Shellac Nail Polish Colors

Shellac's initial 2010 color swatch has a color for everyone. Whether you like bright, neutral or dark polish, one of the following 2010 Shellac 12 will work for you. Here are the color choices starting with the lightest, moving up in intensity.

1. Cream Puff

Shellac Cream Puff is as white as they come. The color left on your nail is as white as the bottle shows. This is a perfect choice for the tip of a french manicure.

2. Negligee

Shellac Negligee is almost transparent, giving your nails a polished professional look. To get a better idea of what it looks like on your nail, look at the first image in our Shellac FAQ post.

3. Romantique

Romantique is a beautiful light pink color. Very neutral, this color would work on most all skin types. Pair it with Cream Puff for a perfect french manicure.

4. Strawberry Smoothie

For the ladies who love the light pink polish colors, Strawberry Smoothie is for you. A diluted, more grown-up version of bubble gum pink. This is one of the most popular color choices.

5. Rose Bud

Rose bud adds in that hint of purple for a slightly darker version of pink. This is our favorite color for hands in the entire swatch list. You can see the polish here on Hillary Fry's nails - a nail pro who answered some FAQ's on Shellac for us.

6. Tutti Frutti

Tutti Frutti is pink, no doubt about it. And if pink is your color, go for it! It also makes a great color for your toes in the summer! Perfect with flip-flops.

7. Tropix

Tropix gives us a hint of orange for a bold, bright color-popping shade. Another great one for your feet in the summer.

8. Hot Chilis

We love Hot Chilis and think that this color would be perfect on all skin tones. Keep this one on the hands -- it's beautiful!

9. Wild Fire

Wild Fire is a fabulous red that we're in love with. If you're normally afraid of red polish, try Wild Fire. We bet it will turn you into a red-lover.

10. Red Baroness

Red Baroness adds a little dark to the red, making this a beautiful maroon polish. It's sophisticated and perfect for a night out as well as a day in the office.

11. Fedora

The deepest of them all, Fedora is hot, hot, hot. It's also one of the favorites to layer with other colors to make new colors. Try one coat of Fedora with one coat of Tutti Frutti for a perfect purple.

12. Iced Cappuccino

Iced Cappuccino is a glossy light brown that is perfect for hands. It goes with all skin types, from very light to rich brown.

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DIY Shellac Nails

Shellac nail polish is the hottest thing in the nail industry right now. If you're not sure what makes Shellac nail polish so different from the rest, take a second and read our Shellac FAQ's that was written by nail professional, Hillary Fry. It gives you all the info on Shellac and some great pictures of a few of the colors.

We have a page set up for readers to send in reviews of their Shellac manicures, and we got a great one from Erica, a DIY Shellac-er. Here is part of her comments on doing Shellac at home.

In most of the reviews I've read about not being able to apply Shellac yourself. Honestly it is just polishing your nails. The CND site gives direction and updates on the best practices to the product. It's easy and so incredibly inexpensive to purchase it yourself vs. paying per visit. I am not in the beauty industry...am not typically into the do it yourself but the first time I had it done at my salon as a test case I loved it and I have had excellent luck at home.

I did a little searching and found most of the polish options online, ready for anyone to purchase. And the UV lamp you need to cure the nails, too! (Though, in reading reviews, it appears people have luck with some of the cheaper UV lamps that aren't specifically from Creative Nail Design, the creator of Shellac. Just do your research.)

If you're curious what would cost to get all of the Shellac supplies at home, here's a breakdown.

• Color: The cost of the polish is about $20-$25 per bottle.
• Top and Base Coat: You'll need a base coat and top coat, each the same price as a color.
• UV lamp: Shellac polish cures under a UV lamp. (CND's is just over $200, but one of the other brands that got good reviews from people doing Shellac at home costs just under $100.)

For one color, base and top coat and the UV lamp you're looking at a range of $160 - $275. Shellac manicures cost approximately $40-$50, so four to six at-home Shellac manicures will have you breaking even. Not bad if you can afford the initial investment.

The cons of DIY'ing Shellac.

