What is the difference between gel polish and shellac?

Many girls use both gel polish and shellac, but they cannot exactly 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 are. This is what will be discussed now.

Gel polish is an innovative decorative product that is used to obtain a long-lasting manicure. This coating is fixed to the nail using an ultraviolet lamp, which hardens the composition.

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

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

The gel polish contains the following components:

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

Shellac is different from gel. He has absorbed the properties of both ordinary varnish and gel. Its composition is nevertheless closer to the traditional varnish, but the strength of the coating is much better. It does not require the application of a primer; you can do with one degreaser.The coating is also dried under ultraviolet rays using a special lamp. In general, shellac is a product of the CND company. It was she who patented her work, and later there were attempts to copy this tool. This is how the gel polishes turned out.

Shellac comes in three types: single-phase, two-phase and three-phase. Accordingly, these options differ in application: one coating combines the base, base varnish and top, two-phase - contains the base along with the colored coating, but requires a top. And the three-phase version needs a separate base and top. In its composition, shellac contains the same substances as gel polish, but with one difference. All ingredients in its composition have been thoroughly tested 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 own pros and cons that affect the choice in favor of one or another coating. To find the optimal solution, you need to thoroughly study all the advantages and disadvantages of these decorative nail coatings. The only thing that can be outlined literally at once: 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:

• you can make such a manicure quite quickly, literally 2-3 hours and a long-lasting coating for two or three weeks will be obtained;
• thin and fragile nails are naturally protected from external damage under such a coating;
• rich palette of shades and spectacular possibilities;
• quick drying under a special lamp;
• low cost of the procedure;
• vials are most often sold in large quantities;
• you can easily make corrections as the nail grows back, that is, it is not necessary to remove and apply a new coating each time.

The advantages 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 there is no damage to the body;
• hypoallergenic composition - shellac does not harm health, almost all components are natural;
• has no smell;
• a very wide selection of colors;
• no need for a primer that holds the varnish and the surface of the nail together;
• manicure can be easily removed with a special liquid;
• durability of manicure.

Gel polish has the following disadvantages:

• before application, the nail plate is seriously damaged by grinding it;
• it is difficult to perform such a manicure at home, or you will have to buy the entire expensive arsenal for such a procedure: a lamp, varnish itself, primer, degreaser, top product;
• possible allergy to the components contained in the composition;
• there is an unpleasant odor during the procedure;
• A UV lamp is a device with unproven harm; many believe that an excess of ultraviolet radiation can provoke terrible diseases;
• you cannot wear such a manicure all the time, otherwise the nails will suffer too seriously;
• cannot be removed with an ordinary tool, you have to soak the gel polish under foil for a long time, and then clean it 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 to purchase all the equipment from scratch;
• shellac bottles usually have a rather low capacity;
• it is quite difficult to find shellacs for sale, especially the original company;
• shellac is more prone to cracking than other coatings due to an aggressive environment and temperature extremes;
• correction cannot be performed, when the nail plate grows back, you need to do the manicure again, removing the old layer.

Despite the fact that both products are very popular, shellac is still significantly more expensive. Therefore, its manufacturers produce mainly a universal color palette that suits any occasion. But the colors of this product are more saturated, since they have a high concentration of pigment in their composition. Gel polish has a wider variety of colors and, accordingly, possible designs. Manicure with the help of it can be made the most daring and imaginative.

For lovers of natural neutral manicure, shellac is still better., since the coating made with it can be made with a minimum thickness. A good master will be able to perform a beautiful manicure with both gel polish and shellac, so there is no especially strong difference in design methods and colors that affects the choice. In addition, sequins, rhinestones and other decorations can be glued to both coatings using a special base.

First, you need to decide how much you need to meet to create a manicure. Gel varnishes allow you to make a long-lasting, beautiful and very budgetary coating. But with its certain disadvantages, as already mentioned. Shellac is several times more expensive, it cannot be corrected later, but it is practically safe for health and allows you to make a long-lasting manicure even for pregnant girls.

If gel polishes are characterized by the proportionality of price and quality, then shellac can be found more budgetary, but practically not inferior to the original. But all the same, the one who stands at the origins, as a rule, makes a better product. It is worth taking a closer look at products from various manufacturers.

