Shellac

I noticed my sister's nearly perfect manicure at the Quarterfinals two weeks ago. The polish looked immaculate. The only indication that these nails were not freshly painted was the gap between the polish and the nail bed. As UVA took the field, I couldn't help but ask about this manicure.

The answer is Shellac. Shellac has been out for a while, but I'd always dismissed it as a damaging gel manicure. This is not the case. Shellac is a gel hybrid that stays on for at least two weeks with minimal damage to your natural nails.

Last Wednesday I went to Angel Tips and asked Amy for a Shellac manicure. I chose a buff pink color that would go with everything and camouflage my "I sat in traffic on the Bourne Bridge for an hour" bite job. Six days later and still no chips! This is particularly impressive because I am responsible for all the heavy lifting around the classroom. I have noticed the polish edge is lifting as they grow out and this gets snagged on my hair. The same thing happens with a regular manicure, but instead chips the polish. I would recommend using an orange stick to push back the cuticle as this happens to avoid ripping your hair out.