Shellac Nail Polish Directions

Nails painted with Shellac look the same after two weeks of wear.

Shellac nail polish is a brand of nail polish that is known for its durability. Typically used by manicurists, Shellac nail polish is designed to stay on the wearer's nails for at least two weeks, though it can be worn for longer, up to a month. Chemically, Shellac is different from other types of nail polish and requires extra equipment that is not necessary for other types of nail polish. The application process, however, is similar.

Things You'll Need

• Nail clipper
• Nail file
• Cuticle pusher
• Shellac base polish
• CND (Creative Nail Design) UV lamp
• Shellac color polish
• Shellac top coat
• Isopropyl alcohol

Instructions

1. Trim, shape and smooth the nail. Push back the cuticle gently.

2. Wash your hands or ask the person whose nails you are painting to wash her hands. Each nail must be clean, smooth and dry.

3. Apply the base coat polish to each nail on one hand, then place that hand under the UV light for 10 seconds. This lamp cures the polish. Repeat for the other hand.

4. Apply a thin coat of color polish to each nail on one hand. Place that hand under the UV light for two minutes. Add a second thin coat and put the hand under the UV light for another two minutes. Repeat for the other hand.

5. Apply top coat over the polish on each nail on one hand. Place that hand under the UV light for two minutes. Repeat with the other hand.

6. Wipe each nail with 99 percent isopropyl alcohol to remove any sticky residue. The CND company also sells pads soaked in alcohol for this purpose, but ordinary alcohol will do the job.

Tips & Warnings

• Shake the bottle before applying each coat. (see Reference 2)

References

• The New York Times; Yes, This Manicure Is 12 Days Old; Catherine Saint Louis; April 2010
• CND: Shellac Application and Removal
• Shellac Nails: How to do Shellac Nails

Resources

• CND: Q&A Shellac
• Simply Your Spa's Blog; How to Remove Shellac Nail Polish; May 2011