What is the difference between gel polish and shellac?

Many girls use both gel polish and shellac, but they certainly cannot answer the question of how they differ from each other. In fact, these coatings are very different, and in order to choose them, you need to know what exactly their differences consist of. This will be discussed now.

Gel polish is an innovative decorative tool that is used to obtain a persistent manicure. This coating is fixed to the nail with an ultraviolet lamp, which provides hardening of the composition.

In order for the gel polish to firmly adhere to the nail plate, two basic procedures are necessary, such as:

• cutting off the top layer of the nail;
• preliminary coating with a special tool - a primer.

The composition of gel polish includes the following components:

• a film former that has polymer bonds that harden under the influence of UV rays;
• photoinitiator - catcher of the same rays;
• thinners - participate in the formation of the desired consistency;
• pigment that gives the desired color to the varnish;
• additional additives - vary from the specific manufacturer and the desired effect (gloss, texture).

Shellac is different from gel. He incorporated the properties of both ordinary varnish and gel. By its composition, it is still closer to traditional varnish, but the coating is much better in terms of strength. It does not require primer application; you can do with one degreaser.The coating is also dried under ultraviolet rays using a special lamp. In general, shellac is a CND product. It was she who patented her work, and subsequently there have already been attempts to copy this tool. And so it turned out gel polishes.

Shellac exists in three forms: single-phase, two-phase and three-phase. Accordingly, these options differ in application: one coating combines the base, the main varnish and top, two-phase - contains the base together with the color coating, but requires a top. And the three-phase version needs a separate base and top. Shellac in its composition contains the same substances as gel polish, but with one difference. All the ingredients in its composition have undergone rigorous testing and a lot of research, thanks to which scientists have developed a special hypoallergenic formula.

Like every product in the beauty industry, gel polish and shellac have their pros and cons, which affect the choice in favor of a particular coating. To find the best solution, you need to thoroughly study all the advantages and disadvantages of these decorative coatings for nails. The only thing that can be outlined literally right away: both gel polish and shellac cannot be done at home without special tools. But the durability of the coating still justifies it.

The advantages of gel polish are manifested in the following:

• such a manicure can be done quite quickly, literally 2-3 hours and a stable coating for two or three weeks will be obtained;
• thin and brittle nails are naturally protected from external damage under such a coating;
• rich palette of shades and spectacular features;
• quick drying under a special lamp;
• low cost of the procedure;
• bottles are most often sold in large volumes;
• You can easily perform the correction as the nail grows, that is, it is not necessary to remove and make a new coating every time.

The benefits of shellac are as follows:

• easy to apply due to not so dense consistency;
• there is no need to violate the integrity of the nail plate before application, the nail does not deteriorate, which means that there is no damage to the body;
• hypoallergenic composition - shellac is not harmful to health, almost all components are natural;
• odorless;
• a very wide selection of colors;
• do not need a primer fastening the varnish and the surface of the nail;
• manicure can be easily removed with a special liquid;
• manicure durability.

Gel Polish has the following disadvantages:

• before applying, the nail plate is seriously damaged by grinding;
• it is difficult to perform such a manicure at home or you have to buy the entire expensive arsenal for such a procedure: a lamp, the varnish itself, primer, degreaser, top-notch product;
• allergy to the components contained in the composition is possible;
• there is an unpleasant odor during the procedure;
• A UV lamp is a device with unproven harm; many believe that excess ultraviolet radiation can trigger terrible diseases;
• you can’t wear such a manicure all the time, otherwise the nails will suffer too seriously;
• can not be removed by conventional means, it takes a long time to soak the gel polish under the foil, and then clean off with special sticks.

Shellac has such disadvantages as:

• high cost relative to the gel;
• there is a danger of drying the nail with numerous shellac application procedures;
• lasts less (about 2 weeks);
• there is a high probability of running into a fake (there is always a protective hologram on the original bottles);
• it is advisable to contact the salon for the procedure or purchase from scratch all the equipment;
• shellac bottles usually have a rather low capacity;
• it is quite difficult to find shellacs for sale, especially the original company;
• shellac is more susceptible to cracking than other coatings due to aggressive environmental conditions and temperature extremes;
• you can’t perform the correction, when the nail plate grows, you need to do manicure again, removing the old layer.

Despite the fact that both remedies are very popular, shellac is still much more expensive. Therefore, its manufacturers produce mainly a universal color palette that is suitable for any occasion. But the colors of this product are more saturated, since they have a large concentration of pigment in their composition. Gel Polish has a wide variety of colors and, accordingly, a possible design. Manicure with the help of it can be made the most daring and fantasy.

For lovers of a natural neutral manicure, shellac is still better, since the coating made with its help can be made with a minimum thickness. A good master will be able to perform a beautiful manicure with gel polish and shellac, therefore there is no particularly strong one influencing the choice of design methods and colors. In addition, glitter, rhinestones and other decorations can be glued to both coatings using a special base.

First you need to decide how much you need to keep in order to create a manicure. Gel polishes allow you to make a persistent, beautiful and very budget coating. But with its certain disadvantages, as already mentioned. Shellac is several times more expensive, it can not be adjusted later, but it is practically safe for health and allows you to make a persistent manicure even for pregnant girls.

If gel varnishes are characterized by proportionality of price and quality, then shellac can be found more budget, but practically not inferior to the original. But still, the one who is at the forefront, as a rule, makes a better product. It is worth considering products from various manufacturers in more detail.