• Original brand Shellac CND offers a great product, no doubt about it. The consistency is ideal, the brush is very comfortable, rounded, the villi do not bristle even after prolonged use. With a combination of base, top and base coat, very good durability of such a manicure is noted. There are all the necessary studies that have confirmed the safety of this company's products for nails. The varnish can be easily removed with a special recommended tool of the same company and does not require cutting. Shellac CND has the densest structure. Just two coats are enough for a perfect finish.

• More budgetary Kodi brand will not last on nails for the same long period of time. The brush is very stiff, which makes it difficult to perform a 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 the manicure. The Kodi brand uses in its arsenal about 400 shades of shellac, there is even a "cat's eye". The texture of the brand is not very dense, but not completely liquid either. Unsuccessful shades turned out to be yellow and orange, which can be infinitely applied to the nail plate, but the proper overlap of the natural color will not work.

• Bluesky Is also an inexpensive brand. In contrast to Kodi, it has a very soft fluffy brush, which also negatively affects the coverage.The fact is that brushes of this type take on a large amount of the product and interfere with its distribution on the surface of the nail plate. Therefore, it is difficult to apply varnish without first wringing out the brush. In addition, the very consistency of the product leaves much to be desired. In addition, the dark color of the base varnish can penetrate through the base of this company and stain the natural nail. Bluesky shellac lasts 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 of the modern fashionable shades and textures.

Despite the fact that both products are similar in application technology, there are some subtleties and differences. It is worth figuring out how to apply gel polish using the correct technology, which looks like this:

• it is necessary to take care of the nails: give them the desired shape, remove the overgrown part of the cuticle, cut off the burrs and go over the nail with a 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 finishing layer, everything is fixed in turn in a UV lamp;
• remove the top sticky layer with a special tool and a napkin.

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

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

• you need to get a manicure;
• apply a degreaser and dehydrator to your nails to keep the surface of the nail flawlessly clean;
• apply a base coat and dry it under a lamp;
• apply colored layers, each of which is also processed under the lamp;
• finish the manicure with a top coat, also dried in a UV lamp;
• then you need to remove the protruding sticky layer using a special cloth that has no lint.

Even the most persistent manicure must be removed sooner or later. Dermatologists generally advise against wearing the coating for more than seven days to allow the nail to breathe. Gel polish and shellac differ in how the coating is removed. You can remove gel polish step by step as follows:

• sand the coating with a special nail file;
• wet tampons in nail polish remover;
• attach these tampons to the nail and wrap the top with foil, leave for 10-12 minutes;
• as a result of previous procedures, the gel polish softens so much 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 electric saws for nails or hand abrasives and completely destroy the decorative coating.

Both of these methods of removing gel polish do not have a very good effect on 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 shape of a nail or banal cotton swabs are impregnated with liquid to remove shellac;
• such a product is applied to each nail and 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 rather aggressive way to remove shellac at home, which includes the following steps:

• you must first cut off the top layer of the coating;
• prepare a container with acetone;
• lubricate the skin around the nail with a fat cream or oil;
• dip your fingertips into the liquid so that it completely covers the nails;
• wait ten minutes;
• pry off the softened shellac with a stick and remove it from nails;
• after an aggressive procedure, you need to thoroughly wash your hands and spread them with a nourishing cream, it is also advisable to use oil for nails and cuticles.

Despite the fact that shellac is removed more sparingly, it must be remembered that any persistent coating is not so easy to remove. Otherwise, it would not be so durable. And removal with solvents and sawing down definitely negatively affect the nail plate. With each new manicure, this influence only becomes more noticeable.

The girls are divided into about two fronts in the question of which coverage is better. Some are delighted with shellac, because it has a flawless composition and beautiful shine. Others advocate gel polish, as it is much cheaper and lasts longer. Most of the fair sex still prefer the gel, as it is really more durable. The reviews say that if you correctly wear such a manicure, namely, do not expose it to aggressive agents, in the first day after application, do not keep your hands in water for a long time, be careful with the heat effect, then the nails will be flawless for about three weeks. Then you will have to correct them 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. Lovers of regular renewal of manicure note that nails deteriorate from both types of varnishes in almost the same way. If you do not give them a break, the nail plates become brittle, yellowish and dry. Many women note that, perhaps, they would have chosen a safer shellac, but then they have to do manicure more often and pay many times more to the master. Therefore, on this side, shellac is inferior to gel. In any case, you should try to perform both coatings and choose the best varnish for yourself, since everything is individual. So, any remedy can be perfect for one woman, but not at all for another.

For information on how to properly apply and remove gel polish and shellac, see the next video.