Best Shellac to use?

[naddx]

I've been doing nails for a couple years and still struggle to find a brand I like. I've bought so many colours from so many different brands im having trouble deciding! What is the best shellac in your opinion and where do you buy them?

Thanks

 

[jacquelineanna]

There is only one Shellac made by CND and supplied by sweet squared or Ellisons.

The other gel polish brands are not 'a shellac'

 

[naddx]

Ok thanks for that. I've come across "L&M" which says it is a shellac? I've got others that are soak off gels but it does the same thing? There are so many, ill be careful in future

 

[naddx]

Thank you I will have a look x

 

[NancySyd]

jacquelineanna makes a good and important point (as always). Only one gel polish/lacquer is Shellac - CND. It is a trademarked name and should only be used by CND. Beware of any other company that uses it. And nail techs should use the term properly as well.

That said, there are dozens of excellent gel polish/lacquer brands. My favorites are OPI GelColor whose base coat is hybrid like CND Shellac, LeChat, Gelish and Artistic Colour Gloss. But then there's also Jessica Geleration, IBD Just Gel, and EZFlow TruGel. Hmm, I guess I haven't been as helpful as I sought to be...

 

[BitsyProspect]

Ok thanks for that but I've come across "L&M" which is a shellac. I've got others that are soak off gels but it does the same thing.

I did a quick google search for L&M Shellac and it's just another counterfeit product illegally using "Shellac" on their label. It says "L&M NAIL GEL" right on the label and "Shellac". It wont be long before the legal department at CND gets wind of it jut like they did with Bluesky.

CND is the only "Shellac".

 

[naddx]

Thanks! I will definitely be doing my research from now on! Until this forum I didn't realise there were so many things I didn't know. I spend my life on youtube and the internet watching videos, finding new products and ideas, My eyes have well and truly been opened! I guess this is the whole point of these forums, and as serious as I am about being a successful nail tech I will most certainly be doing more homework. There's so much to learn!

Thanks again

 

[nailtasticria]

Wanna hear something funny?
There is one big beauty exhibition here in Greece, taking place twice a year, and this year bluesky was the grand sponsor, and also was to a smaller exhibition last month.
I never t tried it, but in my opinion no quality products needs a stolen name to sell, and if som one does to me it means no good.
Here in Greece it sells like crazy, too many techs want to buy the cheapest products, and too many customers unfortunately due to the crisis only care about the service prize and not pay attention to quality.

 

[Nicole03]

I use Bluesky for the last year and a half and I have had no complaints what so ever, they last over 2 weeks without no chipping! I also use Maddisons gel and again I had mine on for over 3 weeks and they were still perfect except for the growth. X

 

[jordanmichael.l]

Thanks! I will definitely be doing my research from now on! Until this forum I didn't realise there were so many things I didn't know. I spend my life on youtube and the internet watching videos, finding new products and ideas, My eyes have well and truly been opened! I guess this is the whole point of these forums, and as serious as I am about being a successful nail tech I will most certainly be doing more homework. There's so much to learn!

Thanks again

Basically the best way to explain it is the same as a Hoover and a vacuum cleaner, there both the same thing but Hoover is a brand name the same as Dyson, Vax etc.. The reason people call all types of vacuum cleaners a Hoover (only people from the UK by the way!) is because it was the first thing on the market and what people got to know them by. It's the same with shellac, which is by CND, I don't quite think it was the first on the market, but it was pretty close and it was the first out there to be advertised and marketed and the name people heard about first which everyone knows. So when people decide they want to look for a gel polish on eBay they search the name shellac and end up flooded with cheap Chinese gel polishes that have stolen the shellac name that everyone knows just to make sales. I've never tried a knock off gel polish but I've read that they do last quite well but are a bugger to remove and just aren't as good quality as the real deal CND shellac (hence reflected in the price) there are other decent gel polish brands such as the listed above, harmony gelish, gel color by OPI etc, but I'd avoid these cheapo ones that knock off the shellac branding... (You also get knock offs of other brands such as gelish, so if it says bluesky, cco or anything other than harmony gelish stay clear!)

 

[FakeItBaby]

Hi, could anyone recommend a creative shellac course as I would love to expand my knowledge and learn some new techniques, thanks in advance x

 

[princessamie]

Hi, could anyone recommend a creative shellac course as I would love to expand my knowledge and learn some new techniques, thanks in advance x

Speak to Sweet Squared and they can advise you on which course will suit you best and that are near you.