• Original brand Shellac CND offers an excellent product, no doubt. The consistency is perfect, the brush is very comfortable, rounded, the villi do not bristle even after prolonged use. With a combination of base, top and basic coating, very good durability of such a manicure is noted. There are all the necessary studies that have confirmed the safety for nails of the funds of this company. The varnish is easily removed with a special recommended agent of the same company and does not require sawing. Shellac CND has the most dense structure. Just two layers are enough for perfect coverage.

• More budget Kodi brand Do not last on nails for an equally long period of time. The brush is very stiff, which complicates the manicure: it is almost impossible to distribute an even thin layer of varnish. The base of this company is of average quality, but a special rubber base has recently been released, which in theory should increase the durability of manicure. Kodi brand uses in its arsenal about 400 shades of shellac, there is even a “cat's eye”. The brand’s texture is not very dense, but not quite liquid. Unsuccessful shades turned yellow and orange, which can be infinitely applied to the nail plate, but the proper overlap of the natural color will not work.

• Bluesky - also an inexpensive brand. In contrast, Kodi has a very soft fluffy brush, which also negatively affects the coating.The fact is that brushes of this type are gaining a large amount of funds and interfere with its distribution on the surface of the nail plate. Therefore, it is difficult to apply varnish without first pressing the brush. Everything else, the consistency of the product itself leaves much to be desired. In addition, the base color of this company can penetrate the dark color of the main varnish and stain a natural nail. Bluesky shellac holds even less - about ten days, no more. But the main advantage of this budget brand is a very rich palette - 600 colors, which includes most modern fashionable shades and textures.

Despite the fact that both products are similar in application technology, there are some subtleties and differences. It is worthwhile to figure out how to apply gel polish according to the correct technology, which is as follows:

• it is necessary to take care of the nails: give them the desired shape, remove the overgrown part of the cuticle, trim the burrs and go through the nail file for better adhesion of the layers;
• then you need to degrease the prepared surface and cover it with a base (primer);
• fix the base with an ultraviolet lamp;
• apply the main color in several layers, then the finish layer, all in turn are fixed in a UV lamp;
• remove the upper sticky layer with a special tool and a napkin.

This is the technology when applying gel polish must be followed in order to achieve high-quality coating.

Shellac is applied in a similar way, but in a slightly different way, namely:

• need to do a manicure;
• apply a degreaser and dehydrator to the nails so that the surface of the nail becomes perfectly clean;
• apply a base coat and dry it under the lamp;
• apply color layers, each of which is also processed under the lamp;
• to finish the manicure should be a top coating, also dried in a UV lamp;
• then you need to remove the protruding sticky layer with a special fabric that does not have a pile.

Even the most persistent manicure needs to be removed sooner or later. Dermatologists generally do not recommend wearing the coating for longer than seven days to give a fingernail breathing. Gel polish and shellac are distinguished by methods of stripping. Step-by-step gel polish can be removed as follows:

• sanded with a special nail file;
• soak swabs in nail polish remover;
• attach these tampons to the nail and wrap with foil on top, leave for 10-12 minutes;
• As a result of previous procedures, the gel polish is so softened that it is very easy to remove it with a special stick.

In addition to this combined method, gel polish is sometimes completely removed only mechanically. That is, they use special nail files or manual abrasives and completely destroy the decorative coating.

Both of these methods of removing gel polish do not very well affect the surface of the nail plate. In the first case, prolonged exposure to solvents dries the nail, and in the second, the surface is damaged by tools.

Shellac is removed in a slightly different way, namely:

• special sponges in the form of a nail or banal cotton swabs are impregnated with shellac remover;
• such a product is applied to each nail and the foil is wrapped - it turns out, as it were, a compress for the nail plate;
• wait 15-20 minutes;
• remove the compress and ideally get clean nails.

There is a fairly aggressive way to remove shellac at home, which includes the following actions:

• you need to pre-cut a little top layer of the coating;
• prepare a container with acetone;
• grease the skin around the nail with oily cream or oil;
• lower the fingertips into the liquid so that it completely covers the nails;
• wait ten minutes;
• pry softened shellac with a stick and remove it from the nails;
• after an aggressive procedure, you need to thoroughly wash your hands and smear them with a nourishing cream, it is advisable to also use nail oil and cuticles.

Despite the fact that shellac is removed more sparingly, you need to remember that any resistant coating is not so easy to remove. Otherwise, it would not be so durable. And the removal with the help of solvents and sawing definitely negatively affect the nail plate. With each new manicure, this effect becomes only more noticeable.

The girls in the question of which coverage is better are divided into approximately two fronts. Some are delighted with shellac, because it has an impeccable composition and beautiful shine. Others advocate gel polish, as it costs much less and lasts longer. Most of the fair sex still prefers gel, since it is really more durable. Reviews say that if you properly wear such a manicure, namely, do not expose it to aggressive agents, on the first day after application do not keep your hands in water for a long time, be careful with heat exposure, then the nails will be perfect for about three weeks. Further they will have to be corrected due to natural regrowth.

Shellac is also recognized, but they are not so enthusiastic about it, since its validity is limited in practice to two weeks, and sometimes even ten days. Fans of regular manicure updates note that nails deteriorate from both types of varnishes almost identically. If you do not give them a break, the nail plates become brittle, yellowish and overdried. Many women say that they probably would have chosen safer shellac, but then they have to do manicures more often and pay a lot more to the master. Therefore, from this side, shellac is inferior to the gel. In any case, it is worth trying to perform both coatings and choose the best varnish for yourself, since everything is individual. So, any remedy can fit one woman perfectly, and for another - not at all.

See how to properly apply and remove gel polish and shellac in the next video.