If you look at my past blogs, I am definitely on a roll with this whole nail care regiment. I’m a young professional, so I need to emulate that when I walk into the office, turn up to a beauty appointment or walk on set. In the last three months there have been some major nail miracles in my world! A world of no dry time and the promise of no chips.
I take beauty very seriously and like everything else, makeup and skin care products are accelerating at an amazing rate. We have medical advances, technological advances and now some serious beauty advances . Over the last few months, I’ve done quick fixes like 10-minute manicures and also tried the amazing Minx nails that lasted 18 days beautifully.
(On a side note, if you haven’t checked those blogs out, review my thoughts on Minx and how the amazing nail guru Naja at Extremedy’s gave me decorated long lasting nails).
After I got done with Minx, I gave myself a basic manicure one evening while watching Grey’s Anatomy. Disappointed by my bad paint job and after only four days I got my first chip, I decided to email Naja to see what other nail treatments she offers. She suggested I try Shellac, a nail polish and gel hybrid by Creative Nails. She told me it goes on like normal nail polish but after only a quick few seconds under a UV light, it is FULLY dry. Yeah, right I thought … Bring it on, Naja!
I arrived at Extremedy’s after a delicious Sunday brunch with my sister Coralie and her beautiful family at Soho house. Naja’s assistant offered me a glass of Sangria and a massage chair as I was early, so I let the relaxation begin. I also got to pick my color choice. I was instantly drawn to a beautiful Cherry Red.
Naja gave me a fantastic manicure, put the polish/gel on my right hand, and when she was done she put it under the UV. Then she did my left hand and when she was done, she put it under the UV and did the second coat on my right. Then again on my left…and a little longer under the UV and then that’s it. COMPLETELY dry! I could run my fingers through my hair, text rapidly and I even got my wallet out without any smudges or chips. BRILLIANT! Not to mention the color looks incredible.
Now let’s see how long it lasts.
Everyday I would look at my nails and they still looked flawless. No chips or dents. After seven days a little regrowth was starting to show, but even after 14 days my nails still looked classy, clean, non-chipped and presentable overall. At 21 days I took it off because my nails had grown out a fair bit so it looked a little like a half moon at the bed of my nail. But 21 days of perfect polish was a dream come true!
I will be doing this Shellac as often as I can. To take it off, you really should go back to the salon. Naja said the biggest mistake people do when they take off Shellac is use the remover too quickly which strips all the nutrients from the nails, which causes your nails to get weak and break. If you can’t go into the salon for removal, follow Naja’s advice and use wet cotton balls with acetone remover, then wrap around each nail with foil on top for ten minutes.
I did what she said, and the gel came off easily while my nails stayed healthy and very long!
For more info on my nail stylist (yep, that’s what I call her now ) Naja Rickett please visit her site. And some amazing news on Naja: she’s now part of a radio show on Nail Talk Radio called The Industry Fix. It’s all news, all nails and all interviews with top celebrity manicurists and companies within the nail industry. So check it out!
My Gel-liscious manicure cost only $60, which was well worth it for three full weeks of wonderful wear . Call 323-848-8094 to make an appointment. If you’re not based in Los Angeles then search “Shellac creative nails” to find one in your local city.
And on another side note…one of my favorite blogs I wrote was “You don’t know Jacques” about the OPI nail color I love. In that blog I also mentioned the Chanel version called “Particuliere” that I had heard great things about, but didn’t have. My best friend in London Anna Mustoe was so kind at Christmas…she bought it for me! And let me tell you — WOW. I love it as much as “You don’t know Jacques” — it glides on like magic and is the perfect blend of brown meets grey.
As usual for more on me, why not become a member of my site! And check back often right here at Positively Celebrity for all things beauty.
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