Tired of having to retouch your nails on a daily basis? Shellacking your nails might be the way to go, as the paint will last for up to a month (though it is recommended that it be redone ever fourteen days. Below, we detail a step-by-step guide to properly shellacking your nails.
Step 1 You will first remove the old shellac nail polish. You will need to soak a small piece of cotton in pure acetone nail polish remover then gently wrap the nail in a small piece of aluminum foil. Let it set for 3-5 minutes.
Step 2 Once the shellac starts to lift, you will use an orange wood stick to scrap the old shellac off of the nail. Once the nail is clean of the old shellac, you will lightly buff the nail.
Step 3 You will do a manicure, but without the water. The shellac will not stick well to wet nail beds. Start with filing the nails to your desired shape and size.
Step 4 For this step, you will apply the cuticle cream to all of your nails. Then, push back and trim the cuticles and buff the nails.
Step 5 Much like hair and skin, nails can get oily, so you will want to use Alcohol to remove any oil from the nail bed. It is important to get into all the corners and edges of the nail.
Step 6 You are finally ready to apply the Shellac base coat. Coat the nail thinly, making sure to get the free edge (the tip) of the nail. When the Shellac is applied, cure each hand under the UV light for 10 seconds.
Step 7 Now you will apply two coats of the color of your choosing. After the first coat is applied you need to cure it under the UV light for two minutes. Then apply the second coat and place your nails under the UV light for another two minutes.
Step 8 Once the first and second coats are applied and cured, you will then apply the third and final coat. Make sure to get all edges and corners of the nail to ensure a clean look.
Step 9 When the polish on all nails is cured, you will want to wipe each nail with a nail wipe dampened in alcohol. This will remove the sticky residue that the Shellac sometimes leaves.
