She’s one of those friends who has nails to die for. You know, the ones you see in adverts. Nails you sweep a coat of polish onto as you run out of the door. A quick blow, a shake and you’re done.
Nails that make an outfit, nails you can run through your hair and tap on your keyboard with purpose and with pride.
Mine on the other hand – well, that’s a different story. Short, stubby and absolutely incapable of holding onto polish. My nails have been rendered “unfit for manicure” (not by anyone at Sunrise I hasten to add.)
“Perhaps we’ll do a paraffin wax instead – shall we?”
“Hmm, have you thought about gels?”
“Erm, a manicure’s not for you. There’s not much I can do with those.”
And my personal favourite… “Wow, you have… like… baby nails. They’re absolutely tiny! Teeny tiny! Can barely get the brush on those. This is going to be a nightmare!”
So, you see, when it comes to cuticle confidence. I have none. That was until said amazingly manicured friend came over. Her nails were picture perfect, better than ever. As I rolled mine up into a tight fist (something I was used to doing in her company) she uttered one word that has changed my life forever. Shellac.
To those of you in the nail-know, Shellac is nothing new. But for me, it was a revelation.
You see when I can get someone to do my ‘nails’, I tend not to opt for polish as I can’t sit still long enough for it to dry. I’m the one that, without fail, will be back asking for a touch up, before I’ve even made it out of the salon. But not anymore.
Shellac is a mixture of UV gel and traditional polish which is applied in thin layers and set, in less than a minute under UV light. It’s kinder on nails than gel and comes in every shade imaginable. I almost opted for the latest, a daring, dazzling black, but for my first (but definitely not my last) foray I chose Rubble – a gorgeous dark grey shade which not only made my stubby nails appear longer but went with everything in my wardrobe.
How it works…
The process is just like a normal manicure. Done and dusted in around 45 minutes. The results – anything but.
I couldn’t get over the fact I could take credit cards out of my purse, zip up my coat, wash my hands, go shopping and even drive home without a smudge. My perfectly manicured, glossy nails were set hard and were ‘me’proof! Three weeks on and they’re still going strong and what’s more, I can feel my nails gaining strength underneath.
The only downside is a quick trip back to the salon to remove. Oh, and the fact that I’m pretty sure I’m going to become addicted. Nail envy. No more.
