A good and beautiful manicure is an important component of a woman's image. Doing a manicure, the fair sex hopes that he lasts a long time on the nails and does not spoil an important event or vacation.
Beauty industry specialists solved the problem and invented such a manicure tool as shellac. For several years now he has been given preference instead of building up.
Shellac - This is a special coating for nails, which combines the properties of varnish (ease of application on the nail plate, attractiveness) and gel, which allows you to make the manicure strong, protects the nail from water. The main difference between shellac and gel polish is that it lays on the nail with a light, weightless layer, does not damage its structure and protects the nail from mechanical damage. Unlike gel polish, shellac is removed only by liquid.
The benefits of manicure with shellac
One of the main advantages of creating a manicure with shellac is the simplicity and ease of application. It is enough to purchase a special UV lamp for drying nails, after which you can begin to experiment and create a beautiful, neat and durable manicure at home.
But, of course, there is a number of other benefits of shellac manicure:
- Shellac does not contain such harmful substances as toluene and formaldehydes. So, the remedy can be applied by pregnant women and people suffering from allergies;
- The tool lasts a long time;
- Attractive appearance of manicure: rich tone and natural shine;
- Shellac is easily removed, does not damage the nail plate;
- Resistance to damage to manicure;
- Large color palette - about 61 colors;
To shellac kept well on the nails, it is enough to treat it only with a degreasing agent. There is no need to file a nail or remove the top coat.
An interesting fact: shellac is a product of the vital activity of insects living on tropical trees. This unique composition of the product helps to protect and strengthen the nail plate.
So, in order to create a manicure with shellac at home, it is necessary to prepare special tools and materials, which will be discussed later.
Preparation of tools and materials
There is a basic set of necessary tools and materials, which allows you to easily make a beautiful manicure with shellac at home. It includes:
- An ultraviolet lamp with a power of 36 W. If you purchase a UV lamp of lower power, there is a chance that the varnish layers "will not cling." In this case, the manicure will not work;
- Degreaser for nails. Often it is purchased in the same place as the set for Shellac manicure. In extreme cases, you can use ordinary medical alcohol;
- Base or base coat;
- Colored shellac;
- Top cover (finish);
- Nail file or polishing buff;
- Orange stick
- Lint-free napkins (pile will ruin the manicure, and you will have to remove shellac and apply it again). Necessary to remove the sticky layer at the final stage;
- Shellac remover.
We recommend that you purchase a base, finish and color varnish trademark CND. This is due to the fact that only an official manufacturer gives a guarantee of quality. You can purchase, of course, and cheaper analogues. But, with them a quality manicure will not work. Saving, you will not get the desired result - an accurate, persistent and beautiful manicure.
Step-by-step instructions for applying shellac
If there is no desire, time and money to contact a specialist, you can cover the nails with shellac at home. The task is not an easy one, but you can learn.
Before we describe successively the instructions for applying shellac, pay attention to Some tips you should follow:
- Prepare everything you need: determine the color of the varnish, connect a UV lamp, process the surface of the nails;
- Shellac is attached to the nail and hardens only under UV radiation. Therefore, each finger, after applying shellac to the nail, must be kept under the lamp;
- In order for the manicure to look neat up to 3 weeks, it is necessary to prepare the nail plate: to disinfect, sanitize, if necessary, and process. It is imperative to monitor the condition of the cuticle, this will help the nail to breathe and receive the necessary nutrition.
Due to its structure, gel polish does not roll as a regular varnish. This means that you can create a variety of designs on the nails.
We process the nail plate
Step 1: we process the nail plate with a file, and also remove the cuticle before applying shellac. The nail needs preparation, so it is important to soften and remove the cuticle.
Decide on the shape of the nail, its length and sand the surface. This is necessary to eliminate glossy gloss, and not to thin the nail. Therefore, do not overdo it.
Clean your nails of dust and dirt, this will allow you to wear a manicure longer.
After completing the grinding using a special file or buff, removing all microcracks from the nail, proceed to the next step.
Degrease the nail
Step 2: degreasing the nail plate. The material should adhere to the surface and lie on the nail evenly. To do this, the nail is degreased: using a smooth cotton pad, wipe the nail with a special tool or regular medical alcohol. After this, a primer is applied, which must dry naturally.
Degrease nails immediately before applying shellac. It is very important not to touch them anymore, as greasy spots will appear again.
Apply base coat
Step 3: apply the main layer. This stage resembles the application of a conventional decorative varnish. In the direction from the base of the nail to the tip, a base coat is applied. It is very important to leave a gap between the skin and the coating of 2 mm.
Do not forget that the base layer should be sealed. This is done by smearing the end of the nail.
After the base coat is applied, place your finger in the UV lamp for 10 seconds. Time varies depending on sensitivity and individual tolerance, as well as on lamp power.
Cover with a color layer
Step 4: start covering your nails with colored shellac. Try to apply the varnish closer to the cuticle, so that the manicure looks more neat. After choosing the color of shellac, apply the first coat, then send it to an ultraviolet lamp for 2 minutes.
