So it looks like the cat is out of the bag a little early and I’ve been given the go ahead to tell you all about Shellac from CND. It’s the top-secret nail color I’ve been wearing on my nails for the last five weeks. It’s a brand new product that goes on like polish, lasts for two weeks, and can be removed easily in just 10 minutes. I’m currently on my third application (I first tried Fedora for two weeks, followed by two weeks of Red Baroness, and now I’m on day 7 of Negligee.) and it’s still just as awesome as when I first had it applied.

Day 1

Day 6

Day 14

Day 9 of my second color

Day 7 of my third color

Before I tell you more about my experience…here’s the official release from CND:

CND (Creative Nail Design), the leader in professional nail, hand and foot beauty, is proud to introduce the first hybrid nail color after nearly five years of development in its state-of-the-art laboratory. Now you can say goodbye to chips, smudges, and dry time and say hello to Shellac™ Hybrid Nail Color! This revolutionary product applies like polish, wears flawlessly for 14 days of high-gloss shine, and is removed in minutes. 

Shellac paints on like polish — base coat, color, top coat — and is cured in a UV light so there is zero dry time. The colors are hypoallergenic, and “3-Free” — no formaldehyde, toluene or DBP. Shellac will launch in a range of 12 varieties of shades, from pretty French pinks and whites, to siren red and rich darks. The formula is thin and flexible like polish, so it not only looks natural, it provides strong natural nail protection with a resilient mirror finish that resists dullness and chipping, even during the most rigorous activities. 

As amazing as Shellac is on, removal is just as satisfying! No soaking, drilling or filing is necessary. Nails are wrapped in individual Shellac Remover Wraps —integrated cotton pads that limit finger and skin exposure to acetone by keeping it pinpointed on just the nail. Ten minutes of time in exchange for two weeks of perfect color is all it takes. Say good-bye to manicure frustration and hello to pure manicure satisfaction.

Shellac is a professional salon service launching globally in May 2010.

For more information about CND and local distribution, visit www.cnd.com.

It’s no joke. Everyone I came in contact with said my nails looked amazing — whether it was day 1 or day 14 — and all of my friends asked where they can go to get it done. (I’m can’t wait for the techs at my neighborhood nail salon, ManiPediCutie!, to start offering it. And they only do natural nails, but they’re as excited about this as I am.) Shellac doesn’t chip or scratch and the high-gloss shine really lasts over the course of the two weeks.

And when it came time to take it off, the Shellac Remover Wraps are a nifty little product to soak off the color. But the best thing about Shellac? There was absolutely no etching, buffing, or preparation on my natural nails. And I think this will be a huge selling point for clients who say they don’t want to wear nail enhancements because they don’t like their nails being roughed up.

Thanks to CND’s Jan Arnold, and nail techs Roxanne Valinoti and Tiffany Greco for taking the time to do my nails (and our art director Danielle Parisi’s nails) over the last month.

We’ll have a step-by-step demo in the May issue of NAILS and you’ll be able to see live demos at the upcoming trade shows.

— Hannah