Shellac, gel, no-chip — what's the difference?
There isn't one, in practice. Shellac is a brand name that became the everyday word for soak-off gel polish, the same way people say Hoover for a vacuum. If you book a no-chip manicure at one salon, a gel manicure at another and shellac here, you're getting the same category of product: a flexible resin polish that sets under light rather than by evaporation.
What genuinely varies between salons is how thoroughly the nail plate is prepped and whether the technician caps the free edge. Those two things, not the name on the menu, decide whether your color lasts eight days or twenty.
What it costs here
Three ways to get shellac, depending on how much hand care you want with it:
- Shellac Polish, hands or toes — $30. Color only. Quickest option, and the right one if your nails are already tidy.
- Manicure with Shellac Gel Polish — $40. Full manicure prep — shaping, cuticle work — then shellac color.
- Deluxe Manicure with Gel Polish — $50. The longer hand treatment with shellac on top.
French Manicure Shellac is $50. On feet, adding shellac gel to a pedicure is $20, or a Classic Pedicure with gel shellac is $55 all in. Shellac removal on its own is $10, and a shellac take-off with another service is $10.
How long does shellac last?
Shellac gel polish holds two to three weeks on hands. What ends the set is almost never chipping — it's new nail growth creating a visible gap at the cuticle. On toes it lasts far longer, four to six weeks, because toenails grow more slowly and spend their time in shoes rather than in dishwater.
Three things cut it short. Hot water and detergent — dishes without gloves, long baths — soften the seal at the edges. Using your nails as tools to open, scrape or pry lifts the product from the corners. And an uncapped free edge leaves the one place water gets underneath. We cap every set as standard.
Is gel polish bad for your nails?
Gel polish itself does not damage the nail plate. Damage comes from removal — specifically from picking, peeling or scraping it off, which takes layers of keratin with it. Acetone soak-off, done properly, leaves the nail intact. If your nails have been thin and flaky after gel, improper removal is almost certainly why.
Two habits protect them. Never peel a lifting edge, however satisfying it looks — come in and we'll take it off properly. And use cuticle oil daily; hydrated nails flex with the product instead of fighting it.
Shellac, dip or acrylic?
| | Shellac Gel | Dipping Powder | Acrylic |
|---|
| Typical wear | 2–3 weeks | 3–4 weeks | 3–4 weeks, then fill |
|---|
| Adds length | No | Slight, more with tips | Yes — any length |
|---|
| Changes shape | No | No | Yes |
|---|
| Thickness | Thinnest, most natural | Medium | Thickest |
|---|
| Lamp | Yes | No | No |
|---|
| From | $30 | $50 | $55 |
|---|
Short version: shellac if you like your own length and want the most natural look, dip if you need maximum durability, acrylic if you want length or a different shape.
Shellac Gel Polish pricing
| Shellac Polish — Hands15 min | $30 |
| Shellac Polish — Toes15 min | $30 |
| Regular Polish — Hands20 min | $15 |
| Regular Polish — Toes15 min | $20 |
| Shellac removal only10 min | $10 |
These are the live prices from our booking system. Length, shape and art can add to the total, and we quote before we begin. See the full price list.
