Shellac nails are the latest and greatest in the nail industry. They last twice as long as regular nail polish, they’re thinner than acrylics, and they look as shiny as a fresh coat of gel. They’re also incredibly expensive to have done at a salon, with each manicure costing upwards of $50. But you can do your own shellac nails at home for a fraction of the cost!

So why haven’t you jumped on the shellac bandwagon yet? Well, it’s not exactly easy to find all the supplies needed to do a shellac manicure at home. That is, until now! Here’s everything you need:

I’m a busy mom of two young kids, and I don’t have time to go to the nail salon very often. So, before I had my first Shellac manicure (and pedicure) done at a local salon, I had never even heard of shellac nails. These days, though, I can’t imagine going back to regular acrylic or gel nails. They just don’t last as long, and they’re not as strong.

Shellac is the brand name for a new, patent-pending nail product created by Creative Nail Design (CND). It is an innovation in the field of nail care that combines the ease of polish with the permanence of gels.

I have done my own Shellac nails using a kit I bought online. It is pretty easy once you get the hang of it, and it’s much cheaper than paying someone else to do them for you. Here’s what you need to know about Shellac Nails and how to do them at home yourself.

Shellac nails are the new craze in the nail industry. It’s basically a hybrid between nail polish and gel. It’s hard like gel, but can be removed with regular nail polish remover. It is extremely durable, lasting up to three weeks without chipping or peeling. You can do shellac at home, but you will need to get an LED lamp and a bunch of supplies.

Gather your supplies

You will be required to purchase a UV Lamp, and a bottle of Shellac Nail Polish. Amazon is the cheapest place to buy them from. The UV Lamp can be purchased from anywhere really- Sally’s Beauty Supply, Amazon or EBay. I’ve had my lamp for about 8 years now and my original bulb still works!

If you are planning on only doing your own nails and not others as well, the smaller lamp (4 fingers at a time) is sufficient. If you plan on doing other peoples nails too, I would recommend the larger lamp (up to 10 fingers at a time). You can fit all 10 fingers in the 4 finger lamp, it just takes longer to cure them.

I’ve been using this brand of shellac nail polish: Creative Nail Design (CND). But if you want to check out other brands of gel nail polish, others that are available are Gelish Harmony and OPI Axxium Soak-Off Gel Lacquer. The main thing to remember is that you need to get Shellac nail polish that requires curing with a UV lamp- not LED! Also make sure the shellac nail polish is labelled as ‘soak off’- otherwise you will need to file it off which is more time consuming and damaging

1. Remove old nail polish with a non-acetone remover, then wipe nails clean with rubbing alcohol and a lint free pad or cotton ball.

2. Gently push back cuticles with orange stick or manicure stick.

3. Fill the nail buffer block with water and dip the abrasive side in it, then buff the surface of your nails until they are smooth but not shiny (this is important so that the base coat has something to stick to).

4. Clean each nail with rubbing alcohol, paying special attention to the cuticle area, as any oils there will prevent the shellac from adhering properly.

5. Apply thin coat of UV base coat, cap edge and cure under UV lamp for 1 minute or LED lamp for 30 seconds.

6. Apply thin coat of shellac color polish, cap edge and cure under UV lamp for 2 minutes or LED lamp for 1 minute.

7. Apply second coat of color, if necessary (some colors are more opaque than others). Cap edge and cure as above.

8. Apply thin coat of UV topcoat, cap edge and cure under UV lamp for 2 minutes or LED lamp for 1 minute.

9. Wipe nails clean with a lint free pad

What you’ll need:

– UV or LED lamp

– Shellac base coat (Shellac)

– Shellac polish in your color of choice (Vernis Shellac)

– Shellac top coat (Shellac Top Coat)

– UV protective oil (Solar Oil)

– 100% acetone nail polish remover, preferably the non-oily kind. DO NOT use regular nail polish remover. It will not work.

– A few cotton balls and aluminum foil squares to help with the removal process.

1.) File and shape nails to your liking. I like mine squared off and short because I find it easier when typing on the computer all day long. But feel free to go whatever length and shape you want. After filing, push back your cuticles using a cuticle pusher or a orange wood stick that is rounded off on one end. Then remove any dead skin around the nails using a cuticle trimmer or cuticle nippers. You can also use a damp washcloth with some soap to soften up the skin around the nails, making it easier to remove with a nail buffer. Using a 4 sided buffer, lightly buff away any shine from the natural nails surface. This does not mean you should give yourself paper

You will need:

– UV lamp

– lint-free wipes

– base coat

– top coat

– cuticle oil (optional)

Step 1: Remove old nail polish.

Step 2: File nails.

Step 3: Push back and clean the cuticles.

Step 4: Buff the surface of each nail.

Step 5: Clean the nail bed with a lint-free wipe dipped in alcohol.

Step 6: Apply a thin layer of base coat to each nail and cure under UV lamp for one minute.

Step 7: Paint two coats of color on each nail, curing after each coat under UV lamp for one minute.

Step 8: Apply a thin layer of top coat to each nail, and cure under UV lamp for two minutes.

Step 9: Reduce tackiness by wiping each nail with a lint-free wipe dipped in alcohol.