Nailed it.

Yep. I totally did nail it. I have mastered the fine art of doing my own nails. But I hate doing them myself because they never last- they chip almost immediately and all that hard work is lost... super frustrating, right? (Sigh).. I know... Even after getting a salon mani my nails tend to chip quickly, so I almost always get shellac'd. I love how long they last- and OH the shine... However, as we all know, keeping a nicely shellac'd look on the regular gets pricey fast. Major dilemma.

A shellac manicure typically costs between $40-$60 and lasts for up to two weeks.

Recently, a coworker of mine was admiring my meticulously self-polished nails, and suggested that I was so good at it, that I should do my own shellac.

My immediate thoughts:
1) Why have I never thought of this before; and 2) how can I make this happen, like immediately?

Of course, super impulsive me got online right away and purchased all the necessary tools for shellac-ing myself to kingdom come. It took a couple practice rounds, but I eventually mastered the art of self-shellacing. I wanted to share this knowledge with whoever is brave enough to jump on the DIY train!

What you'll need:

• UV light (I purchased a Thermal Spa brand one on Amazon.com). You want one that has at least 36 watts.
• Shellac base coat & top coat (I purchased CND brand)
• Shellac color (or regular nail color- see variations below)
• Rubbing alcohol (90% + solution)
• Typical mani tools=Cotton pads & q-tips, cuticle stick, nail files, acetone polish remover, eyeliner brush
• Cuticle solution (CND Cuticle Away is a miracle product!!!) 

How to shellac yourself:

Prep.

1. Remove all existing polish and make sure you're starting with clean hands (IE- wash them).
2. Place a small dab of cuticle solution on cuticle area and let sit for a few minutes. Scrape away the residue that comes off with cuticle stick and push back remaining cuticle. Clean off any left over solution.
3. Shape each nail to your liking with nail file.
4. Soak a cotton pad with rubbing alcohol and cleanse each nail. This preps the nail for the shellac polish.

Now you're ready to start painting!

1. Paint each nail with the shellac base coat and let dry under UV light for 2 minutes (my light has a setting for 2 minutes and for 3 minutes).
2. Paint each nail with shellac color and let dry under UV light for 2 minutes. Make sure you are detailed during this part because once you dry under the light, it's permanent.
3. Paint each nail with shellac top coat and let dry under UV light for 2-3 minutes.
4. IMPORTANT last step: You must rub each nail with an alcohol soaked cotton pad to get off the tacky top layer and give it that trademark SHINE!

Variations:

I find that there's not a very wide selection of colors in shellac, and I have a few normal polishes that I love, so I found a way to use normal polish with shellac!


Sandwiching:

1. Do all your nail prep work, same as above.
2. Paint each nail with the shellac base coat and let dry under UV light for 2 minutes.
3. Paint each nail with shellac top coat and let dry under UV light for 2 minutes. Rub each nail with an alcohol soaked cotton pad to get off the tacky top layer.
4. Paint each nail with your chosen non-shellac nail color and let dry completely. Do 2 coats.
5. Use an eyeliner brush to dip in polish remover and touch up any mistakes. Run the brush along the curve of your cuticle to get a clean, professional finish.
6. Once fully dried, paint each nail again with shellac top coat and let dry under UV light for 2-3 minutes.
7. Rub each nail with an alcohol soaked cotton pad to get off the tacky top layer and give it shine, and voila! Personalized shellac mani!

This is my own hand that I 'sandwich' shellaced (this is on the 6th day so you can see it lasts for quite a while)! The color is Sinful Nails- Big Daddy.

Now that you know how to get a shellac mani using regular polish, you can do all sorts of nail art that will last for at least a week!

Currently obsessed with gradient nails. Here's a great tutorial from Makeup Withdrawl!

Disclaimer:
This technique has worked for me, but I am definitely not a professional. Take these tips with a grain of salt, and a glass of wine.


Okay! Now you know how to give yourself an at-home shellac for the fraction of the salon price, and with even more color and design options. Use this power wisely!