DIY - Shellac Gel Nails - Does It Work?

A good friend of mine showed me a picture on Pinterest demonstrating a DIY version of Shellac nail polish.  I thought, this would be great for my next blog, but does it really work?  So, I decided to give it a whirl.

The first step was finding the 5 Minute Gel Polish by Nutra Nails.  It's a Sally Hansen brand.  I was out looking for a little bottle and couldn't find it anywhere.  Come to find out, the bottle comes in a gel nail kit called Nutra Nails Gel Perfect (see photo).  I found the kit at Ulta and Walgreens.  I will say that this must be a hot commodity because there was only one left at each of the stores I went to.  

Then I bought the Essie 3-Way Glaze at Ulta.  I am pretty positive that you can get this at any retailer that sells Essie.  This one was much easier to find.

Next, I chose a nail polish...I picked one of  my most favorite colors, OPI "You Don't Know Jacques".

Shall we begin?

Here is what you will need: FYI - I forgot to put the OPI Rapid Nail Dry (Step #4) in the photo, sorry!

 

Step #1: Make sure you nails are dry, smoothed and buffed.  Apply a thin coat of the 5 Minute Nutra Nail Gel Polish.  The key is a THIN coat and don't forget to brush around the tips of you nails where polish typically starts chipping first.  Let this dry for a couple of minutes.  They key to this whole nail project is being patient; which is one thing I am typically not!

Step #2: This is very important.  The Pinterest directions say to now apply a coat of the Essie 3 Way Glaze. Don't do it!  This will make your nails way too "goopy" and will give you bumps in your polish.  Go ahead and apply your choice of nail polish after the 5 minute gel nail polish.  The first coat will appear streaky and uneven...don't fret.  You will get better coverage on the second coat. Don't go too thick!!

Here comes the patient part again...let you nail polish dry for a few minutes before moving onto Step #3.

 

Step #3: Apply a coat of the Essie 3 Way Glaze.  IMPORTANT: This stuff is super-duper thick.  You have to be very careful not to put too much onto your nail.  You can almost do an entire hand with one dip into the glaze. 

Step #4: This step was left out of the Pinterest directions, but I highly recommend it.  Spray on OPI Rapid Nail Dry.  There are several nail drying sprays on the market, but this one is by far the best one that I have found.  I talked about this product in a previous post.  It really does help nail polish dry quicker which "lends a hand" (pun intended) to my "no patience" issue.

And we are done...viola!  

*Note #1 - Make sure you have a time to let this nail polish sit.  Even with the OPI Rapid Nail Dry, it takes a good 20 minutes or so to fully dry.

**Note #2 - Even though I used a dark color, OPI You Don't Know Jacques, in the demonstration, I would recommend using a light color, maybe one with a glitter in it. May I suggest Sephora by OPI, "Already Famous"? This will help to hide any imperfections that might come along when trying this for the first time. 

***Note #3 - This polish will come off with regular nail polish remover.  

I will post the results on how long the nail polish lasted before chipping on my Facebook page, so be sure to "Like" it - www.facebook.com/BecauseShannaSaidSo

 

Cheers!

Shanna Schneider

Sally Hansen Salon Effects Nail Poilsh Strips

I have been wanting to try the Sally Hansen Salon Effects Nail Polish strips for months now. So, when I saw a buy one get one 50% ad at Walgreen's, I thought, okay, this is a sign from the beauty fairy. They also have the same sale at CVS and my sister said they are on clearance at Target right now.  Guess the stores are getting ready for the fun Spring colors.  Anyway, back to my venture...I got my in car and headed out to see what they had left.  I stopped at Walgreen's first...their selection was pretty slim, so I high tailed it to CVS and found all the ones I wanted! I was like a kid in a candy store. I ended up buying four!  Check them out!

This one is Kitty Kitty.  I know some of you may think I am too old for this pattern, but for those of you who REALLY know me...this has my name written ALL over it!  ;)

The one above is Raise Your Glass. It's a little more tame than Kitty Kitty.  It is a pretty metallic champagne color.  Great for all seasons.

This is the next one I want to try out.  It's Bling It On!  LOVE IT.  It is hot pink glitter.  Perfect for New Year's Eve.

Last, but certainly not least....Glitz Blitz.  Another fun, glitter Sally Hansen creation.

Okay, so here we go.  I was little nervous because I am a horrible finger nail polish painter...my right hand always looks like a child's paint canvas.  I was determined and giddy!  Really? A 10 day nail polish?  Heck yeah!

This is what you get in the Sally Hansen Salon Effect kit;

16 strips...I guess they included extras for newbies and "oopsies".  A file/buffer. A cuticle wood stick and strip smoother.  Very short and a little confusing instruction sheet in two languages. 


 

BEFORE WE BEGIN

Buff down the ridges of your nails. The directions suggest using the dark pink half of the included buffer, but I find it way too rough on my nails and use my own buffing block instead. Not a requirement, but these strips are thin and extremely unforgiving to ridges, exaggerating and emphasizing every bump.

Next, wash your hands and nails. From what I’ve read, you don't need to apply a base coat here because it can reduce the longevity of the stickers.

HOW TO APPLY

Look through the box and select a strip that best fits the bed of your nail. Pull the tab, and peel the strip away from the backing. **MAKE SURE TO REMOVE CLEAR PLASTIC FROM THE TOP TOO!

Carefully, align and press it onto each nail, one by one, cutting away any excess, like so…                        

Smooth each sticker down a bit, and ensure that it’s securely affixed to the nail. I used my fingers and the wood stick to smooth down. 

Gently file away any excess, curling each strip under the nail. The directions say to use the light pink half of the file for this step, but I found that it just didn't do the trick.  Instead, I use the rougher half to tear at the stickers slightly, and then use the light pink side to finish the job.  Be gentle...these little guys are very thin and can rip easily.

I added an additional step to the process...I put a clear top coat over my nails to add an extra adhesive.  Sally Hansen and OPI both have great ones. I wanted to make sure these babies stayed put.  Just call it a "Because Shanna Said So" tip!

And...Abracadabra...Ala-Kazam...we are done!  I was pretty impressed about how easy it was, how fast I did it and how well they turned out.  Anyone can do this!  EASY PEASY!  And so much fun!  Now this is what I call doing "crafts"! 

Thank you, Sally Hansen.  Can't wait to see your Spring colors.  

But, don't worry OPI Nail Polish, I have not abandoned you...just making some new friends.  I have enough love to go around.  Cheers!