Too good to be true!?!

I don't get my nails done very often.  The main reason is that the polish just doesn't last very long and I hate the look of chipped nails.  There is nothing more frustrating than paying $15-$20 for a manicure that chips within days (or hours if you are impatient with the drying process like me)! 

I decided to get my nails done two weeks ago before my baby showers.  The woman asked me if I wanted to try a new type of polish called Shellac.  She claimed that it would last, without chipping, for 14 days and that I would walk out of the salon with 100% dry nail polish.  Under my breath I was thinking "yeah right lady...not the way I treat my nails!"  I was skeptical but decided to give it a try. The process is similar to regular polish but between each coat, you put your hand under a little UV light that actually bonds the nail polish.  The whole process took about the same amount of time as a regular manicure and cost about $10-$15 more. 

Its been two weeks since I first got them done and I'm happy to report that I loved it!  I was able to walk out of the salon and pull my keys out of my bag without worrying about smudging them.  I went grocery shopping right away and packed my bags for the weekend without any problems.  That alone is worth the extra money in my book!!  (as I said above, I'm very impatient with the drying process!)  Two weeks later and the only reason I needed to have them redone was because my nails were growing out.  Otherwise, the polish looked almost as good as day one. 

Now I know the proof is in the pictures and I forgot to take before and after shots of the first application but here is Day 1 of my second Shellac experience.

I'll report back and let you know if this application lasts as long as the first.  For now, I love that I could get them done over lunch and be back to work with dry nails (which is a very big deal since I work in a lab and need to wear gloves).  I can see this Shellac manicure coming in handy once baby is here and I'm pressed for time!