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How TO SHELLAC MANICURE AT HOME
Want that shiny shellac manicure look at home? You can get it with just a few supplies that will last years. With a DIY shellac mani, you can save time by doing your nails on your schedule without the hassle of booking and driving to spa appointments. You can also save a boat load of money (I pay for an annual family cruise with the money I save from professional salon manicures for a year). Plus, the long-lasting coverage of shellac nail polish takes a lot of the hassle out of getting ready for the day.
I started doing my own at-home shellac manicure in 2013 and have enjoyed doing my nails while sipping wine and catching up on Netflix ever since. In this post you’ll learn the list of tools you need to get started with DIY shellac so your nails can look like mine in the @sipbitego Instagram vids and YouTube DIY tutorials.
At-home shellac on your own schedule
My hands have gained attention through my creative tutorials so I’m excited to teach you how to get the look, too. I love making tutorials for you, so you’re never obligated to click any affiliate links, like the ones in the links below. Thanks in advance if you do make a purchase, but you’re always welcome to just browse.
The 4 supplies You Need to shellac manicure yourself (at home)
- 70% Alcohol + cotton balls
- UV light + (optional) UV protecting gloves
- CND shellac base coat + top coat
- Colors to get started. Here’s my regular lineup of colors…
2 red
3 white-wash (light purplish color)
4 blue
5 deep red
6 soft pink
7 purple
8 pink
Shellac manicure tips + FAQ
- 1 application lasts me around 2-3 weeks
- Within a handful of applications, the at home shellac kit can pay for itself
- CND shellac was a CLEAR winner after experiments with multiple long-lasting nail systems
- Start with a couple of your favorite colors + 1 top coat + 1 base coat
- Get ideas for choosing CND shellac nail colors
Get supplies to DIY your own shellac manicure
After you check out the list of shellac nail polish tools needed to do manicures at home, you’ll see why it was a no brainer for me to figure out the process + start painting my own shellac nails, whenever I want. Now the money I save on at home manicures goes towards a vacation splurge fund. (instead of weekly manicures). I hope you enjoy doing your own DIY shellac manicure at home, too. It’s as easy as it looks and makes life easier with less chipping.
Remember: chips are for potatoes.
SHELLAC MANICURE TIPS + FAQ
- 1 application lasts me around 2-3 weeks
- Within a handful of applications, the at home shellac kit can pay for itself
- CND shellac was a CLEAR winner after experiments with multiple long-lasting nail systems
- Start with a couple of your favorite colors + 1 top coat + 1 base coat
- Get helpful ideas for choosing CND shellac nail colors
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I have acrylics because my real nails don’t grow, so I have to go to the salon. Thanks for this awesome list.
I have to confess I have never had shellac before maybe it is my time to try!
Shiny!
Shiny! Love it.
I love doing my nails for a party. Thanks for the tips.
I would absolutely love to be able to do my nails at home. My daughter does hers and does a great job. I want to learn as well. Thank you for the info to get me started.
I love doing cool designs on my nails.The other day I realized I don’t have a ‘real’ red – yikes
I cannot do my nails myself properly and will not even try! LOL
This is something my twin girls would love! Thanks for the details. Your nails look fantastic!
I love all of these for my nails.Thank you so much for the tips.
I love doing my nails for sometimes and let my nails breath without any coloring for the other time. Your tips are very helpful.
I’ve recently bought myself an at home gel kit – so these tips have really helped me. Now my nails look really great 🙂 thanks!
What a great way to save money by doing it yourself. Plus, you can change colors more often! This is great!
I’ve never had a shellac before. But my friend does. Her nails always look perfect!
These are great tips. These colors are gorgeous. I also love to do my nails when I’m attending a party.
This is a great list. I don’t usually do anything with my nails but it’s good to know anyway! 🙂
I mostly do my own nails at home, but I have never given myself a shellac polish at home. Looks doable!
I miss getting shelac manis! Good to know they are easy to do at home!
A great at home manicure is priceless! Love those tips to get the job done too.
Every time I try do do my own nail polish; my left hand looks great. My right hand, not so much, lol. These are awesome tips, thanks!
Haha I know what you mean! Regular nail polish starts to dry a little, and then its easy to accidentally smudge it during application. Shellac nail polish is easier to move around and adjust because it doesnt set until you go in the lamp box.
My nails are bare right now. I haven’t had time to paint them and I hate that because they’re so long right now. They would look great with some color on them.
Going for soft pink!!!
I love having my nails done but it does get expensive.
I have always wanted to try shellac. I have never had one of those type of manicures even in a salon!
I am very fortunate that I have really strong, healthy nails. Most people think they are fake because they always stay really nice. However, you are absolutely right. Manicures get really expensive. I really should just invest in my own Shellac. In the end, it would save me a ton of money!!! Though, I like going to the spa and get pampered with a mani/pedi!!!
Sounds like you lucked out i the nail gene pool. I do still love getting pampered. And if its a friends or family date to the salon, I’m always up for it to test new colors I want to buy. I need to try a gray before deciding on my next shade…
I spend a lot of money at the nail salon so I would love to be able to do my nails at home. It’s amazing how easy and affordable it can be to do so.
These are absolutely a great tips. I really love the colors
I’ve really wanted to try shellac nail polish. I want something that doesn’t chip as easily as regular nail polish but also not as damaging to my nails as acrylic would be.
Totally agree, acrylic is too much upkeep.
These are absolutely a great tips. i love nails party
I love doing my nails, it just gives a nice, clean, polished look. Thanks for sharing the tips, I’ll try these.
These are nice colors. I seldom do my nails because they only last for a day.
I need to try this! I love to have my nails painted but they always chip on me. I love that this lasted you 2-3 weeks.
I have never done the shellac nails but they look good. I do however always do my own nails, always have & love doing them all of the time 😉
So smart of you! I am also after Shellac, I’ve been having French mani for over a month by now. Luckily, the cost of Shellac mani in any salon is only 5-10 usd in my home country, so I just go for it!
http://www.siniciliya.com
Thanks! I really needed this guide but I’m still hesitant because of removal.
So glad you said that! Are you in my head? I am working on a removal video which will answer your questions. Stay tuned.
its shiny and the color stands out, I love it!
It would be great to practice doing it at home. Thank you
I love doing my nails at home, but it’s never occurred to me to try a shellac on my own! I’ll have to try it soon!
It frustrates me to paint my nails and then have them chip less than a day later.
I love Shellac! I get them done every 2-3 weeks. I need to start doing them at home to save some $$$
That’s how I started too, but then I got tired of waiting at appointments and I like painting them, so it works for me. Thanks for visiting.
This is a great idea. I love gel nails. They stay on much longer than a regular mani. To save money, I usually just get a gel mani and a regular pedi. I like the experience of going to a nail salon.
Those are beautiful colors! I’ll have to try this brand sometime.
This is such a great tip! It would make for a fun girls night in!
I need to get brave and do my own manicure. I usually take my daughter for a mani/pedi date but we would have just as much fun doing it ourselves together.
Love the colors, my nails right now are natural though!
I don’t paint my finger nails at home. I could make the time though.
My toes though are looking pretty sad right now with no polish. I need to fix that but it’s winter LOL.
I’ve never tried this before. I generally don’t do my nails because they don’t last without chipping but I may have to try this now.