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Shellac at home for beginners. Step-by-step execution

Women's hands attract the attention of men no less than other parts of the body, so it is important to care not only for the skin, but also for the nails. Here, women will benefit from a neat and stylish manicure with shellac coating, which can be done in a salon or at home, following step-by-step instructions for beginners.

Characteristics of shellac

Shellac is a natural product found in nature. It is a resin produced by subtropical and tropical insects, used in the creation of various varnishes and in photography. The product is environmentally friendly, hypoallergenic, and does not contain formaldehyde or toluene.

Shellac - a popular manicure today

The first to use this component in the production of products for natural nails was CND, which developed a unique product that performs the functions of a gel and varnish.

The product quickly gained popularity among women on maternity leave, business women, travelers, and all those who do not have time to repaint their nails every two to three days.

Features of shellac

So beloved by the female sex manicure is characterized by the following features:

The ability of this coating to stay on the nail plate is from 2 to 3 weeks. This figure depends on the condition of the nails themselves: the harder and stronger they are, the longer shellac lasts.
The technique of applying the product involves drying all its layers in a special lamp emitting UV rays. Usually such a manicure is done by a professional, but you can use shellac at home. For beginners, here is a step-by-step guide that will help you choose the right products and tools.

The undeniable advantage of shellac is its durability.

Advantages and disadvantages of gel polish

This product has its positive and negative features that must be considered before applying it. Among benefits of shellac The following are worth noting:

Creates a long, durable manicure that can only be removed with a professional product, therefore, it is not afraid of various chemicals used in everyday life.
It is harmless to nails, as it is made from resin of natural origin and does not contain substances that are harmful and destroy the nail plate (formaldehyde and toluene). Therefore, this coating is suitable for pregnant women or women suffering from allergies.
Protects nails from delamination and cracking, allows you to make the nail plate stronger and grow it.
A varied color palette (more than 100 shades) allows you to create a manicure for any occasion, combine different colors, and make beautiful, unusual designs. Such a manicure will always be unique and can only be limited by a woman’s imagination.
Shellac can be easily removed at home with a special product or film. For beginners, there are step-by-step instructions that allow you to remove the coating without harming your nails.

One of the disadvantages of shellac is its high price.

Despite having many advantages, gel polish has its drawbacks, among which the following should be mentioned:

Shellac creates a suitable environment for the development of bacteria leading to nail diseases. This happens because due to temperature changes, the nail plate is subjected to various deformations, leading to a violation of the integrity of the coating. Water and dirt can penetrate through the cracks that form, creating good conditions for the development of microbes.
Covering nails with shellac in a salon is a fairly expensive procedure, and correcting an overgrown nail will not be cheap. Applying gel polish at home reduces the cost of the process, but requires skill in covering nails with one hand, in addition, there is a need to purchase special equipment.
Shellac is not a healing agent, so it cannot completely solve the problem of weakened and thin nails; in addition, it adheres to such a nail plate quite poorly and can begin to peel off after just a few days.

The product should not be used by women suffering from nail and finger fungus.

What tools and equipment are needed?

To create shellac at home, it is recommended to purchase all the same tools and materials used in the salon. None of the components can be replaced; this will allow beginners to create a beautiful manicure step by step. The list includes the following means and materials:

Shellac kit at home

hard nail file (220–240 grit), manicure tongs, spatula, orange stick, buff;
cuticle remover;
a brush for removing dust from nails;
degreaser;
lamp with UV rays (36 Watt);
shellac – base, tone, top;
lint-free wipes;
sticky layer remover.

Choosing materials and tools, It is recommended to give preference to the most well-known and trusted companies so that the result is only pleasing and does not become a disappointment.

Preparing nails for shellac application

In order for the coating to fit well on your nails, you must first prepare them. note that A manicure with gel polish consists of familiar and specific procedures:

If the cuticle has not grown back very well, you can simply push it back with an orange stick.

Cuticle treatment: carried out in various ways, depending on how much it has grown. Before removing it, you need to make a bath that will soften the cuticle and make it easy to remove. If it has not grown much, then just push it away with an orange stick. For longer cuticles, it is better to use special oil or nail clippers.
Nail treatment: it is necessary to give the nails an even shape, treat them with a buff for better adhesion to the coating. Clean your hands from dust using a brush.

Treating the nail plate with a degreaser is a very important step in preparing for a manicure.

The sides of the nails should be treated especially well with a degreaser.

After applying this product, do not touch the nails, otherwise the gel polish will not adhere well to the base. The degreaser can be replaced with alcohol wipes, but it is believed that they may adversely affect the quality of the coating.

Shellac at home: step-by-step instructions for beginners

A beautiful manicure can be done not only in a salon. It's easy to apply shellac at home. For beginners, a step-by-step guide will help you learn how to apply one color of gel polish; once this skill is established, you can try other designs.

