One of the many companies displaying their exciting new launches at Cosmoprof North America was CND (Creative Nail Design, Inc.). What perked my interest in particular was the addition of 6 new shades in the Shellac range.
Shellac has been everywhere and is like still super hot, but you may remember that one thing I felt let Shellac down a bit was the lack of colour variety. Yes, all the colours are layerable and can make new colours, but I felt like the colours were rather simple and plain. I wanted pizzazz. Well, CND must have read my dreams because pizzazz is what I got!
The New Colours
Did you know you can do textures with Shellac? I didn’t. For the first time CND have released a Shellac colour with a bit of texture, Zillionaire. Ok, so it isn’t texture you can feel ….. but you sure can see it.
Image courtesy of Polish Galore (Check it out. Awesome blog!)
Manicure 1: Cosmoprof
While at Cosmoprof North America, I was extremely excited to have a chance to try out the new shades, but picking just 1 was difficult. My natural instinct was to pick Purple Purple, because after all, purple is my favourite colour. My CND manicurist, the beautiful Michelle, would not let me get away with that. She insisted I try something different.
Michelle talked me into Hotski To Tchotchke, with Zillionaire over the top, and a diagonal accent of Purple Purple on the ring finger. It looked spectacular and honestly, something I would have never picked for myself. That Michelle is good!
Manicure 2: iFabbo Glamour Suite
Literally 3 days later I was in San Diego for BlogHer Conference (a conference for women bloggers) and was lucky enough to attend a special function organised by iFabbo, the Glamour Suite. iFabbo are an international organisation for Fashion, Beauty and Lifestyle Bloggers, and they put on amazing functions for their members throughout the year.
I was actually really lucky to be treated to having a facial by Dermalogica, hair-do by Paul Mitchell and make-up by Stila, but I was most excited when I saw I was having my nails done by CND. Oh no, not just any ‘nails’. I was getting Shellac, again. AND, Michelle was the one doing them, again!
While I felt absolutely terrible for Michelle, having only JUST done my nails, I didn’t want to pass up the opportunity to try something new. This time I noticed they were using little strips of decorative foil for something, and I wanted IN.
Michelle came up with an ‘inverted’ design for just my right hand. This time she did Purple Purple as a base, with a diagonal accent of Hotski To Tchotchke on the ring finger and little bits of opal foil applique over the top. The two hands, while completely different, actually complimented each other quite nicely.
NOTE: Unfortunately the images of this look were taken a week after being applied. Basically, I thought I took images of the completed look at the time ….. but I didn’t. So, please excuse the minor tip wear. They look great for a week old, don’t they?
Details
The new shades of Shellac will be available from September 2011. Shellac is a professional salon service, and on average will cost AU $40 / US $30 for a full manicure. To find your nearest salon head to the website
What do you think of the new offerings from CND? Are you a Shellac fan? Let me know by commenting below!
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You know I’m a huge Shellac fan! Have been for 12 months now because I’m a lazy manicurist! Have been doing a lot of layering lately. Excited by new colours but think I’m a bit old for foils and feature nails! Looks great on you.
Also excited by OPI’s version arriving here. Competition is always good!
I think you would be surprised with Zillionaire (the multi-coloured flecks) because it is actually really subtle. It is only in certain light that you catch a glimpse of something ‘extra’ and it looks really beautiful. I think that is the great think about Shellac is that you can make it as funky as you want. I am a total addict now!
I got a sneak peak into the new OPI offering and it too is impressive, as is the new ORLY GelFX. I think we will see a booming nail trend with Gel Polish for the next year at least.
Lucky girl ! They look fantastic xx
Hehe I would have to agree with you!
Aaaand you had me at Asphalt. I’m such a hopeless sucker for any grey polish, I swear.
Haha oh yes, and this is a lovely one! Dark, but because it is Shellac it looks so shiny the entire time. Love it!
LOVE SHELLAC IT IS THE BOMB!!!!! I experiment all the time with colors don’t be afraid, don’t like just remove it.
Hey Kimmi, today i just saw your blog and I really love it, you are also so sweet..I’m following you now..hope you check me also<3
Hi Rakhshanda, Thank-you so much for the lovely words. I will absolutely check out your blog! Kimmi, xox
Now, how hard is this to take off?
Hi Jenni,
It actually isn’t too hard if you do it correctly, but it is a salon service so I would always recommend going back to the salon to have it removed. The removal process just requires soaking the nail in acetone for about 10 minutes, but CND have this special system that make it easier and far less messy than doing it at home.
Ok, I do my nails myself and I currently use Gelish. It’s a pain to get off and I don’t want to do that every time. I’ve recently started reading about shellac and it seems much easier to take off. That’s the only issue I have with the Gelish. Your nails looks amazing! I love that blue color. I got the asphalt, but I want to try that color next!
Oh ok this is perfect, so if you are familiar with Gelish than this is wayyyyyyy easier to remove. The technology in Shellac is truly unique. What you cannot see with Shellac is that when it is painted on the nail, there are all these tiny micro-scopic ‘tunnels’ that were put in the formula to make removal easy. When you do the acetone soak, the acetone seeps through the lacquer far quicker and releases it from your nail. That is why there is no damage, not scrapping, not peeling, etc. Does that make sense?
Yes! That makes sense. Thank you, I am so excited to try mine! Every about Gelish is great (the colors, the application, the durability, etc.) but when I tried to take it off, it took forever and I don’t really use it much because of that reason. I do have one more question. I want to buy an LED lamp for quicker curing. I have read that you can’t use Shellac with an LED lamp, that you have to use the 36 watt UV lamp (which I have). Is that true? I would much rather use the LED if I can! Thank you for all of your quick responses!!
Hi Jenni,
My understanding is that using a lamp other than the ones specified (preferably the new CND UV lamp) won’t cure the gel properly. The benefits of the Shellac only work if cured correctly so you would really be wasting product, money and time if you do it any other way. Many of the lamps will make it look cured from the outside, but deep below it is not sealing properly and can become soft, warped and dull.
Hope that helps
Does shellac ever crack or start to come loose from the nail?
Hi Jenni,
Yes, it can do. If you don’t removed it and just try to ‘grow it out’ or something, than it will either crack, flake, loosen or any number of things. It is only designed to stay on the nails for 14 days. Some people may get a little longer than that, but as soon as you start seeing major tip wear or fine cracks I would remove it.
Kimmi
xox
TC Kimlik Sorgulama…
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