Thanks to ChickAdvisor, I got to test a professional CND Shellac Manicure free of charge at a salon in my area. It was my first time getting my nails done outside of home and also a first for UV polish.

I've familiar with all your regular types of nail polish and in order to get great results, it requires a lot of time and many coats during application. The Shellac polish goes on no differently than what I'm used to. It starts with a clear base coat, 2 coats of your color of choice and a top coat for extra shine. The difference is in between each layer, you put your hand in a little machine that is either a UV or LED powered light that helps dry and "cure" the final product. The result is instant, your nails dry immediately and there is no waiting period between applications.
In all, from the time it took to groomed my nails (like filing and cutting cuticles) to applying the product, I was in and out of the salon in half an hour.

It's been a week and a half now and I can tell the polish is nowhere near wearing off. My nails have grown out and the product itself is intact, it hasn't chipped, dulled or peeled - You just see a demarcation line at the base of my nail for the new growth. It's truly a unique product. I thought my nails would feel rock hard after this, but the polish does have a gel or "gummy" feel such that if you press yours nails in it, it kinda bounces back.
I've washed a ton of dishes, scrubbed windows and did general household chores and Shellac has really stood the test - I'm impressed!

I definitely recommend this UV polish if you want something long lasting and durable, ideal for special events or going on vacation, beach etc.

I was chosen for the #TryShellac chickadvisor campaign and had mine applied on Monday, immediately I was impressed with how easy the application was and how natural they look. I have pretty brittle and ridgey nails that don't react well to other "fake" nail applications but it's been a few days now and I see NONE of the other issues I have had previously with gel or acrylic applications. I loved the variety of colours - in fact I had trouble choosing just 1! I type over 120 words per minute so I keep my nails short, but even then the tips always chip on me, I was expecting the same but nope! They have held up well! This is all new to me, but I've already told my husband that this is a game changer for me and I ABSOLUTELY will continue to use Shellac products. We are being sent a removal kit, and likely won't be using it... I'll be back at the Spa to get my next set done!

The result was great, I loved it, the color, the finishing, all that all remarkable.
And after one week exactly it looks great and I've done lots of cleaning and typing and most of all, on the weekend after my shellac manicure I painted my kitchen cabinets and I had white paint all my nails and after all was done I clean up nicely and it looked like new again.

One of the best product that I have meet on the market. I love working with it. It soak so easy. If technician make the steps right it will not harm the nail plate. Recommend to all my clients.

Last for weeks with shine enjoy it much

I've been getting CND Shellac manicures since the product first came to Canada (and only had about 5 shades to choose from!) I love that you leave the salon with dry nails, super shiny, and as long as a good esthetician has done the manicure, it can last for over 2+ weeks without chipping or cracking. Over they years, they have developed tons more colours and collections! It's fun also to layer them for custom shades.

I do find that it is best to get it removed professionally, or do it carefully and patiently at home (don't rip off the shellac or you will rip off your nail surface with it)!

Also, I find it is good to take a break for a couple of weeks at a time and not get Shellac every single time or it will thin your nails.

That is just being smart, and the reality of using something with such fabulous results!

Definitely worth it if you love having polished nails. Also, if your hands are in and out of water a lot, or if you're traveling etc.

I've been working with cnd shellac for years and love it!! All my clients are impressed with how well it lasts and easy removable without damaging nails

Regular nail polish is incomparable to Shellac as this is long lasting (last about 2weeks or so), does not chip quickly, and has a lasting shine that make it looks like you just had your nail done.
I bought my starter kit from the US when the dollar was at par (yes, that's a long time ago :0 ) and it's the best thing I bought for my nails. It cost a lot of money to buy the starter kit and it cost me about $400.
Before, I use to visit the salon twice a month - that's about $50 each month, in a year that's $600! So, my initial investment is already paid up now as I have been using it for 2 years now.

It's not hard to remove the shellac if you use 100% acetone. I soak my nails in 3-5minutes and I scrape the polish until it's gone.

I bought the starter kit from CND Shellac and I LOVE IT! Ok you need to have some skills in the application of the gel polish because once you put it under the UV/LED it's hard to remove the stain you put around the nail. It's a little bit $$$ from the start but you can trust me it's worth the pennies!
But it stays 14 days clean and shiny! I just couldn't believe how wonderful it was! It saves me money and time!
Try it!

Are you sick and tired of chipping your mani like 3 seconds after you leave the salon? I tried a Shellac mani for the first time and SWEAR will NEVER go back to a regular mani. Yeah, it may cost more, but it lasts FOREVER. And it stays shiny and brand new. PLUS it takes seriously 10 seconds to dry. The only thing that sucks about a Shellac mani is that because it's so new, there are so few colours. That being said, I'm sure in no time at all, there will be a huge variety to choose from. ONE YOU GO SHELLAC, YOU DON'T GO BACK !!!!!