Question for the nail experts

[Granny1]

Wow, the horror stories that you ladies have had with nails. I thought about getting my nails done either with acrylics or gels but I think I will pass.. My nails are finally growing to a length that I like so I will continue to take care of my own. I do have a problem with keeping the nail polish on especially the ends of my nails. I bought some OPI start to finish hoping that it will stay on as I couldn't even keep clear nail polish on, it would peel right off. If this brand works I will invest in some colors for my cruise. Does anyone have any other suggestions on different brands?;)

[Mytime2014]

tagging on to this thread, hopefully for some advice. I followed the link for CND and found a certified tech, but the price is $45 for Shellac manicure. How long does that last? Does it have to be redone for scratch every 2 weeks? or fills like you do with acrylics at a lower cost.

 

No way I could afford 100/month for my nails. Any ideas or info?

TIA, Debby

[Mytime2014]

Wow, the horror stories that you ladies have had with nails. I thought about getting my nails done either with acrylics or gels but I think I will pass.. My nails are finally growing to a length that I like so I will continue to take care of my own. I do have a problem with keeping the nail polish on especially the ends of my nails. I bought some OPI start to finish hoping that it will stay on as I couldn't even keep clear nail polish on, it would peel right off. If this brand works I will invest in some colors for my cruise. Does anyone have any other suggestions on different brands?;)

 

Granny1 - how is the OPI system working for you? I have a couple of nails that split longways which is the main reason I was thinking of shellac or gelish manicures, but they seem so expensive - along with the cost of re-do's

[brucelegs]

tagging on to this thread, hopefully for some advice. I followed the link for CND and found a certified tech, but the price is $45 for Shellac manicure. How long does that last? Does it have to be redone for scratch every 2 weeks? or fills like you do with acrylics at a lower cost.

 

No way I could afford 100/month for my nails. Any ideas or info?

TIA, Debby

 

The Shellac gel polish will last 2 weeks and then you remove (cotton ball with acetone wrapped around your nail with foil - or the "official" CND Shellac wraps). Your nails are not damaged by the process. It is a polish system so no fills like hard gels or acrylic. When it is removed you can go right back to regular manicures with no damage to your nails (unlike acrylic and hard gels).

 

I will be having a Shellac manicure for my 12-day cruise and go back to my usual manicures when I return.

[JanineM]

tagging on to this thread, hopefully for some advice. I followed the link for CND and found a certified tech, but the price is $45 for Shellac manicure. How long does that last? Does it have to be redone for scratch every 2 weeks? or fills like you do with acrylics at a lower cost.

 

 

 

No way I could afford 100/month for my nails. Any ideas or info?

 

TIA, Debby

 

 

Gel nails can last for 3 weeks. The process is really just painting your nails with several coats of polish like substance and then setting it with a UV light - not like acrylics. It is always taken off each go round. I always wear gloves when I clean and wash dishes and that helps maintain the polish. I've found that the problem isn't the polish wearing off, it's the nail growing and a gap developing.

 

$45 sounds expensive. Maybe shop around a bit? The place I go isn't CND certified, but they are very gentle with my nails. They charge $28.

[smoothdancer]

I guess it would depend how fast your nails grow....

I have my nails done every 3 weeks and works fine...

I don't come close to $100. per month on my nails alone.

 

Though I do have my hair colored and treated every month so I suppose between the 2 I do spend that much in a month. Both are important to me, so I guess cost depends what is important to you.

[Mytime2014]

Good to know that I won't have to go every 2 weeks. My experience with acrylics was that I would get little gaps around the edges after about 2 weeks and just a teeny bit of growth at the base. I have not been able to keep any kind of manicure looking decent for more than a few days and I have one splitty nail that needs something to grow past the end of my finger tip - it was slammed in a cattle trailer gate and I doubt it will ever be normal!

 

I will look again for certified people around here and see what I can find - even if it is just for the cruise, but I would love to have pretty nails all the time.

[CELTICGIRLCRUISER]

$45 is the higher end of the price range for Shellac, in my spa environment we charge $40 to $48 depending on whether one color, French or rockstar.

 

I have four types of Shellac clients

 

1. Religiously have it done every two weeks

2. Religiously have it done once a month with their pedicure

3. One off, going to a wedding or a cruise etc.

4. British or Canadian clients who are on vacation, who are way more into Shellac than clients US based.

 

The problem we face also with potential new clients is so many 'techs' and salons do it wrong, or call something else Shellac, remove it wrongly but as someone mentioned you can have it removed and have a regular manicure or nothing as it does not trash your nails.

