Ink Shellac

This week, after my dismal results with the Lina, I finally got around to making the switch to shellac. I had heard great things about Shellac, but with over $200 invested in Brisa nail gel two years ago, I felt compelled to use it up before making any kind of switch. For this switch I went to my favorite local nail supply place. They have everything ever imaginable for nails there, and I love browsing. The last time I had been there another one of their customers accosted me and asked to see my nails. She was scandalized and appalled that I had used white tips and nail glue. She told me in no uncertain terms to stop doing that, it was ruining my nails, and to switch to the shellac. She promised me I would never look back. Ok, so her words sunk in. I went back and picked up the Ink brand shellac in two different colors, base coat, and top coat. One of the colors was supposed to be a champagne color, but on my hands it looks like a deep tan, not a very flattering color on me! The other is called denim, it is blue, and I love it.
It went on just like nail polish, no sculpting necessary. I just did plain blue on my toes, and then experimented with Swarovski crystals in the top coat on my finger nails. So far, so good. I have lost one of the crystals on my thumb, but I put nine crystals of different colors on there, so missing one isn't such a deal breaker... Also, the greatest thing about this shellac, is that on the back of the bottle it said "cure 2 minutes under UV, or thirty seconds under LED". With a base coat, a top coat, and two color coats, on four nails on each hand, then my thumb nails together at the end, I cure an average of 24 minutes a session. Since I do it myself, I can't dfo one hand while the other is under the light. It has been taking me the majority of an afternoon to do my nails, and longer with the gels because they had to be filed as well sometimes. Ack! With an LED light that curing time will be about 4 minutes. I went on E-Bay and ordered the LED light. Saving 20 minutes each time I do my nails, not to mention lower electricity costs to use the light, well, that makes it definitely worth buying a new light for me! Plus, my old light was looking pretty beat up after almost three years of continuous use!
Now to figure out how to do a french manicure in shellac. I don't have the white or clear yet, so those will probably be next week, the lady in the nail place was telling me all I need to do is make the white line, then use a small detail brush to sweep away any excess shellac before I cure, then add the clear. She said it won't destroy my nails anymore, and if I can get it right it should look even better than the white tips I had just started experimenting with. Anyway, big changes this week! Pictures to follow!