• Research: - you'll have to learn from others, finding reviews and instructions online. Make sure you take time to research to avoid problems. CND's website has loads of info.
• No Help from the Nail Pros: If your Shellac manicure starts peeling, as some reviews state, or you see any new problems with your nails while using Shellac, you're on your own to figure it out.
• Color Options: If you get them done in the salon, you'll get to choose from all of the Shellac colors, not just the one that you spent big bucks on and then realize you hate.
• Might Not Look Professional: Let's face it, there are those who can color their hair at home and make it look like they spent hundreds of dollars at the salon. Then, there are others who aren't fooling anyone with their at-home hair color. Same goes for nail polish. Enough said.

Our advice: go get a Shellac manicure at the salon and watch what your nail tech does carefully each step of the way. See what you think of the results both right away and after 2 weeks. If you're not sure you can do it yourself, don't waste the money. But if you love it and want to take the time to research it, go for it!

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CND - Shellac Nails

Are you looking for information on Shellac Nails? We've got it! Below is a FAQ written by nail artist, Hillary Fry. She answers some of the most frequently asked Shellac questions. Start with that and then, if you're thinking you'd like to try Shellac at home, check out DIY Shellac Nails which will give you all of the info you need to do it at home - plus to pros and cons of at-home Shellacing, a color swatch with links to buy the polishes and a page dedicated to Reader-Submitted Shellac Reviews. (Feel free to add your own!)

Shellac FAQ's

What is Shellac? Shellac is the brand name for a new, patent pending nail product created by Creative Nail Design. It is a hybrid, meaning half nail polish, half gel.

The product is thin and strong enough to be applied similarly to nail polish, but it is cured in a way that gives it great flexibility and durability. It also has the incredible shine associated only with gel nails.

Who is Shellac best suited for? Shellac is for people who want to maintain natural nails. The formulation looks as good from day 1 to day 14, but does not appear to damage nail beds. (see photos)

Who is Shellac least suited for? Those looking to lengthen their nails. You cannot use Shellac to create a longer nail. Also, Sellac isn't for clients with extremely damaged nail beds, split or peeling nails. It is best to get on a corrective program with your manicurist before thinking about Shellac. If your nail is peeling off, it will take Shellac with it.

How is Shellac different from the traditional polish manicure?

Typical nail polish dries by evaporation, which means your manicure is not cured until 2-3 hours after your service. Think about it – most of your manicure time is spent waiting for polish to dry.

But Shellac is cured by UV light, and within minutes. Your nails are completely dry by the time your manicure is over, and strong enough to withstand accidental knocks. It acts like a plasticized coating, suitable as a long lasting polish.

How is a Shellac service different from traditional nail enhancements (fake nails)? Drills are never used or needed with Shellac, and removal does not leave nails dry, thin, possibly torn.

Can you apply Shellac at home? No, Shellac can only be applied by a licensed, trained manicurist. Improper tools or techniques will give a less than desirable result with Shellac.

Are the UV rays from the lamp dangerous? I began researching this back in February. Standard use of the product (every 2 – 3 weeks) is minimal, but there is no real data. Use sunscreen if concerned. (I recommend Neutrogena pure & free baby, spf 60+ or Renee Rouleau Daily Protection SPF 30). Wash off or wear out after service. Sunscreen for your hands is a good thing anyway.

Can you take Shellac off at home?

You can. It requires the use of 100% acetone. Removal at home can be done; proper removal is only 10 minutes overall. However, removal at the salon very minimally increases the time and may be less of an inconvenience for you.

Wait, what is wrong with artificial nails? On the whole, nothing. But as a manicurist and proponent of natural and organics, there is nothing is more exciting for me than seeing natural nails on a client.

While I love the creativity made possible through gel nails or liquid & powder, I think artificial nails are often used to mask a nail problem (peeling, splitting, flexible) when a focused regiment can improve the condition.

As a former skincare formulator, the most rewarding part of my job is identifying clients’ troublespots, and working out a program to bring the hands, feet and nails to the point of perfection. Knowing Shellac can withstand even the rigors of salon life, the focus for the everyday woman can be more on care and maintenance of skin and nails - leaving perfect polish in the hands of Shellac.

Hillary Fry is a beauty writer, blogger and site designer with a marketing background. She is also a licensed manicurist at Harpo's in Whitefish Bay, WI. Drop her a line via www.solessence.com and www.solessencespanails.com.

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