Tell me about your gel or shilac mani/pedis

[Soldier's*Sweeties]

I am leaving for an eight day trip on Monday, and have a really busy week ahead of me.

I really want to have my nails and toes done and today is the only day I will have time to do it without kids. (A MUST...I am NOT bringing them)

So I'm wondering if they will last after today through my trip?

Also, what is approx cost? I usually do my own mani/pedis and haven't gone to a professional in probably six months.

 

[Nancy]

I do gel polish. Full manicure cost me 25.00. Polish only is 20.00. I can get 2-3 weeks out of mine. Usually depends on how much I am doing.

The part I like best about it is the instant dry. I don't have to sit around waiting for my nails to dry and I can touch things immediately and don't worrry about ruining them.

 

[gillep]

I get a gel manicure every other Sunday and have been doing so for over a year and a half. I find that the manicurist and the product both influence how long my manicure lasts although the manicurist seems to be the biggest factor. Products I use regularly include: shallac, OPI, EZflow, bio sculpture gel, and calgel, depending on what color I want. For me, the shallac seems to have the most issues with wearing poorly and I have experienced cracking and peeling after a week so I rarely use this product. My coworker also gets hers done at the same place I do and cannot use the EZflow because it peels for her, but I don't have this problem. We both find that the bio sculpture gel and calgel work the best and I often have a perfect manicure at the two week point with these. I don't do gel pedicures because basic polish pedicures last a while for me.

As far as price I have paid anywhere from $25 to $50 for a manicure and personally feel like the higher price is worth it, as the manicurists I have had at the higher priced salons are usually better trained and they have more products to choose from. I also remove my own gel manicure and find it really easy to do.

Hope this helps some, have a great trip!!!!

 

[poohfriend77]

I've only gotten what my place calls "no chip" manicure once. It's more like $50 though! I think that was shellac, but I'm not sure exactly how that is different from the gel polish. I had to put my nails under the UV light, and I went back to have it taken off.

Anyway, it looked great for a full two weeks. I was on vacation for that first week, so I wasn't doing all my normal cleaning, washing dishes, etc. that usually ruins my nails. But even after the second week at home, they weren't chipped, but had started to grow out. It wasn't very noticeable because I had a French manicure, but I think it would have looked worse if I had dark red polish or something. They were definitely starting to chip by the third week when I had it removed.

 

[aaarcher86]

What about that Gelish or whatever. Is that the same thing? My friends rave about it.

 

[DisneyDreamer2504]

What's been your experience with gel or shellac and going to the beach? When I go on vacation that involves a beach, the sand always scratches off or at least roughs up my polish, is this an issue with gel or shellac?

 

[Janepod]

I do shellac. I pay $35 at a nice place; there are many nearby places that charge $25 but I don't feel they do as nice a job.

After two weeks the shellac still looks great but my nails have grown so much that there is a lot of visible new growth.

I am in the ocean almost every day during the summer and the shellac holds up very well.

 

[wiigirl]

I do gel polish. Full manicure cost me 25.00. Polish only is 20.00. I can get 2-3 weeks out of mine. Usually depends on how much I am doing.

The part I like best about it is the instant dry. I don't have to sit around waiting for my nails to dry and I can touch things immediately and don't worrry about ruining them.

Same here...around 2 weeks of usage....

 

[Chikabowa]

I don't do manicures. But I love getting pedicures. I switched to gel polish back last spring.

Prior to gel I had to get into the salon to get a pedi every 4 weeks. And it wasn't pretty! Typically chipped polish, dull color, etc.

I tried the gel on a whim and I'm completely hooked. At my salon a regular pedi is $18 (with tip I would spend less than $25) and the gel is $25 (I do a flat $30 with tip). It's sooooo worth it. Now I only get my toes done every 6-8 weeks and the only reason is because I get bored with the color (and the soles need attention).

It never chips. It always looks fresh. I love not having to wait for polish to set. I never have issues.

I have no problems on the beach. In fact I'm still sporting the pedi I got two days before leaving for Hawaii (it was done on 10/14). The cuticles look terrible, but the polish is perfect.

Overall even though it's more expensive at the onset, it does definitely save me money over the long run.