If you were trying to find an answer for this question online, you're probably more confused now than you were before doing the research. Let me take you on a short tour and help you navigate through the variety of nail care products and services. Find out which permanent manicure will suit you and your lifestyle. I say OPI GelColor vs Shellac, but we will also talk about Gelish, Essie and Calgel.
Are you a busy mom? A teenage volleyball player? A student on the budget? Discover what options are waiting for your out there and decide which one will benefit you most.
First, match your nail care to your lifestyle.
If you're a busy mom, struggling to divide your time between work and home, then you are a real life superhero, but where's the time for you? You deserve time to relax, a place where you can calm down, come back to balance, have some fun, enhance your beauty, and come back home feeling sexy and refreshed. Forget about normal nail polish - if you are taking care of the house and a baby, it will chip off in no time. You should also know that traditional nail polish contains formaldehyde and toluene, which have been connected to cancer.
What you need is a durable product that will stay on your nails for days or weeks. Since you're a mom, you need to pay particular attention to chemical ingredients you bring into the house. That's why we recommend Shellac, which is very popular among the young mothers thanks to the trust it has built in years.
On the other hand, if you are pregnant you may be concerned about the UV lamp effect on your baby's health. Although it seems highly impossible that such a short exposure to UV could do any harm, if you're still anxious – go for OPI GelColor. Their products are free from Formaldehyde, Dibutyl phthalate, and toluene.
Students may be tempted to try out one of the cheaper solutions, for example, Gelish or Essie Gel. As long as the product is original and comes from a reputable brand, it should be okay. Of course, you can't expect the same quality and durability but it's still better than the traditional nail polish.
Beware of the nail salons that offer very cheap gel nails because they might use counterfeit products!
It could be detrimental not only to the nails but also to your health! Yes, we never know what the imitation contains and how it can affect our bodies.
Or maybe you're an artistic soul and instead of high durability and long-wearing time, you would prefer bright colors, an extra wide range of shades? If you are an aspiring, try Gelish - it comes in more than 150 colors!
Second, have a good look at your hands.
Assess the tone, moisture and age of the skin to choose colors, and nail care products.
Hand Aging Sings
- If your hands are showing aging signs; your skin is scorched, or its tone is not even, consider avoiding ravishing and ‘neon' nail polish colors because they're going to highlight all the skin imperfections!
- Find a nail polish with the matte finish; it can turn out to be your secret weapon!
Very Fair or Pale Skin
- If you are Caucasian (especially if you're from the North or just if your skin is very fair), you should go for warm colors that can bring more sun and energy into your look.
- Peach, pastel pink or orange, mango, honey, yellow and golden brown are your safe choices. Avoid red, purple, violet and black.
If your skin is Very Dark
- The colors you may want to avoid are green and blue.
- You're still the lucky one! You can use purple or red.
Are your nails weak? Soft? Brittle?
- Essie Gel claims to be safer than any other Gel Nail Polish.
- If you don't want any buffing, UV or formaldehyde to weaken your natural nail, choose Japanese Calgel.
- Calgel is indeed quite expensive, but thanks to new technology, it lets your nails breathe. So after four weeks with calgel, your nails will be healthier than before the manicure! 🙂
The most often forgotten truth about making decisions is very simple: To choose a product that will satisfy your needs, you have to know what your needs are.
Fortunately, you don't have to choose between safety, durability, price and quality: if you don't have any 'special needs', or you're a beginner in the world of manicure, in the battle of OPI GelColor vs Shellac, Shellac seems to be the most balanced choice. Manufactured by a highly valued and reputable company, it's the most popular permanent manicure brand.