 

Every time I meet someone that says that to me, they get the spiel and I say I bet you $100 you did not have CND Shellac and to date I have been proven right every single time when I show them all the products, cnd lamp etc. It is very frustrating as a CND nail pro to hear all this!

 

Regarding $100 a month for nails, if you find a decent tech your Shellac can last a month, especially the lighter colors, even the darker colors will be OK if you can stand the "gap". I will see if I can find some example pictures.

Edited March 31, 2014 by CELTICGIRLCRUISER

[TrishOB]

CelticGirlCruiser, where is your spa? I may be in the market for a Shellac manicure, and live in the Central Florida area.

[sacnaillady]

CND Shellac is a 2 week manicure. I disagree with it lasting a month. The company doesn't advertise it as a month of wear and very few clients could last a month. The only clients I could see lasting that long are people who are very careful, not in water very much, don't do house work and wear gloves for everything that could compromise a manicure. If you nails are very thin and flexible or peel you Shellac will chip. It's only as good as the nails you put it on. I see some people get 3 weeks out of it but they are "in need" by the end of three week.

[Suitcasefull]

Celtic and Sacnail.....How about the CND Vinylux (think that's what it's called)? I read somewhere that it is more for someone who doesn't want to spend much time or have to have it soaked off like Shellac would be. What's your opinion of it? Does it have to be treated with the lamp or it is just applied like regular polish? Thanks!

[sacnaillady]

As far as I know Vinylux is CND regular nail polish. They say it will last a week but if it's just regular polish it's all in how careful you are. It air dries.

[LrgPizza]

I've tried gel polish before, and to be honest, my regular ol' Deborah Lippman polish lasts longer on me! Granted, I use several coats plus top coat, but still...

 

I've never tried the shellac though. Is this something I could do at home? I don't go to nail salons.

[CELTICGIRLCRUISER]

CND Shellac is a 2 week manicure. I disagree with it lasting a month. The company doesn't advertise it as a month of wear and very few clients could last a month. The only clients I could see lasting that long are people who are very careful, not in water very much, don't do house work and wear gloves for everything that could compromise a manicure. If you nails are very thin and flexible or peel you Shellac will chip. It's only as good as the nails you put it on. I see some people get 3 weeks out of it but they are "in need" by the end of three week.

 

Honestly some clients can get a month out of it. Maybe it is because a lot of the clients here are on vacation or snow birding and not doing much:)

 

It is obviously better with the French colors or something like Strawberry Smoothie where the gap is not so noticeable.

 

I can get a month out of mine too (but like to change the color twice a month) and I do massage, nails and aesthetics. My shellac pedicure would last for weeks if I didn't need my toenails shortened.:D

 

We wouldn't generally put it on thin or peeling nails, they have to be in a decent condition. Although the Brisa lite smoothing gel can help with that problem, but that is for a different forum.

 

Let me find these pictures and let folks see some examples.

[CELTICGIRLCRUISER]

Celtic and Sacnail.....How about the CND Vinylux (think that's what it's called)? I read somewhere that it is more for someone who doesn't want to spend much time or have to have it soaked off like Shellac would be. What's your opinion of it? Does it have to be treated with the lamp or it is just applied like regular polish? Thanks!

 

It is more of a traditional polish but no base coat is required, just the colour - 2 coats and a Vinylux top coat, dries in about 8 minutes and it comes off with regular remover. It should cost the same as a regular manicure with colour.

 

It was designed for a weeks wear for people that didn't want to have the same color on for any length of time. It comes in shades matching the Shellac colors and more and you can purchase it for retail whereas the Shellac is designed for pro use only.

Edited April 1, 2014 by CELTICGIRLCRUISER

[CELTICGIRLCRUISER]

CelticGirlCruiser, where is your spa? I may be in the market for a Shellac manicure, and live in the Central Florida area.

 

Trish as we can't pm on here, if you email me at

 

mycruisebuddies@gmail dot com

 

I can send you some more details where you can get it done either with us or in your neighbourhood.

[CELTICGIRLCRUISER]

This is one of the monthly clients, and she is actually at 34 days wear here, so 1 day shy of 5 weeks.

 

She has gone to 6+ weeks before, 45 days if I remember rightly with one of the very dark colours (Masquerade). She has been having it done for 3 years and her nails are perfect underneath.

