How to make shellac yourself at home? How not to spend a large amount of money on the services of an experienced specialist? You can learn about this and much more from the following material.
Shellac is a new manicure technique. It is not as harmful as the classic method of nail extension. At the moment, applying gel polish to the feet is rapidly replacing other methods of design and treatment of the nail plate. Many ladies of various ages who try to follow fashion use the services of manicurists when they want to get shellac done. No matter how complicated the process may seem, you can do it yourself at home.
What is shellac?
Shellac is a logical, consistent way to extend gel nails. During the procedure, a set of polymers is used, each of which has the properties of both a varnish and a special gel.
The composition of the coating applied to the nails includes the following components:
- Film former. When this substance hardens, it forms a dense coating that is not afraid of any mechanical stress. The component is considered the basis of any type of shellac.
- Photoinitiator. This substance absorbs the sun's rays, thanks to which the varnish hardens faster.
- Pigment . The shade that is the main component of shellac. Using pigment, you can give your nails a certain shade.
- Thinners . Components that allow you to adjust the consistency of the varnish.
- Supplements . These components enhance and regulate the quality of the varnish. Thanks to additives, the color becomes more intense and resistant to abrasion.
- Shellac looks like a medium liquid mass. The color of this mass may vary. It all depends on the pigment present in the composition. To get a new, unusual shade, you can mix several gel polishes at once.
- The varnish dries using a special UV lamp. A coating that dries under other influences is not very stable. Shellac has increased strength. It can be stored for at least 14 days, while maintaining its original appearance.
Type of manicure
French shellac
French manicure coated with shellac is a recognized classic manicure. It is suitable for any season and holiday. Let's look at how a classic French manicure is done using shellac varnishes:
- The nail is treated with a buff and base. Then it is dried under the rays of a UV lamp;
- The main part of the plate is painted pink or beige. Of course, you can use black or red, but it is recommended to leave dark colors for the cold season (autumn-winter), when the contrast with the skin will be more noticeable;
- Next, the tip of the selected shape is drawn with a brush. It can be straight, oval, triangular. Drying is in progress;
- You can stick rhinestones along the contour or draw a pattern. Afterwards the fixative is applied.
You can complement this style with any pattern or stickers.
What you need for a shellac manicure: important tools, materials
For a shellac manicure there is a basic kit that includes tools and materials. Thanks to this set, you can create an exquisite manicure yourself at home:
- UV lamp. The power of such a light bulb should be 36 W. If you have a lamp with a lower power, the varnish may begin to peel off over time. Consequently, you will end up with an ugly manicure.
- Degreaser . Most often, such substances are sold in the same store where all shellac components are sold. If you can't find one, use regular medical alcohol.
- Base coat. Try to choose a high quality foundation.
- Shellac of the required color.
- Finish coating. You also need to choose quality material.
- Orange stick.
- Napkins that have no lint. The fact is that the lint can ruin your manicure. You will have to remove the shellac layer and then reapply it. You will need wipes to remove the sticky layer at the final stage.
- A liquid used to remove shellac.
When choosing, pay attention to the CND brand. The company sells high-quality material for creating shellac. The fact is that the manufacturer is responsible for the quality of its own products and provides a guarantee for each product.
Basic and additional materials
You can, of course, buy material of lower quality.
But with such products you may not get a beautiful, long-lasting manicure. If you save, you won’t be able to get an excellent result - a beautiful, long-lasting, elegant manicure.
Main types of Shellac manicure designs 2021
Shellac nail design - the individuality of our ladies, their wardrobe, sphere of communication. Combines new manicure ideas with technique and style. Don't be afraid to experiment.
So, what fashion trends are offered by shellac manicure designers in 2021: classic elegant French; spectacular ornaments; thematic pictures; unique patterns; discreet and laconic versions.
In fashion, designs in which the ornament matches the pattern of clothing, or correspond to some event. The drawings do not lose their relevance even in the cold season - autumn and winter, since the design is very popular. To create beautiful designs on nails for spring-summer 2021, you can use various decorative elements: sparkles, rhinestones, dried flowers, colored foil, etc. A beautiful design on nails with shellac can be made using an amazing casting technique. To do this you will need transfer foil and black gel paint. The design looks great on both matte and glossy finishes.
How to properly make your own shellac nails: preparatory stages
So, having prepared all the necessary tools and materials for a shellac manicure, you can begin the preparatory stages. This includes preparing the nail plates.
Preliminary manipulations consist of the following steps:
- Treat the cuticles on your fingers.
