I have never been fond of artificial nails. The prospect of someone taking a rough emery board to my very thin, fragile nail beds, in order to superglue plastic to them, and then past over a thick layer of chemical resin, and then having to go back and to it again and again, every fortnight ….. well it just seemed like a waste of money in order to be a slave to your nails. Plus, it left me with long talons, that were unmanageable and cumbersome. But, I am just like any other girly girl …. I love pretty nails. Why can’t there be a nail polish type thing, that just covers your actual nail (no filing), is only as long as your nail, but lasts longer than the standard 2 days that regular nail polish lasts (well on my nails anyway).
Well thanks to Ree at Pioneer Woman, I have found the solution. Shellac Nail Polish – called the 14 day manicure. A three step process, it goes on like regular polish, using a UV light to “set” the layers, and sets rock hard like gel nails. Best of all, no scuffs, rubs or icky bits where I bumped the nail in the process.
Now, I am a cheapskate. The Shellac Manicure is a relatively new process here, and only one salon in the entire city offered it. I just wasn’t willing to part with $70, for a nail job that would probably only last a fortnight, and then have to go back. So I bought an el-cheapie UV lamp (I may just update this to a stronger one now), and then I spent about $80 on buying the Base and Top Coat, and 1 colour … from America. Its relatively easy to do, and the setting process wasn’t too cumbersome. The little medical alcohol swabs you buy from the chemist do a great job for the final step, and half an hour later, they are rock hard, super shiny, and not a smudge to be seen. I need to work on my application technique, but I am just adoring the finished product. It remains to be seen just how long they last, but already its better than regular nail polish.
Day One
Yes, I know I chose an insipid baby pink, but I figured something understated and neutral would be a good idea. I already have plans to purchase another couple of colours.
