Mumsnet Talk

I'm going away for a week with work and will be super-busy, I really like the idea of getting a colour put on my nails that will just STAY THERE no matter what I do so that I don't have to think about it?

I don't want fake nails glued on and I don't want any fancy patterns, I just want to pick a colour and have it stay.

Anyone with any experience of the shellac thing?

My friend has them and they look really good. Very shiny! She has hers short which helps, I think.

My nails are short too - I've never had my nails professionally done at all because I really don't like the long french manicure sort of look.

I had mine done about a year ago and I loved the look-they were so shiny and hard feeling (great for tapping the table in an impatient manner!).

One nail did peel off before irs time, and I went back to the salon for a free replacement, which they did without a problem.

The difficulty came when it came time to have them removed...the salon filed across the nail then soake dmy nails in acetone.

They then scraped each nail all over with a metal tool (hoofstick?), which was like running nails down a blackboard for me, and the whole process left me with thin, brittle nails and hanging, torn cuticals.

It took months to get my nails back to anything like a decent condition.

Really tempted to have them done again because they looked so good, but I'm resisting, as it's just not worth the after effects!

I had same experience. Have gone back to gel overlays on my short natural nails. Nail polish can last 2 weeks on these.

Buy a bottle of Seche Vite - I buy mine off ebay but if you aren't confident about buying from them you can get it in boots etc. It is a special top coat - thicker than other brands - and my manicures last until they grow out when I use it. I think it works like a liquid plastic on the nails. Your nails are touch dry in about 45 secs and totally dry in 5 mins - I mean you can do anything with them. For a weeks' wear for work I would recommend a nude polish - it will go with any outfit, look effortlessly chic and if it does chip - it wont but if...- then you wont really notice it. My fave nudes are the Nails in Basil Street and Ciate My Fair Lady.

Seriously - seche vite turns any nail polish into a shellac style manicure and won't ruin your nails. And is cheaper.

I'm with mrsmartin on this. Seche vite is the business. Shellac/nailsinc 3 week manicure made my nails awful after they'd been removed, for ages they broke right across right down low on the nail, so they bled, we're sore and looked hideous! Not worth the money.

Seche vite dries so you can just get on with stuff, mine doesn't last long before it chips but then I've usually got bored of the colour and it's so quick to do (literally 4 or 5 mins painting to good to go).

Also - if you ruin your nails through extensions and overlays - opi nail envy is fantastic for sorting them out. It is a strengthener and a hydrator in one - you apply it as a base coat (2 coats) and then one coat every other day for a week (then take off and start again). It is fantastic and even works over nail colour. That, coupled with a professional nail file (I use the leighton denny crystal file) a buffer block and a cuticle oil, is all you need to get great nails (if you invest the price of one premium manicure - ie £30-40 - the products will last months).

Ps, unless the manicurist is really good, all the 3 week manicures can look a bit thick on the nail. Just looks odd.

hatcam - do you paint the end edge of your nails with the seche vite? I do the end and then the top of the nail and that's why mine last so long.

I have gel overlays done on my nails with infills every 2 weeks and never have a problem getting them off, nails always look healthy between applications and the process is quick and painless.

However I firmly believe this is down to the girl who does my nails/products she uses as before I started going to her I did have bad experiences...breakages, weak nails etc after having overlays removed.

Go for the overlays as they are seriously hassle free but do a bit of research first, ask around to see what other people have to say about your local salons and try to find somebody with a good bit of experience and lots of return custom. And if anyone tries to use an electric file on your natural nail...run!

Just ordered seche vite on amazon! Will report back

I had shellac done but for some reason it doesn't bind to my nails. I now have fell overlays. So far so good.

Another vote for seche vite - tis marvellous stuff.

link to seche vite please?

This stuff?

I heard that shellac was less nasty to your nails than gel nails or fake nails or whatever - sounds like maybe not!

I'll get some seche vite and try it out - not going away for a few weeks so I can see if this really works.

This is why I love MN - I don't know anyone in RL who gets their nails done in my town (I work with mainly men, my female friends who do live in the same town are not "getting nails done" types - and neither am I really)

I pay £10 to have mine done,French manicure on short nails. They look clean and tidy still and will have been on two weeks in Saturday.I'll make an apponitment to get them re done next weekend. Best tenner I could spend!

i've just bought some seche vite...will do my nails tonight and report back! i've never had more than a day unchipped with any nail polish/top coat before so i am hoping this is the answer to my prayers

I've also ordered the Seche Vite from Amazon - £7 inc delivery from Amazon Marketplace.

I had them done once for a wedding. Got them in a special offer so marginally less expensive than usual.

But then the cunts charged me FIFTEEN POUNDS to have the stuff soaked off

Never again!

FWIW I think some other places give you the solution so you can do it at home. Check.

I bought some acetone on ebay to get shellac's off without having to go in and spend £10-15 for the privilege. I love love love the shellac nails, they last until they grow out. I haven't found that removing has damaged my nails, I pour some acetone into a small contained and submerge the nail in until it peels off, wash hands, buff nails with a 4 sided nail buffer, and they are fine.

I meant to say - anyone who wants to try shellac (I'm happy with my seche vite but it isn't for everyone) keep an eye on groupon - they have deals all the time for shellac, eg a shellac manicure coupon might be £10-15. You can make great savings - I use them for weekends away and I even used a carpet cleaning service the other day through them

I have it every two weeks. It's fab but it has really dried my nails out.

I had it done last year for my hols. Loved it and am going to have it done again next week. I took it off myself by soaking cotton wool in acetone and then putting a blob on each nail and wrapped them in foil. Came off easy peasy and my nails were like they were before I had them done. Certainly did not harm them.