Shellac Nail Trend Promises a 14-Day Manicure

The latest in nail care is a Shellac, a nail gel that promises a 14-day manicure.

To get the scoop on this trend, Largo Patch interviewed Alison Moon, organic full specialist at . She shared her knowledge about the latest in nail care and Shellac.

If you visited a local nail salon lately, you've probably spotted the latest "shellac" manicure on the service menu.

"People use it as a term and it's not," Moon said. 

Shellac is a product brand that promises no chips or flakes in your manicure for 14 days.

Shellac is a medium commitment nail gel that acts like a polish and is cured under a UV light. Moon said it strengthens and protects your nail.

"It's good to preserve the integrity of your nails, if it's applied properly and removed properly," Moon said.

Midori uses the brand Shellac with a manufacturer that focuses on "three free" - free of toulene, DPB and formaldehyde- all harsh chemicals found in typical polishes.

Two-Week Manicure

Shellac acts like a regular polish, but is cured under a UV light. It provides multiple advantages over other nail care products.

With Shellac, your nails won't have chips, smudges or lifts.

"It cures the one flaw in manicure," said Moon, referring to the shortened time between manicures due to chips or flaking.

"Women don't want to feel like they've wasted their money. The company that makes Shellac says it lasts two weeks, but Moon says it up to three weeks.

"In this economy, people want to get the most for their money," she said.

Some careers or hobbies can be tough on our nails. Moon says Shellac will help women who have a hard time maintaining a long lasting manicure.

[Here are some before and after photos of a Shellac manicure from the manufacturers website.]

She has clients who are in nursing and gardening whose frequent hand washing cause chips and flakes in the manicures. Women are able to have a perfect manicure for weeks.

Moon is passionate about nail care. She recently taught a two-hour seminar at Orlando Premiere about the benefits of Shellac.

She advises women to make sure the product they're getting is truly the Shellac brand and not a knock-off.

Shellac Brand Versus Copy Brands

"You'll see it (faux-Shellac brands) typically in a white bottle with only the top showing the color," Moon said.

"The bottle must show the brand Shellac. The difference is huge. The others are a low quality that will actually damage the nails."

In lower quality polishes, the "shellac" product must be buffed off the nail, which weakens and thins your nail bed.

Genuine Shellac must be applied properly with a UV light, which cures each step of the process.

Moon researched the UV light curing process after hearing women's concerns about the possibility of cancer underneath their nails.

"I found the UV light produces the same amount (of exposure to UV rays) as you'd get going from your house to your car and back again."

"It's minimal exposure," Moon said.

Shellac must be removed properly, too. The true brand slides easily off the nail, while the fake brands end up removing part of your nail in the process.

"Women don't realize how much damage it can do to their nails," Moon said.

Summer Nail Colors and Styles

Shellac can be layered to create new color combinations. It comes in tones to satisfy every woman, from natural pales, hot and bright and to deep darks.

If you'd like the latest summer nail colors, Moon suggests the brights, like Shellac's Tropics, a bright coral, or Tuitti Fruitti pink.

French tips remain a popular choice.

"We can do French tips with Shellac," Moon said.

"Or you can use a natural Shellac color, or light pink, and then put hydrogen peroxide under nail tips. It makes a natural French tip look."

Other popular styles include reverse French tips, where the crescent moon of your nail is light or white and the tips are bright.

Moon suggested a recent color combination of blue with bright pink tip.

"Instead of a scoop of a crescent moon, I did a circle of blue," Moon said.

Moon also suggested one of the latest styles: creating a slice of a crescent moon along the nail bed with a blue, purple or other rich color for the tips.

She's most excited about Shellac for women's healthy nail care.

"It's revolutionizing the nail care industry," Moon said.

For more information on nail care, call Midori Salon & Spa at (727) 581-8791, or visit Midori Salon & Spa website.

Find a Shellac nail salon near you.