen places charging as high as £30+ which is :eek:

**Juice**

nikki2804 wrote: »

Gelish is a gel polish so would last longer than Shellac.

Shellac has a patent so there is nothing else like it on the market as far as i'm aware.

If you dont like the stark white tip then you could ask the therapist to put the colour over the tip. For instance, base coat, cream puff (white) then beau (i love beau) or maybe romantique then top coat. That should take the starkness off. I do find Shellac french really natural looking though.

There are many subtle colours, rose bud is a lovely pinky colour that a lot of my more mature ladies love. Romantique aswell, many therapists will have a nail wheel which should have all the colours on it.

To me, an American manicure is just base, white tip then top coat. No colour, may be different elsewhere though =/

I normally charge £20 for a full Shellac manicure, seems to be the average in my area although I have seen places charging as high as £30+ which is :eek:

Gelish does last longer but takes longer to remove as it needs the shine buffed off before removal - I see it as more of a thin gel than a gel polish hybrid like Shellac.

moneylover

interesting, nice to have the experts posting and lovely to get some ideas of colours etc.
So - going back to gelish - might this 'support' nails that break more than shellac would, if its more of a 'thin gel'? I don't want acrylic or gel if I can avoid them - I do work very hard with oil, handcream and nail hardeners but I dont think that 'au natural' I will ever have 10 equal length nails that have any white at the tips. My right hand is looking good at the moment but my left (I am left handed) looks as though it belongs to a different person! There are not many days when one of my nails dont chip and I lose a few mm filing it down! Perservering with hardeners does help which is what makes me think gelish or shellac (maybe more likely gelish) might be the answer
Its hard to find anyone who does gelish though I looked at the local list on the manufacturers website and no salons, just people working from home.
thanks again.