Whether you’re prepping for a holiday or you just want to freshen up your look, getting your nails done is a great way to get glammed and ready to go. When choosing your perfect nail treatment, you’ll find yourself facing the decision of whether to go for gel nails, acrylics, or a shellac treatment.

You may have already heard the buzz around shellac nails, the high-shine gel polish that can last up to 14 days. Shellac manicures and pedicures are some of our most popular beauty treatments here at Araya Beauty, and it’s not hard to see why.

To help make your next mani-pedi decision a little easier, here’s our handy guide to all things shellac!

What Are Shellac Nails?

Shellac is actually a patented brand of gel polish, created by CND (Creative Nail Design). This unique formula is like a gel and lacquer nail polish hybrid. It combines the longevity and hard-wearing nature of gel nail polish with the high-shine finish of regular polish. The result is a beautiful high-gloss manicure that can last up to 2 weeks, as long as it’s applied correctly at a professional nail salon. 

In a shellac manicure, your nail tech will treat and shape your natural nails before applying a few coatings of shellac nail polish – a base coat, a coat of colour, and a top coat. These layers of polish are dried under a UV lamp to set them into place. 

The special thing about shellac is the way it bonds to your nail under these UV nail lamps. When UV light hits this polish, it undergoes a chemical reaction that binds the polish and the gel together to create that classic high-shine finish. 

Benefits of Shellac

The biggest appeal of a shellac manicure is its durability. Shellac nails will last up to 14 days without chipping, adding a bit of glamour before a holiday or even to your day-to-day life. 

Since the shellac polish hardens under a UV LED nail lamp, it has a very quick dry time. In fact, the shellac manicure process is relatively quick from start to finish, so you can be in and out of the salon in about 30 minutes. 

Lastly, a big appeal of shellac is that it’s easy to remove. The patented shellac polish has pockets of gel that dissolve and break apart when acetone is applied, allowing the polish to be removed without having to scrape or damage your natural nails.

Shellac Nails vs. Gel Nails: What’s the Difference?

Shellac and gel manicures are often confused, but they’re not quite the same thing. The main differences between shellac nails and gel nails are:

• Formula – gel nails are made from a semi-permanent gel, while shellac is a semi-permanent polish that’s a hybrid between gel and lacquer polishes. 
• Durability – gel nails can last up to three weeks which is slightly longer than shellac.
• Maintenance – shellac nails stand up to daily life a little better, while gel nails can be harmed by hot water meaning you’ll need to avoid hot baths and wear gloves when doing household chores.
• Removal – shellac is quicker and easier to remove than gel. 
• Colours – you have more colour options with gel nails, but there is a decent range for shellac too.