NWR: Gel nail polish?

hoffse

Hi ladies,

I just bought a groupon for a mani-pedi at a local salon, and they have an option to get gel polish for another $8.  I was wondering if anybody has ever tried this?  Polish on my fingers tends to chip pretty quickly because i use a computer all day.  I thought it might be a good option, and something to keep in mind for our wedding.

So is gel polish worth the hype?

Thanks!

MNVegas

Do you have the option of getting shellac? I have been averaging 3 weeks for CND shellac manicures.  

StephBeanWed61502

In Response to Re:NWR: Gel nail polish?:If it's similar to the shellac manicure where they cure it under a blacklight, I'm all for it. Mine will typically last anywhere from 23 weeks if I'm relatively careful vs. maybe a week with a traditional manicure. Plus they stay SUPER shiny. Posted by rachers1017 100 percent agree with this. I don't think a shellac manicure has ever chipped on me. I will say that the only downside for me is that I have to go to the salon to have it removed.

aragx6

I was just wondering about shellac today, so thanks for sharing all!

hoffse

Hmmm I'm reading the fine print, and I think it's a shellac manicure... I've never had one, so I'm not positive, though.  I don't want acrylic nails, but something that will look nice on my natural nails that doesn't chip would be amazing.

Summer2011Bride

I get gels put on every few weeks and love it. Mine seriously don't chip for about two weeks and I love that my nails are dry by the time I get up from the chair, so I don't have to worry about nicking them. The only downside for me, is that, at least at my salon, the gels don't yet come in all the colors that the regular polish does, so you are a little more limited in color options.

My salon also charges extra for soaking them off each time, but if you buy acetone, you can soak them off at home that day for free if you want.

libby2483

I have recently converted to getting gel manicures (where the gel is hardened under a black light).  It is worth every extra penny.  I got one done for a friend's wedding on June 22 and it still looks really good.  It is supposed to be hard on your nails, so I don't recommend doing it often.  

DramaGeek

Shellac is better than gel.  The salon I go to started off using the shellac, then switched to the gel because it's less expensive and the dry time is shorter (it goes under the UV just like shellac).  However, they found it was much harder on nails than the shellac so they switched back.

KJB09

Yes, yes, a million times yes. The last forever (over 2 weeks), are supershiny and my nails have never been stronger. I would NEVER go back to a regular manicure again. I have been getting them done reigiously for about four months now as I needed something to protect my nails to let them grow before my wedding. I can't reccomend it enough!

MNVegas

I started using these nail wraps from HandsDown and I can do removal at home. 

http://www.sallybeauty.com/gel-nail-wraps/SBS-580460,default,pd.html

Matty143

I think Shellac is also a brand of the gel that salons offer. The place I go to offers: OPI, Shellac, Bio something, etc.

The gel will be really hard on your nails if you take the polish off yourself (ie peeling them off like an acrylic nail).

I think the gel is worth the price as mine last a minimum of 2 weeks with no chipping.

Summer2011Bride

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_nwr-gel-nail-polish?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:9Discussion:4dc67611-572e-4cad-a04a-127021091513Post:95335b55-b707-4053-9674-8ecea2939e36">Re: NWR: Gel nail polish?</a>:
[QUOTE]I started using these nail wraps from HandsDown and I can do removal at home.  <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.sallybeauty.com/gel-nail-wraps/SBS-580460,default,pd.html">http://www.sallybeauty.com/gel-nail-wraps/SBS-580460,default,pd.html</a>
Posted by MNVegas[/QUOTE]

Yep these work wonders. I've also had luck just buying a big thing of acetone for cheap from like Walmart, putting some on a cotton ball, then putting the cotton ball on my nails and securing it in place by wrapping a piece of aluminum foil around it. Sounds silly, but it works and aluminum and cotton balls are something I already own.

If you do it this way, let them soak for enough time (more than a couple minutes) and use a nail stick or something similar, they should just fall right off your nails. I've never once pulled part of my nail off or harmed my nails when doing it this way.

Matty143

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_nwr-gel-nail-polish?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:9Discussion:4dc67611-572e-4cad-a04a-127021091513Post:b60c6bdc-7531-498f-8c83-170f26305846">Re: NWR: Gel nail polish?</a>:
[QUOTE]In Response to Re: NWR: Gel nail polish? : Yep these work wonders. I've also had luck just buying a big thing of acetone for cheap from like Walmart, <strong>putting some on a cotton ball, then putting the cotton ball on my nails and securing it in place by wrapping a piece of aluminum foil around it.</strong> Sounds silly, but it works and aluminum and cotton balls are something I already own. If you do it this way, let them soak for enough time (more than a couple minutes) <span style="font-weight:bold;">and use a nail stick or something similar, they should just fall right off your nails</span>. I've never once pulled part of my nail off or harmed my nails when doing it this way.
Posted by Summer2011Bride[/QUOTE]

This is EXACTLY how they remove the polish at the salon I go to.
When they take the foil off later, the just lightly scrape off the polish.