- Form the nail shape that you like best.
- Polish your nails. This procedure is considered mandatory. Thanks to it, the shellac and the surface of the nail plate adhere better.
- Treat your nails with an antibacterial agent. It will degrease your nails and ensure even application of the polish.
- Apply a layer of base coat.
- Warm your nails under a UV lamp to fix the gel polish. The warm-up time should be approximately 30 seconds.
Benefits of shellac
Shellac is so loved by celebrities that every fashionista considers it her duty to resort to such a procedure at least once. Having tried it once, with a high degree of probability, you will turn to it again and again.
Gel polish coating has many advantages. Let us note the main ones:
- A manicure lasts an average of 14 days.
- The coating retains its original presentable appearance until the end of its life. The signature glossy shine does not disappear, the colors remain just as rich.
- No more chips, peeling polish, or nails breaking at the most inopportune moment.
- Gel polish has a beneficial effect on the nail plates, strengthening thin and brittle nails, turning them into healthy and strong ones.
- The coating acts as a protective layer, allowing you to grow your own length in a couple of weeks.
- Gel polish is safe, since you will not find formaldehyde and other harmful elements in its composition.
- It can be applied even while expecting a baby.
Shellac at home for beginners step by step: base coating
Covering your nails after preparing them begins with applying a base. This layer protects nails from the negative effects of the pigment layer. In addition, the base makes the adhesion of the polish and nail much better.
step by step
according to the following instructions:
- Paint the left edge of the nail plate.
- Paint the right edge.
- Apply the base in the center of the nail.
- Before moving on to the next step, make sure that the edges of each nail are carefully “sealed.”
- Thanks to this technique, you will evenly distribute the base over your nails without catching the skin.
The entire database processing procedure consists of the following steps:
- To begin, twist . This way you will warm up the base, after which it will lie evenly on the nails.
- Apply foundation. Make sure the layer is not too thick. Otherwise, the base will take longer to harden, which can cause unwanted stains on your nails.
- Dry your nails for 30 seconds.
How to apply shellac?
This layer makes your nails the color you want. To properly apply shellac, follow these instructions:
- Apply a thin layer of product. Do not seal the edges of your nails.
- Dry the shellac under the lamp for approximately 3 minutes.
- Next, reapply shellac . You can apply the same varnish or use a different color. With this technique, an original, unusual drawing is obtained.
- Hold your painted nails under a special lamp for approximately 3 minutes.
Keep in mind that each layer of shellac must be thin enough, otherwise the varnish will begin to swell and bubbles will form underneath.
The layer should be thin
- Before applying the varnish, check what condition it is in - the product should not be very thick. Varnish can deteriorate over time if you store it incorrectly.
- Make sure that the cap on the tube is screwed on well. Store the varnish only in a dark place where the temperature is no more than +25°C.
Fashionable colors in shellac nail design 2021
To create a fashionable shellac nail design, you need to listen to the fashion trends that the new season 2021 has prepared for fashionistas. The color palette of the coming year is very rich and varied, so every woman will be able to choose a coating that suits her tastes.
The trending colors for shellac nail designs in the new year will be:
- the color of rose quartz and lilac with a grayish tint;
- peach and salmon;
- neon green and baby blue;
- yellow and fiery red;
- sea green and coffee.
See even more fresh photos of nail design 2021 in this article
Naturalness is in fashion, so short nails, the free edge of which is no more than 2-3 mm long, will be especially popular. For such nails, fashionable colors such as blue, green, turquoise, silver-gray and peach, as well as any pastel colors, are best suited. If the length of the free edge of the nail is 4-5 mm, you can safely use red, sunny yellow, burgundy, pink, light green, chocolate, black and blue varnishes.
Shellac manicure: how to apply decorative elements correctly?
The scheme and method of applying decor during a manicure with shellac is almost no different from decorating nails during a manicure with ordinary varnish. But here, after applying the decorations, you should also re-coat your nails with a finishing coat of varnish.
The decor on the nails during a shellac manicure can look like:
- Ribbon, stripe.
- Ornaments.
- Various patterns.
- Images.
- Applying several shades of varnish at once.
- Glitter and so on.
Images
Ribbons
Stones
Glitter and powder
silver Rain
Autumn will be truly fashionable if you give preference to a “metallic” manicure - a silver or gold pigment is added to the shellac coating used. It will give your nails a beautiful shimmer and delicate glimpses of precious metal. The most suitable colors for gray are:
- white,
- black,
- pink.