 

Obviously there is a large gap by this stage with this colour being more noticeable (as I mentioned earlier, the lighter the colours the less noticeable the gap is) but as you can see the tips are fine. She isn't a one off either and although not ideal with so much growth the point I am making is it doesn't necessarily peel or chip after just 2 weeks.

Edited April 1, 2014 by CELTICGIRLCRUISER

[LUV CRUSIN]

All my life I had nice nails that I only needed to file and polish.

 

As I got older my nails began to split and peel. I went to the beauty supply store and bought "Nail Tek" (Intensive Therapy). (It is just like a polish) You apply one coat, than two coats of your favorite polish (I use OPI), then a top coat of Nail Tek. After a week remove polish (with regular nail polish remover) and repeat.

 

My nails are beautful now, just like before they started to split and peel.

[Suitcasefull]

Sacnail and Celtic, Thanks for the replies.

Now, Celtic, in a comment to someone else you've piqued my curiosity about the smoothing gel (and why it would need to be on a different forum) Please let me know re: what forum since my nails to peel!

You two are extremely helpful re: nails! Too bad you're so far away!

[CELTICGIRLCRUISER]

Sacnail and Celtic, Thanks for the replies.

Now, Celtic, in a comment to someone else you've piqued my curiosity about the smoothing gel (and why it would need to be on a different forum) Please let me know re: what forum since my nails to peel!

You two are extremely helpful re: nails! Too bad you're so far away!

 

Sorry my love when I said it was for another forum, I meant a professionals only forum.

 

Something like OPI Nail Envy or CND Toughen Up are designed to help with these sort of issues. I got good results in the past with Nail Envy. There are literally dozen of products on the market that can help and as one lady mentioned she had good results with Nail Tek who have a good range of products too.

[crzndeb]

I'm a bit of a nail polish freak, having probably 250+ bottles. I swear by Nailtiques. I started several years ago, and it was finally the first time I had to actually start clipping my nails because they grew like crazy. Now, I usually start with a coat of Rejuvacote by Duri and a coat of Nailtiques 2. Then 2 coats of color, followed by a top coat. I change my color about every 4-5 days.

 

Also, cuticle cream and oil is a must.

 

I do my own manicures, and now since I usually take 14+ day cruises, I carry all my supplies with me, and do manicures on sea days.

 

Debbie

[Suitcasefull]

Sorry my love when I said it was for another forum, I meant a professionals only forum.

 

Something like OPI Nail Envy or CND Toughen Up are designed to help with these sort of issues. I got good results in the past with Nail Envy. There are literally dozen of products on the market that can help and as one lady mentioned she had good results with Nail Tek who have a good range of products too. !

 

Well, that makes sense! I'm thinking a CC forum. Duh!

Have tried various products but perhaps not these mentioned so may look into those. Thanks

Edited April 2, 2014 by Suitcasefull

[Mytime2014]

I"ve had some improvement with OPI Envy - I got a 2 for 1 package at Ulta and keep one at home and at work. I haven't been persistent applying it - so I think I'll get busy and do my nails start to finish more often - and keep applying the cuticle oil

[sippican]

I love the CND products and have had excellent luck with my shellac manicures lasting two weeks. (I get a shellac manicure maybe twice a year for vacations.)

However, the last time I got a French manicure and the polish turned yellow over the course of a few days. It really lost all "pink" tones and looked aged. Now I am reluctant to try French again.

Any insights?

[CELTICGIRLCRUISER]

I love the CND products and have had excellent luck with my shellac manicures lasting two weeks. (I get a shellac manicure maybe twice a year for vacations.)

However, the last time I got a French manicure and the polish turned yellow over the course of a few days. It really lost all "pink" tones and looked aged. Now I am reluctant to try French again.

Any insights?

 

I haven't seen that on any of our clients but as Shellac is porous it can stain like a natural nail. Saying this, it is a stable product and it doesn't turn yellow by itself or in the bottle, so something has caused it to do this.

 

My first question would be, do you smoke?

 

As daft as this might sound, it could be something else someone has touched such as spices and other food stuffs especially curry and even oranges, teabag squeezers, self tanner, bronzer, foundation not wiped off hands after application, hair mouse, gel, dye etc. etc..

 

It's probably almost impossible to say what has caused it but products like insect spray or sun screen products which contain DEET can be an issue for Shellac in general. Cleaning materials can effect it to, which is why we always say wear gloves if you can. Try to wash your hands when applying creams in the sun and when coming out of the pool too if you can.

 

And of course make sure you use your Solar oil religiously.

Edited April 2, 2014 by CELTICGIRLCRUISER