Snippylynn

They sell at home gel kits here, and I was actually considering it.

fizzylemonade

I've had both OPI and Shellac. Shellac definitely lasted longer and didn't seem to be as hard on my nails as OPI was. It's fantastic for getting a French manicure as although it takes longer (another couple of rounds under the UV, so they'll charge an extra $5-10), it always looks good. And yes - buy the 100% acetone (cheap from a drug store) and soak them off - I peeled it once and it destroyed my nails for 6 months.

Summer2011Bride

As far as the question about making your nails weaker, etc., I can't really say for sure. I know that in the past ten years, there have maybe only been 2-3 weeks where I had absolutely no polish on my nails. In HS and college I painted them myself, and then when i started my job after college, I started going to a salon. I personally think having polish/top coat on my nails makes them feel stronger than not having anything. Even if I didn't have a colored polish on, i would put on clear polish and a coat of Nail Envy, which helps to strengthen nails.

As far as gel vs. regular polish, I'm not sure. I've only started getting gels over the past year or two. I don't notice my nails being anymore brittle or weak, but having said that, I've always had really hard/strong nails naturally. I do think if you get gels, be careful on how they're removed so you aren't stripping off your nails like others mentioned.

BostonGIrl4732

I got gels done before my Disney trip and I LOVED it.  Got engaged over the vacation so I was thrilled I had pretty nails (I usually chip mine) and I didn't have to rush to get them redone when we got home and everyone wanted to see my new ring.  I went back to the salon a week later and had a traditional French manicure done and things were fine until I took the polish off and I noticed some damage.  My nails were super strong from the gel so I'm not sure when it came from.

I'd recommend for special occasions where you don't want your nails to chip (it's so fast too!) or for something like a vacation.  I don't think I'd do it all the time though.

jessicabessica

I have had Shellac twice (once for the wedding, once to test it for the wedding), and I was pretty happy with it both times.  It started growing out before it started chipping.  I was impatient and peeled it off myself, which is bad for your nails, but the salon I went to would take it off for free whenever you wanted (they would wrap your fingertips to hold an acetone-soaked pad against the nail, as PPs said). 

I have read about UV dangers from getting it done, so you might want to limit how much you do it or bring your own SPF lotion for the manicurist to rub into your hands before you put them under the light.

hoffse

Thanks so much! I'm going to try it out - it might be a nice little splurge for me and my mom before the wedding.  I was going to get us a mother-daugher mani-pedi type thing, but I was concerned about the timing because of chipping.  We might be able to do these the week before, since it sounds like they hold up very well.

Ok I'm super excited now - this is my post bar exam relaxation thing... now if only the bar would be over!

TiffanyT816

I'm obsessed with Shellac or a gel mani (there are lots of other brands out now, OPI, Gellish, Shellac). I get mine done every two weeks - however, I used to do acrylics, but like the shellac MUCH better.

Kate61487

I've been doing the shellac regularly pretty much since the wedding.  I love it.  Like some PPs I made the mistake one time of peeling it off and it completely destroyed my nails, so definitely don't do that.  I've had them remove it at the salon before and they've never charged for it, although I'm usually getting them re-done, so maybe if you JUST went in for removal they'd charge?  The last several times I've actually just let it grow out.  When it gets to the point that they're ridiculously long (and yes, they get ridiculously long before it chips, the stuff's amazeballs) I was clipping them, but my nail tech recently recommended I file instead. 

Depending on the salon I've had them do the cotton ball/aluminum method as well as having me just put my finger tips in a bowl of acetone covered by a towel.  Definitely nothing special - you could do it at home

TiffanyT816

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_nwr-gel-nail-polish?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:9Discussion:4dc67611-572e-4cad-a04a-127021091513Post:51ad747c-f630-4f07-8ff4-f59d1fb94cbd">Re: NWR: Gel nail polish?</a>:
[QUOTE]They sell at home gel kits here, and I was actually considering it.
Posted by Snippylynn[/QUOTE]

I bought the kit from Sally's with the light, top and base coats and a color and was not impressed doing it myself. I found it difficult for it to look right and no matter what I did, it seemed to be too thick around the cuticle area.

mizutamababy

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_nwr-gel-nail-polish?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:9Discussion:4dc67611-572e-4cad-a04a-127021091513Post:f007ba86-abe3-4aa9-805e-6a6fa7f0e7f9">Re: NWR: Gel nail polish?</a>:
[QUOTE]True story that the colors are limited. Although I found a pretty turquoise/aqua color i've been sporting for a few weeks on my toes.
Posted by rachers1017[/QUOTE]

I think it depends on the salon.  It comes in tons of colors, but some salons only have a limited selection.  My usual salon has about 110 colors, and they can mix for somewhere in between.  I assume the shellac in the U.S. is the same in Asia where you mix the powder and gel together to get the shellac.

Anyways bad things about shellac:

If you live in a high humidity (not the dry kind) area your nails can mold when the shellac starts to lift during summer.  So it's probably better to get a refill every 2 weeks.  Mine used to last for 2-3 weeks depending on what design I had done and then I would get a refill.  Every 3-4 times I would let my nails rest for a month.

It shouldn't weaken your nails too much if you take them off the ways PPs suggested, but if you have thin nails you'll still need to rest them every now and then to avoid too much damage.