i had a shellac mani on the 14th. loved it immediately, especially since i left the salon with dry nails. the problem i had was that my nails are growing at warp speed right now (thank you prenatal vitamins), so after only a few days i had space from the "grow out".
i finally got around to trying to take it off yesterday, but had no luck on my own. i went back to the salon today to get it taken off.
it took 45 minutes!! i had to sit there with them soaking in acetone forever, and she had to keep scraping, literally, in between buffing. my cuticles started bleeding she had to buff so hard.
so, is this normal, or did i get a "bad" mani in the first place?
Re: shellac manicures.... question and a vent
Yeah, pretty much.
Last time I got one, I just got a french so when it grew out it wasn't too bad. But my nails chipped a LOT during the grow out. If they peel it off, it will strip your nails, and I think that it doesn't let your nails breathe enough.
I probably will only get one now if I'm going somewhere that I really need my nails to look good for whatever reason.
My mom loves them but she switched to shellac from fake (don't know what she had). I hated it.
Whatever you do, NEVER EVER get it on your toes. I did and it was even worse to get it off. I don't know what I was thinking...polish lasts on my toes without chipping for a solid month with just regular polish!
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You can get it off at home but it's a pain. It's basically doing what they did at the salon.
It's less destructive than artificial nails, but nothing like just regular polish. I had a shellac manicure and really liked it because regular polish lasts no more than 1 day on my nails and the shellac lasted weeks.
I have found that if you let it come off on it's own, it doesn't seem to destroy your nails. When you start forcing it off, then you start peeling layers of your nails with it.
I have super ugly hands and crappy weak nails. I feel like a shellac looks great on me and I have tired of doing the acrylics or gels or whatever they are. I do a clear shellac and my nails actually grow because they aren't splitting every three seconds.
I have never had any bleeding though when they take them off at the salon. That sounds pretty bad...bleeding + nail salons scare me and I am a pedi junkie!
I have really strong nails and they can handle the shellac. it's still better for them than tips. mine also grow fast but with regular polish, it doesn't even make it 24 hours. i have been getting it every 2 weeks for about 3 months.
yes, you have to soak them but if you've soaked for 45 minutes, there should be a little scraping but it should mostly be peeling from the acetone. i wouldn't say you got a bad manicure, but it sounds like the removal was someone who doesn't know what they're doing. i know at the nail place i go to, there are only 2 girls who deal with shellac because you have to have some "training" to do it right.
I have really strong nails and got them done a week before E was born but now have regretted having them. I never get manicures but I thought it would be nice to have a "good" mani for when she was born. Blech. I have had to cut may nails down and still the paint won't come off. I guess I have to go have them taken off.
the first time i had it done, when i had it removed, it was an experience like yours. the guy completely ruined my nails. it was like when i've removed acrylic in the past and it took off layers from my nail bed.
the next time i had it done, i removed them myself by letting my nails soak in commercial grade acetone for about 10 minutes. peeled off super easy.
if i ever get it done again (for me, personally, it's not worth the extra $), i will only remove it myself.