Shellac silver
The gray color palette is rich in shades, as you can see when you see the silver shellac in the photo. It could be:
- matte color of wet asphalt;
- pale in nude style;
- luxury silver with sparkles.
Each shade creates its own image for the owner of a shellac-coated manicure.
The final stage of a shellac manicure is applying the top.
During the final stage of the manicure, the last layer, the top coat, is applied with shellac. This procedure is performed as follows:
- Apply top coat in a thick layer. Seal each open edge of your nails with topcoat. This way the colored varnish will be in a closed “vessel”.
- Dry your nails. The drying time under a special lamp should be approximately 2 minutes.
- Take a lint-free cloth and a special product. Remove the sticky layer.
- If you don’t have a means to remove the sticky layer, acetone or ordinary alcohol will do. But these substances can ruin your manicure. Therefore, use them extremely carefully.
How to properly apply shellac at home: secrets
Making your nails beautiful can sometimes be very difficult, especially when it comes to shellac. If you are a beginner, you can use the detailed instructions above, but it may not be enough for you. After all, you are not familiar with the secrets that real professionals know.
To get the perfect manicure, experts recommend using the following tips:
- To evenly distribute the glitter on the surface of the nail, mix it with a small amount of transparent base. Mix the mixture thoroughly, then apply a second layer of jewelry to your nails.
- To make your manicure last longer, apply shellac in a thin layer. Avoid touching the cuticles to keep your manicure looking neat.
- To do a French manicure, do not use stencils. After all, after drying the varnish, it will be difficult for you to remove them. If you remove the stencils before the gel has dried, it may run.
- If you use shellac to extend your nails, do not file the entire nail down. Just sand .
- To remove cuticles, experts advise using a special product. However, if the cuticles are not very noticeable, then take an orange stick and use it to push back the cuticles on your fingers.
Instructions for home
- When buying a UV lamp , pay special attention to the power of the equipment. The best option is a 36 W lamp. In this case, the varnish will dry quite quickly.
- Any correction must be carried out under this mandatory condition - the nail plate must be dry. Even a gentle file will not be able to keep wet nails intact.
- Use cuticle oil every day. Apply it in the morning, then in the evening. Only in this case will you not get hangnails on your fingers.
- Before visiting a beauty salon, first treat your nails. If your nails are sick, shellac will only make the problem worse. The nails will begin to break, peel, and fungus may appear.
- Do not apply hand cream before applying shellac.
How to make shellac in raspberry tones yourself
If you are one of those who prefer shellac, then you have probably thought about purchasing the necessary equipment for independent use at home. Or maybe you already have it? Then the following instructions are for you on how to create raspberry nails using shellac gel.
1. Using a nail file, create the shape you want. Remove cuticles and prepare nail plates for application of colored polish.
2. For soft polishing of nails, use a fine-grained buff. Gently go over the surface of each nail in a circular motion.
3. Next, degrease your nails and apply a primer for better wear of the shellac gel. The primer does not need to be dried in a lamp; it dries on its own in a couple of seconds, forming a thin invisible layer on the surface.
4. After primer, apply base coat. You should not put too much polish on the brush, as this may cause it to not dry completely in the lamp and ruin the entire manicure. Apply the base in a very thin layer, avoiding the rollers of your fingers.
5. Shake the raspberry polish and scoop a little onto the brush and paint all your nails with the first coat. Dry in a lamp for about a minute. Then another layer - and also in the lamp for a minute.
6. Unlike ordinary varnish, shellac does not dry in the air, so it is possible to adjust and correct defects before the nails go under the lamp.
7. Apply topcoat, making sure to seal all edges. This way shellac will serve you much longer.
8. If your top coat has a sticky layer, it needs to be removed. This can be done with a degreasing agent. Not to be confused with nail polish remover! And also in a simple way using a paper handkerchief and cuticle oil. Apply the oil to a handkerchief and rub it in a circular motion onto the surface of the nail. Do this carefully and carefully so that all edges of the nail are processed. This way you will not only remove the sticky layer and complete the manicure, but also soften the cuticle, giving it a more well-groomed appearance.
Benefits of shellac manicure
As you can already understand, shellac has many positive aspects. Among them we highlight the following:
- looks just as good on short nails as it does on long nails. This method makes it possible to paint nails to the required length.
- Since shellac is considered a natural remedy, thanks to it, nails are strengthened breaking .
- Shellac can last on nails for quite a long time. Many women wear this manicure for almost 3 weeks.
- To remove shellac, you need a special product. This means that nails coated with this method are not afraid of various household chemicals.
