There's nothing worse than chipped nail polish, and a California-based company, CND (Creative Nail Design, Inc.) knows all about it. The organization is a world-renowned leader in professional nail, hand, and foot beauty products that has launched a number of products ever since it was founded in 1979. And as the world of nail care industry advanced, so came the creation of CND® SHELLAC®―a hybrid product that is half nail polish and half gel. Also, it claims to keep your nail color intact for over 14 days. With 73 designer shades to choose from, CND promises that every woman on this planet can have a hassle-free and convenient experience with Shellac nails every time. As the popularity of this brand is growing at an alarming rate, we thought of compiling a detailed pros and cons list of Shellac nails for you. Go through the information provided below carefully before you find a salon that provides the service. First off, let's understand the process of getting your nails painted with Shellac. It starts with you picking the nail polish color of your choice. Then the manicurist cuts the cuticles, files the nails, and buffs them. Working on one hand at a time, she will apply a CND Shellac base coat, two CND Shellac color coats, and a CND Shellac top coat on your nails. You will place your hand inside the CND UV Lamp for about 3 - 4 minutes while she works on your other hand. ◆ Once the top coat has dried completely, you can just walk out of the salon carefree. With other manicures, you need to be careful so that the nail polish doesn't get smudged. However, with Shellac, you can just get up and leave (and put your seat belts on without so much as getting a dent on your nails) in approximately 3 minutes after the top coat has dried. ◆ As promised by the company, the manicure does stay on for a solid 2 weeks. No matter what you do (washing utensils, gardening, etc.), the paint will not peel off. ◆ The shine of the manicure stays intact for the entire time, and it helps strengthen your nails in the long term. You need to have a healthy nail bed and cuticles in order to apply the Shellac polish, for obvious reasons. If either of these are damaged and/or peeling, this manicure style is not recommended as your polished nails won't last for a longer time. ◆ Most salons charge at least USD 10 more for a Shellac manicure than a regular manicure; the price may vary depending on the salon you visit. Also, the cost of removing it is approximately USD 5. ◆ Even though there are about 73 different color shades, many salons may not carry all of them. ◆ You can't apply or remove Shellac nails at home. In order to remove the polish, you cannot just use a few cotton balls and nail polish remover. You have to visit the salon in order to remove the polish by a certified manicurist. ◆ As placing your hands under the UV lamp is mandatory, this type of manicure may not be a safe option for a longer period of time. The UV rays in the lamp are somewhat similar to the ones in tanning beds, and can be harmful for your skin. So, if you are getting the manicure done, make sure to apply SPF 60 sunscreen at least 30 minutes in advance. ◆ Once the paint is removed, some people have experienced dry nails. CND recommends using SolarOil™ in order to keep your nails well-conditioned. If you do decide to get this manicure done, first of all, go to their website to find a salon in your area that has a CND Shellac Certified Pro logo. Also, ask the salon if they use CND Shellac products, i.e., the base and top coat, nail polish, UV lamp, etc., and make sure that those are the only products being used at the time of your manicure.