Emotions at Pure Spa Direct have been running high ever since the announcement that CND would be introducing their new Shellac manicure system. All us ladies have been waiting with great anticipation to see the colors, feel the consistency of the polish, and see if it can really stand up to the everyday wear that our nails go through.
I, for one, was skeptical. I am one those women that ruins my new manicure, oh, about, 3.5 seconds after I put my hands under the dryer. How could anything, short of acrylics, work for me? Also, even if my polish stayed on for 2 weeks, how could my nail beds possibly maintain that fresh manicure look? Well, we have 2 weeks to discover the answers to these questions. Here is Day 1...
The very first thing I did before anything was applied to my nails was rub all of them with a plastic-backed, lint-free pad that was soaked with 99% Isopropyl Alcohol. This made my nails clean and ready to be Shellac-Attacked. My color of choice was Red Baroness, a sparkling raspberry color that can change to a more cranberry tone, depending upon the light. It is absolutely gorgeous, the kind of color that I want to show off. Also, due to its varying shade, it is also a very versatile color.
The process, in a nutshell, was: Base Coat, bake 10 secs, 1st color coat, bake 2 mins, 2ND color coat, bake 2 mins, top coat, bake 2 mins. Repeat on other hand. In essence, the whole process takes exactly 12 minutes and 20 seconds longer than a traditional manicure, BUT, no drying time and no worrying about inevitable smudges and dents! I don't know about any of you, but I have sat under the nail dryer for 20-30 minutes, and STILL wrecked my manicure before I even left the salon.
The end product is absolutely stunning. I have been getting tons of compliments on the color and shine of the polish, from friends and strangers alike. And rather than having to do activities with extra care and focus, I have been able to throw caution to the wind, successfully combining my tomboyish nature and love of shimmering nails.
As a note, the CND Solar Oil is ESSENTIAL!! I have very dry hands and cuticles and using the 99% Isopropyl Alcohol definitely does not help my situation. After one application of the oil, however, my nail-beds looked and felt super moisturized. I will be applying it every day, multiple times a day, to ensure that my cuticles stay as fresh and gorgeous as my Shellac Manicure does.
As far as CND Shellac, this girl is hooked ;-)