- Thanks to shellac, nails become shiny . The shine on them can last for quite a long period without fading over time.
- Companies that produce shellac products try to closely follow fashion. Therefore, the palette of varnish colors is regularly updated. On sale you can always find both classic shades and bright, interesting, avant-garde tones of gel polishes.
- The main advantage of shellac is that this method of painting nails is considered completely safe . The main components of shellac contain no formaldehyde. That is why such a manicure can be done not only by girls prone to allergies, but also by pregnant women.
- If you suddenly get tired of shellac , you can remove it yourself at home. To do this, purchase a gel polish remover or film in advance from a specialized store. Then carefully study the instructions for beginners , and only after that clean your nails of polish.
Depends on the mood
Gently
Unusual
Bright
Blue
Reds
Lunar manicure
Lunar nail design in the summer season 2021 is best done with shellac in bright colors, combining them at your discretion.
The history of the lunar French has been going on for almost a century. At the initial stages, it was completely different from what it is now, but the principles were similar. Beauties of the early twentieth century left the white hole at the base of their nails untouched, and painted over the rest of the space. Modern fashionistas have access to absolutely any shades that fashion allows you to combine with almost no restrictions. Also in 2021, the hole can be lined with rhinestones, beads, and sparkles.
In the new season, short nail lengths are in fashion, so the designs on them should be small. The hole can be drawn not only in the usual place, but also on the right and left. The placement in the middle looks very good.
An interesting option is to use different textures.
Disadvantages of shellac manicure
Everything that exists on our planet has negative sides. Shellac was no exception. There are few disadvantages to manicure, but you should definitely know about them:
- The shellac procedure is quite expensive . Correction can also cost you a decent amount. So if your nails are growing quickly, accept that you may be incurring additional costs.
- The next negative side of shellac is the following - despite the fact that manufacturers claim that the coating is very durable, due to high temperature, nails can expand and then shrink, returning to their original size.
- Due to warm water while washing dishes or taking a bath, nails can become deformed, resulting in micro-cracks in the coating. Due to such cracks, dirt can get under the varnish, causing the development of bacteria.
- Shellac can stay on nails for a long time, so microbes have a lot of time to develop and damage the nails. If you want to avoid such consequences, try to do all your homework with gloves.
The service is expensive
Long periods of wear can promote the development of bacteria
How to do a manicure with Cat's Eye shellac?
This type of manicure is considered very popular. By using a varnish that contains metal particles in the procedure, you can create unusual patterns that resemble a cat’s eye.
For this design, prepare the following materials:
- Varnish. It should be green.
- Magnet.
If you don't have a special magnet, then take a regular one.
Cat's eye
The process of creating such a manicure consists of the following steps:
- For shellac, prepare your nails and apply a base.
- Dry the base under a UV lamp.
- Apply a special green varnish and dry it too.
- Reapply the polish and hold the magnet near it. The metal particles will form an unusual pattern.
If you approach the magnet with its edge, you will get a pattern in the form of stripes. By twisting the magnet, you will get an interesting pattern that resembles a cat's eye. At the very end, coat the varnish with topcoat.
Shellac or varnish?
Another question that every woman faces is the choice between regular varnish and shellac gel. And if everything is clear with the first one, then we should talk about shellac separately. The “shellac” phenomenon first appeared in the public domain about 10 years ago. Its ease of use and accessibility quickly captured most of the attention of women around the world, and therefore ordinary varnishes became less in demand.
Shellac is a manicure using a gel that hardens under a UV lamp and can withstand changes in temperature, water and everyday activities for about three weeks.
It is not surprising that then, 10 years ago, women instantly appreciated this innovation and continue to use it to this day. However, some still prefer to use regular polishes due to the inability to visit a beauty salon.
Shellac: French manicure
Perform French shellac using this method according to the following instructions:
- Initially, remove the cuticles, give the nails the desired shape, remove the oily layer.
- Apply primer.
- Next, cover your nails with a thin layer of base.
- Dry your nails under the lamp for approximately 3 minutes.
- Use a special cloth to remove the sticky layer that forms after drying.
- Paint your nails with the desired color.
- Carefully draw "smiles".
- Cover your nails with base coat.
French
Creating shellac at home is an easy procedure even for beginners. If you follow our instructions, you will definitely get a beautiful manicure.
You can find out more about manicure here:
- Manicure yourself at home, with or without varnish
- Hot manicure at home
- Designs and ideas for purple manicure
- Emerald manicure
- Beautiful knitted manicure
- Manicure with hearts