The following instructions will help you master the technique of applying shellac:

A base coat is applied to protect the nail plate. To ensure that the layer is not too thick, you need to know the rules for applying the base (this rule also applies to applying other coatings): first the edges of the nail are painted, then only the middle, the final touch is to seal the tip of the nail, this way the layers will stick better. Drying nails in a UV or LED lamp, the time in the first should be one minute, in the second 12 seconds.

After processing the cuticles, a base coat is applied to the nails.

The base coat is applied according to the same rules as the base coat, but there is no need to paint the ends. The shellac layer should be as thin as possible. Pro Tip: Before applying the product, it is recommended to roll the bottle in your palms several times to better distribute the pigment.
Drying the color layer in a lamp, drying time 1–2 minutes. If the gel polish swells during drying, then the whole process must be started all over again, with degreasing.
Applying a second layer of base, which will create a brighter and more saturated color; if a translucent effect is needed, then this step can be skipped. The second layer of coating should be slightly thicker than the first.
Dry the new layer with UV rays for 2 minutes.
The finishing or top product is applied in the thickest layer. The last layer dries in the same way as the previous one - 2 minutes.
The resulting sticky layer is removed with a lint-free cloth and a professional product; you can also use alcohol, but it can deprive shellac of its gloss and shine.

It is important to understand that this step-by-step instruction for applying shellac at home is quite simple, but can be quite complicated for beginners. Don’t worry if you don’t succeed right away, the skill will definitely come with time.

Manicure “Cat Eye” is a popular trend in nail design today

How to make fashionable shellac “Cat's eye”

A popular manicure this season is “Cat’s Eye,” which got its name from its resemblance to the stone of the same name. These nails look very beautiful and noble. You can create a “Cat Eye” manicure at home, because the whole secret is in a special magnet.

For this design you will need the same products as for regular gel polish coating, the difference will be in the shellac itself - you need to buy a special magnetic product, which comes with a magnet.

The process of creating a fashionable manicure consists of the following stages:

Preparation of the nail plate and cuticle.
Treating nails with a degreaser.
Apply a base leveling coating and dry it in a lamp.
Covering one nail with a colored layer of shellac and drying it in a lamp.
Applying a second color layer to the same nail plate.
Creating a design using a magnet; to do this, it is brought to the painted surface so as not to touch it (about 3 mm from the nail). It is recommended to hold the magnet for 5–10 seconds, during which time the required pattern is created. Drying the nail in a lamp.
Applying finishing coat, drying.
Removing the resulting sticky layer.

All other nails are processed using this technology. To make your manicure sparkle even more, you can additionally decorate it with rhinestones.

To ensure that the shellac with glitter is uniform, pre-mix the gel polish with glitter

Secrets of using shellac at home

Making your nails beautiful is not so easy if you use shellac at home. For beginners, step-by-step instructions may not be enough, for the reason that they do not know some of the secrets that are available to professionals. To get the desired result, experts recommend the following:

To distribute glitter evenly and evenly on your nails, you need to mix them with a small amount of gel polish, mix everything well and only then apply a second layer of glitter to the nail plate.
For the best result, it is recommended to apply shellac in a thin layer; there is no need to paint over the cuticles, otherwise the manicure will look sloppy.
To create a French manicure, you should not use a stencil, since after drying it cannot be removed, and if you remove it from a wet coating, the border will spread.
When using shellac as an extension, there is no need to completely file off the nail plate, just sand it a little.

Rules for removing gel polish from nails

Using shellac at home requires not only its correct application, but also requires knowledge of how to remove gel polish. Regular nail polish remover will not help here; you need to use professional products, in addition, it is important to know the procedure itself, which consists of certain step-by-step recommendations for beginners.

To remove gel polish, you need to prepare five disks of cotton wool, cut into two parts, ten squares of foil, the size of which should be capable of wrapping a finger, a special product, orange sticks and buff.

To remove shellac at home you will need foil

The shellac removal procedure includes the following steps:

The discs must be wetted with a gel polish remover and applied to the nail plates.
Wrap each nail with a disc in foil and leave for 5-7 minutes.
Remove everything from your fingers and remove any remaining product with an orange stick.
If shellac is difficult to remove, it is recommended to hold the soaked cotton wool for a little longer or lightly rub it.
Treat your nails with a buff to completely remove the gel polish.
Take a relaxing bath and rub in any care product for your hands and nails.

Do not use solvents or their analogues to remove shellac

Thus, you can make shellac yourself at home. For beginners, a step-by-step guide will help you understand the intricacies of this process, learn the secrets of professionals, and create a beautiful and original manicure on your nails.

Beauty to you and your nails.

Step-by-step video on how to make shellac at home: