What Is Shellac Nail Polish Made Of

At that place's something so satisfying about a beautiful nail look that lasts for weeks on end. Of course, finding such a happy mani moment requires using the right blast smooth formulas in the offset place. That'south where Shellac comes in. While the long-lasting acrylic shine frequently gets a bad rap, nosotros're here to shed a little calorie-free on why Shellac isn't the culprit, afterwards all. Information technology all comes down to the formulas and knowing which are adept for your nails, and which are best to steer clear of. Since that might seem a little scientific, we're here to remind yous that Shellac isn't something to stress over. In fact, by the end of this article, we have a funny feeling you lot'll be reaching for (or requesting) Shellac over whatever other gel on the market. Keep reading to find out why.

What Is Shellac?

Like virtually long-lasting manicures, Shellac—otherwise known equally gel smash shine—is fabricated upward of an acrylic base of operations. "All of the ingredients used to make whatsoever type of bogus smash—whether they are glued, cured by UV, or mixed with a liquid and powder—are based on the acrylic family," celebrity manicurist Deborah Lippmann says. "The ingredients in Shellac manicures are similar pre-mixed acrylics, and they undergo a chemic reaction once they are cured with a UV lamp."

Varnish Lane co-founder Lauren Dunne adds to this, pointing out the Shellac is technically a combination of gel polish, which makes it last, and regular shine, which gives it high shine. "The formulas bind together when cured under the light," she explains.

What's important to analyze—and what's commonly misunderstood—is that gel nails and Shellac are the same thing. The biggest difference is that, like petroleum jelly and Vaseline, Shellac nails refers to the term coined by CND—a popular boom brand that first developed 14-twenty-four hours-wear gel polish.

Is Shellac Safe For Your Nails?

This is where things get interesting. Speaking specifically to Shellac nails (AKA the gel polish created by CND)—yes. That's considering the brand's formula features tiny tunnels within the smoothen one time it'south dry, then once it's time to remove information technology, acetone is able to sink into said tunnels to easily (and safely) remove the long-lasting polish. It'southward this very quality that makes Lippmann believe that Shellac is the easiest of all gel products to both apply and remove—and she's not lonely.

"We highly recommend using Shellac shine versus your typical gel shine because they soak off easier and are less damaging to the nails during the soak off process," Dunne says. "Nosotros likewise love Shellac considering it is formulated without the major harmful chemicals that used to be in boom polish (remember: Formaldehyde, toluene, camphor, etc.)."

At present, remember: Shellac is not the same matter as off-make gel. Off brands don't feature the same patented formula and therefore may not remove as easily, which can cause damage to your natural nails. In fact, it's due to these off-brand formulas that Shellac gets a bad rap, to begin with.

The Benefits of Shellac

Due to the long-habiliment quality of Shellac, Dunne says that your nails are protected and will wait their all-time for longer. "The major benefit of Shellac is a beautiful high-gloss manicure that will stay chip-free for 10 to 14 days (if practical correctly)," she explains. "This makes it the ideal manicure for travel, work, and all-around having cute nails that last longer."

The Drawbacks of Shellac

YakobchukOlena / Getty Images

Fifty-fifty though Shellac is considered past some to be the safest of all gels, information technology still has its downfalls. "Any product that is cured onto your boom has the potential of nail harm in the removal process," Lippmann explains. "You must commit to the time that is required to soak off the product correctly. No scraping, No filing on summit of the nail—no removing with your teeth." She points out that, oftentimes, people get impatient with how long it takes for the gel to dissolve, and they terminate upwardly pulling the polish off, which ends upwards damaging the nail.

Even if you're not pulling the polish off, Dunne says that frequent Shellac manicures can take a toll on your nails. "During the removal process (specially if not done properly), y'all can risk removing layers of your natural nails and weakening the nails," she explains.

Luckily, these downfalls are avoidable with proper removal and breathing fourth dimension between Shellac manis.

How to Rehab Nails After Using Shellac

Have a break between Shellac manicures. It'southward every bit simple as that. "We always recommend our clients give their nails a break from Shellac, peculiarly if they have had multiple Shellac manicures in a row," Dunne says. "It gives your nails a chance to re-strengthen."

Deborah Lippmann Hard Rock Nail Strengthening Top and Base Coat $xx.00

Shop

In addition to giving your nails a intermission, Lippmann recommends incorporating a targeted base of operations and topcoat—similar Difficult Rock base and topcoat—into your routine. "It'southward a must when trying to recover from enhancement removal," she says. "I recommend always putting several layers of shine on to protect our nails—whether its layers of base coat and topcoat—if you lot don't desire color."

Varnish Lane Nourishing Nail & Cuticle Oil $28.00

Store

Additionally, both Dunne and Lippmann say information technology helps to cater to your cuticles, as good for you cuticles are the key to healthy nail growth. To do so, try using the Varnish Lane Nourishing Boom & Cuticle Oil, or Lippmann'due south Hydrating Cuticle Oil Pen meant to soften and hydrate cuticles while stimulating blast growth and improving the surface of your nails.