 

[FakeItBaby]

Speak to Sweet Squared and they can advise you on which course will suit you best and that are near you.

Thanks Hun I will google them now xx

 

[pure]

Welcome - Sweet Squared

 

[rwinx0797]

I don't agree with people slating bluesky gel polish on here. People are saying its 'fake shellac'. On the bottle of Bluesky, it says 'Gel Polish'. It doesn't say shellac. Shellac is simply a brand by CND. CND have only recently used shellac as their trademark. I wouldn't knock it before you try it girls. A lot of my clients actually request bluesky rather than CND shellac as they find it lasts longer. I prefer bluesky but I also have CND shellac which I also like. Different brands, that's all. Walkers can't claim they're the only crisps brands for example, they're just different brands not different products!

 

[x Fee x]

I don't agree with people slating bluesky gel polish on here. People are saying its 'fake shellac'. On the bottle of Bluesky, it says 'Gel Polish'. It doesn't say shellac. Shellac is simply a brand by CND. CND have only recently used shellac as their trademark. I wouldn't knock it before you try it girls. A lot of my clients actually request bluesky rather than CND shellac as they find it lasts longer. I prefer bluesky but I also have CND shellac which I also like. Different brands, that's all. Walkers can't claim they're the only crisps brands for example, they're just different brands not different products!

However, whether others agree or not, bluesky is not a professional nail brand, and this is a professional forum.
Discussions and defending of non pro products belongs on the plethora of DIYer sites across the net, not on a pro forum where most of us pride ourselves and our businesses on professional standards.

 

[maddynails]

My problem with bluesky is that they sell it to anyone, i have never seen them exhibiting at pro beauty shows or in any pro magazines, they are basically setting their stall out to put us all out of business. who in their right mind buys chinese cosmetics? it blows my mind. nail techs need to band together and fight this virus

 

[NancySyd]

I don't agree with people slating bluesky gel polish on here. People are saying its 'fake shellac'. On the bottle of Bluesky, it says 'Gel Polish'. It doesn't say shellac. Shellac is simply a brand by CND. CND have only recently used shellac as their trademark. I wouldn't knock it before you try it girls. A lot of my clients actually request bluesky rather than CND shellac as they find it lasts longer. I prefer bluesky but I also have CND shellac which I also like. Different brands, that's all. Walkers can't claim they're the only crisps brands for example, they're just different brands not different products!

You are certainly free to do as you wish; this is your business. But you should be aware that CND had to sue BS to get them to remove "Shellac" from their bottle. It's not just another brand, it built its business on deception - it's counterfeit. That's not my opinion, that's a legal fact.

You should also be aware that if you use counterfeit products (and yes, as long as BS continues to use CND's graphic identity, it is counterfeit), products that have no supporting products (removers, conditioners, etc.), products that do not advertise in professional media and provide no education, training, or professional support, products that are sold to anyone in any forum, you will likely have professionals look askance at you. There are always clients who go for cheap over quality and for anyone who wants that as their clientele, that's their right. But this is a professional forum, and one of its goals is to promote the highest standards in the industry and one of the most critical areas for this is the use of professional products - BS, for many reasons, is not a professional product.

 

[squidgernetball]

The other thing to be aware of.

I use CND Shellac because it is hypo allergenic. We promote the fact that we only offer 'natural' so no extensions etc and we have a lot of clients who can be likely to have reactions and allergies.

As I understand it, BS (which also stands for something else where I come from) do now have MSDS info but clients don't know the differences there are in gel polishes so may have a genuine shellac in one salon with no repercussions but have what looks like genuine shellac in another with major repercussions.

I don't think longevity and price are the only comparisons we should make.

I don't give a monkeys whether someone uses shellac, bluesky or CCO but I do object to the insinuation that they're much of a muchness. They're not!

Vic x

Sent from my GT-I9505 using SalonGeek mobile app

 

[Bel's Gels]

I love referring to it as BS because to me it's pretty fitting.

I have heard on the grapevine they do have MSDS, haven't looked into this as I don't care, won't ever be using it in my salon.

The clients who prefer it and request it probably aren't qualified as as nail technicians it's up to us to educate them about the dangers of using non professional products.

It may not happen overnight but continuous exposure to this type of product can have horrible implications. If this should happen I bet the client blames you when their fingers start to itch and blister.

Then explain to them why you let them dictate to YOU about what should be used in YOUR salon.