In the same way we apply the second layer and dry it in a UV lamp. It all depends on your preferences, but practice shows that if you leave one coat of varnish, the tone will be translucent.
Apply top coat
Step 5: we fix the work. The last layer should be the most dense, apply it on the entire surface of the nail and seal. Place your fingers in an ultraviolet lamp for 2 minutes. Be careful not to get stains and bumps.If you allow carelessness at this stage, you will have to redo the manicure and apply shellac again.
A manicure with shellac at home at this stage is considered almost complete. It remains to remove the sticky layer. This is done with a degreaser and a lint-free cotton pad.
Performing correctly all the above steps, you will get a beautiful uniform manicure. He will not wrinkle, will not burst and will delight you for at least 3 weeks.
How to attach rhinestones?
Manicure with shellac and rhinestones is an extravagant trend in the field of nail art. It is recommended to decorate with rhinestones one or two nails, while carefully choosing the colors. Marigolds will get a neat and elegant look, without making the image vulgar.
Glue rhinestones are an imitation of stones of different sizes. One side is flat, the other is embossed. The decoration is attached to the nails with a smooth surface. Rhinestones should be attached to shellac correctly, otherwise there is a risk that they will crumble very quickly.
The technology of applying rhinestones to shellac step by step:
- Step 1: cover the nails with shellac, polymerize the layer in an ultraviolet lamp. The coating must be sufficiently hardened. Only in this way the fastening of the stones will be strong, and the pattern will not be lubricated;
- Step 2: on the pattern created and thought out in advance, apply “stones” with tweezers or a toothpick. You can use a sharp stick, then it is dipped in water or varnish;
- Step 3: Wait for the glue to dry so that the crystals adhere well. Remember that rhinestones are applied to the topcoat after the main manicure is already completed;
- Step 4: we fix the work by applying the top without an adhesive layer and dry in a UV lamp for 2 minutes.
When applying rhinestones, use special glue or gel. In extreme cases, you can use transparent varnish and fixing agent, but such products make rhinestones less shiny.
How to make a picture on nails?
A plain shellac coating can quickly get bored. If you are a lover of bright and original design of nails, then you can diversify your manicure. To do this, apply:
- Drawings - prepared, or drawing with a thin brush;
- The combination of shellac in different colors;
- Use of figures, stickers, sparkles, stripes.
To date, 2 techniques for creating patterns on the nails are especially popular: casting and dots.
A beautiful shellac pattern on nails can be made in an unusual, but very popular casting technique. To do this, you will need to purchase a transfer foil, black gel paint and a thin brush.
The drawing is done with a thin brush, after which it is dried in an ultraviolet lamp. Next, a shiny layer of foil is printed onto the sticky layer of gel paint. You can design your nails in this way both on a matte finish and on a glossy one.
When performing manicure in the casting technique, you should adhere to a number of tips:
- When printing foil, you need to gently and tightly press it, then tear it away from the nail with a sharp movement. Repeat movements until you get the desired result;
- Dark paint should be used as a base for molding. This will add depth to the color;
- Cast on nails with a topcoat or clear varnish to protect the pattern from abrasion.
You can diversify a plain manicure with shellac using dots.
Dots (from the English. dots - points) is a two-sided tool with two balls at the ends, the size of which can be very different. Using dots, you can create drawings in the form:
- Peas;
- Points;
- Strips;
- Commas.
If you do not have a professional tool, you can replace it with a hairpin, pen, orange stick for manicure or a toothpick.
One of the easiest ways to use dots at home is to draw dots. To do this, apply a few drops of varnish with a brush on the palette. Dip the tip of the tool into the varnish and with a slight movement transfer the varnish to the nail plate. You will get circles of different sizes.
With dots, you can draw straight lines or curls.To do this, also dip the tip of the tool into the varnish and draw on the nail, display the pattern in the necessary shapes and lines. Gently draw, stretching a drop of varnish in the desired pattern.
The main mistakes when applying shellac
In order for the manicure with shellac to last longer on the nails, you must follow the instructions for applying it. Performing all the steps in sequence, you will provide a persistent and beautiful manicure for at least 3 weeks.
So, do not allow the following errors when applying shellac:
- Remember to lubricate the cuticle with emollient oil. This will help to keep the manicure in a neat form for a longer period.
- Do not mix varnishes of different companies. Nail coating of different production differs in composition and structure. The steps of applying and removing shellac complement each other to create an even and stable coating. If you experiment with different manufacturers, then the products can "enter into conflict." For example, the primer may not work, and then the coating does not adhere to the nail. The result - shellac will peel off after a few days.
- Do not remove your hands from under the UV lamp before a special beep sounds. The timer is set so that the coating dries to the right degree.
- Do not remove shellac yourself. Not knowing all the subtleties, you can damage your nail plate. If you are going to remove shellac at home, use a special remover.
- Do not tear off peeling edges. If you see that the gel polish has peeled off somewhere, do not bite your nails and peel off shellac. You can damage the top layer of the nail plate. It is better to make a correction for this nail at home.
Following the recommendations and instructions set forth in the article, you can achieve a beautiful and persistent manicure with shellac.
