Shellac weakens nails underneath?

[Hlovesbeauty]

Hi,

Just need some advice and if this has happened to anyone else.

I had a client for Shellac nails tonight and she used to have Shellac done regularly every 2 weeks. Her last nail appointment was a year ago. I did her nails tonight she did say that she will start having Shellac on again but not as often and said that after having Shellac removed her nails felt weak.

I do however remember that the last couple of times I did her nails the Shellac was already removed when I came to her next appointment.

She does have very good nails and I did say to her that they did seem fine when I did her nails last time. I also recommend her to use cuticle oil to help keep nails in good condition underneath.

I have heard this before when I used to work in a salon. I do buff the nails as I know Shellac won't stick without buffing.

 

[NancySyd]

CND Shellac (and most other reputable brands) do not weaken the nails. What does weaken the nails is constant buffing of the surface. Over time, even light buffing will thin and weaken the nails. In fact, not buffing is one of the major marketing points of CND Shellac, and for other brands, it is often optional. Shellac absolutely will stick without buffing, and so will most brands. I use OPI Gelcolours and Gelish without buffing and get 2-3 weeks easily.

The other thing that weakens nails is bad removals, including peeling them off. Failing to properly remove gel polish will result in white spots and damage. Saturate the pad and allow enough time to break down the gel, it should be removed without any scraping, no metal implements. Scraping will do damage to the surface and deeper layers. Here's an article that explains it better than I can - https://beautyimages.bobitstudios.c...s/files/Handouts/na-whitepapers-Gelpolish.pdf.
https://cnd.com/sites/default/files/pdf/Step-by-Steps/CNDShellac_Application-Removal.pdf

 

[moonails]

When you say Shellac are you talking about CND Shellac or another brand of gel polish? x

 

[Hlovesbeauty]

When you say Shellac are you talking about CND Shellac or another brand of gel polish? x

CND Shellac

 

[Trinity]

[QUOTE="Hlovesbeauty, post: ]I do buff the nails as I know Shellac won't stick without buffing.
[/QUOTE]

Quite the opposite, CND Shellac state in all training materials that the natural nail should not be buffed before application.

 

[jlsdds]

‘Shellac’ is a catch all in the US. Salons advertise ‘Shellac Nails’. Shellac is a brand, not a service. Makes me crazy! Should be against some law.

Your client needs to leave her nails alone, not ‘removing’ and thinking she is ‘helping you’.

Also, if the ‘weakness’ is when the nails are naked, it can be an illusion of weakness, since she was used to the extra thickness and durability with the gel polish on. This is common with acrylic clients who have their overlays removed.

 

[Thebesttech]

I have heard this before when I used to work in a salon. I do buff the nails as I know Shellac won't stick without buffing.

Buffing creates one of the biggest problems in the nail industry.

It is done because of the following:

-to speed things up
-because the tech doesn't know any better

And the word, over buffing, is hard to define since its hard define how much or how hard to buff.

So, what you should keep in mind is this - the more you buff the weaker the nails become because you are removing nail cells.

Many salons are losing clients because of this problem. So its important you go back and reexamine this area.

 

[jlsdds]

So interesting that for decades, nail buffing was the go-to service, especially for men. I grew up using my mother’s chamois buffer and pink powder rouge. Actually, I had it as a keepsake until a recent move.

People usually think that we have ‘ridges’ of the nail plate, while actually, the opposite is correct. We have ‘valleys’ of the nail plate. Areas where the nail is not being formed correctly any more. So, buffing these nails to achieve a smooth surface is taking the nail plate down to its weakest or less thick level.

 

[NancySyd]

So interesting that for decades, nail buffing was the go-to service, especially for men. I grew up using my mother’s chamois buffer and pink powder rouge. Actually, I had it as a keepsake until a recent move.

People usually think that we have ‘ridges’ of the nail plate, while actually, the opposite is correct. We have ‘valleys’ of the nail plate. Areas where the nail is not being formed correctly any more. So, buffing these nails to achieve a smooth surface is taking the nail plate down to its weakest or less thick level.

That's a very good point. I too remember the shine you could get from old-style buffing! But old style buffing was generally done with just a chamois - although I remember some services had multiple grit levels, the chamois, and a paste that also had some grit. The buffing that people do for gel nails uses a 240-320 grit file, a much more abrasive tool than the chamois, although maybe not more than the paste. Generally speaking, buffing is to be avoided whenever possible.