Shellac

here's what typically happens when i want a manicure:

1. i wait until naptime to even bother starting.
2. i trim and file my nails.
3. i apply a coat of clear polish so it doesn't look as ratty when it starts to chip and wear off
4. the kids wake up early and i manage to smudge my wet polish.  sigh.
5. by naptime the next afternoon my cooking, cleaning, dishwashing & diaper changing has chipped the tips off all my polish and it looks gross.

the last time i went to visit my esthetician sister in kelowna she gave me a manicure using shellac nail polish.  it dries within minutes under a UV light so there's no need to worry about smudging your beautiful wet nails leaving the salon.  best of all, it claims to last for 2 weeks without chipping.  i thought it sounded too good to be true so i decided to put them up to the stay-at-home-mom challenge.  at any given time of any day i'm in dish water, diapers, bath water, cleaners, and constant hand-washing, etc.
here's what they looked like the day after having them done:

August 21st

August 21st

they were gorgeous, they looked and felt almost like gel nails.  even my sister-in-law noticed them from across the room.

here's how they looked 14 days after having them done (excuse the ratty cuticles).  they've grown out a little but not even one little chip on the end.  not a single one!  i was so impressed.

September 3rd

September 3rd

i was unsure if trimming & filing them would cause them to chip so i waited until i'd gone the whole 2 weeks so i could get the "after" pictures, and then decided to tried it out.  they were perfect.  besides growing out from my cuticle they still looked freshly polished and lasted another week before the first chip happened.

and with the polish-remover kit that gets sent home every time you get the shellac treatment the old polish was very easy to remove.  the only downside?  it can only be removed with acetone.

and it only costs a little bit more than a regular manicure, completely worth it for a manicure to last 3 weeks instead of 1 day!

so (now i'm talking to you, summerland ladies), if you want the best manicure ever from the best licensed esthetician, visit my sisters brand new beautiful Plum Tree Eco Spa in kelowna!  maybe go as a group and make a fun afternoon of it :)