Shellac Nails At Home!
/With social-distancing and even lockdowns in full effect all over the world, it will be nearly impossible for the foreseeable future to get that manicure that we all so desperately are missing! I used to do my own shellac nails at home so it looks like I’ll be dusting off my machine and I thought I would share what you need to do it too! I’ll let you know what’s a need and what’s a nice to have. I condensed the list at the bottom with a quick tutorial on doing your nails!
Click here for one that I found on Amazon.
I don’t think you need the most expensive brand (the professional ones are close to $300). I bought mine for around $60 and have had it for over 6 years. Like anything on Amazon, read the reviews. I wouldn’t buy one that is $20, but I saw a few good models in the $40-$60 range. Click here for one that ships prime.
Click here for No Wipe Top Coat + Base Combo
Top Coat + Base Coat + Color Coat: The base coat will prepare your nails for the color coat and make the polish last longer. It’s a non-negotiable (I’ve tried before without the base coat and your nails wont last longer than a day). The top coat is crucial to sealing in the color and giving you that shine! If you’ve had shellac done, then likely you know that once you’ve finished getting your nails done, they usually wipe them down with 99% isopropyl alcohol. This is to remove the sticky film that’s left over by the clear top coat after it’s cured.
Given what’s happening in the world right now, it’s really hard to find99% isopropyl-alcohol in stock, so I recommend this brand: CLICK HERE, which is a top coat that does not require any wiping down afterwards and it comes with the base coat as well! 99% of the brands I’ve come across require the alcohol wipe down, so definitely stick to this brand. Make sure it says on the bottle: “No Clean Topcoat” (all the bottles look so similar). I’ve had this brand used on me a few times in nail salons and love the color selection too. I definitely recommend them!
Color coat: Now’s the fun part! Colors! Make sure when you’re shopping, you read the descriptions because not all colors apply the same. Some are translucent, so no matter how many coats you apply, they’ll still be see-through! Others are opaque and there are even matte finishes. Click here to see colors that I love. Read the reviews - not all brands are the same. I’ve used the brand that I’ve linked and love it. I’ve stuck to Amazon links because it ships quickly, but if you wanted the professional grade colors, you can shop OPI and CND as well (I prefer OPI).
I LOVE this color set from the same brand as the top and base coat. CLICK HERE to shop
If you choose a top coat that is not a “no wipe”, then you absolutely need isopropyl alcohol!
Click here to shop Cuticle Pusher
This is used to removed the shellac when it’s time to redo your nails. It’s SUPER important that it’s 100% acetone. Nail polish remover is not strong enough to remove the shellac and you’ll be sitting for hours waiting for it to work. CND is more pricey of a brand (they’re usually sold only to professionals) but it’s worth it. Their products are such good quality. Click here to shop.
When it comes time to remove the shellac polish, you can simply dip half of a cotton ball in the acetone solution, apply the cotton ball on the top of your nail and wrap with aluminium foil and wait 5-10 minutes! When you remove the foil, you’ll see the polish peeling off and you can then scrape it off with a cuticle pusher. Alternatively, you can buy these reusable plastic finger clips to hold the cotton ball in place, click to shop, but they are nice to haves - not necessary.
For a more professional look after your manicure, I recommend the CND Cuticle remover solution. You put on your cuticles, wait a few seconds and it makes all the difference when trying to push back or trim your cuticles! Click here to shop.
UV Machine
No Wipe Top Coat + Base Coat
Color Coat
100% Acetone or Gel Remover Solution (NOT nail polish remover)
Cotton Balls
Cuticle Pusher (to scrape off polish when removing after it has soaked in acetone)
Plastic Finger Clips (nice to have, not necessary)
Cuticle Remover Solution (nice to have, not necessary)
Nail file, nail clippers etc. to cut and shape your nails
Start with clean nails. Wash your hands without soap. Do all the filing, shaping, cuticle cutting etc first.
Apply a thin layer of the base coat to nails, turn on machine by pressing button on top and put in machine for 10 seconds. I start and finish one hand before moving on to the next so that I don’t make any mistakes and so that if I get some on my skin, I can wipe it off without ruining my nails. If you mess up a nail by hitting it somewhere, you’ll likely have a to start again from step 1 (which is so annoying).
Apply color coat on top of base coat and put in machine for 60 seconds. Don’t put too thick of a coat or the color will bubble. It’s better to do multiple coats to get the coverage you want than to do 1 super thick one.
Apply additional coats (if necessary) and after each coat, put hand in machine for 60 seconds. I generally do 3 coats if it’s a light color, like a white, and 2 coats if it’s a darker color.
Apply a thin layer of the clear top coat (don’t forget the edges of your nails) and put in machine for 1 minute! If you chose a top coat that is not a non-wipe, this is where you will use your 99% isopropyl alcohol and wipe down each nail to remove the sticky film. If you used the one I recommended, then you’re done! Time to do the next hand :)