In the past year, the big buzz in the world of nail polish has been shellac. It’s a special type of nail lacquer and process that’s supposed to last, chip-free, for two weeks. Sounds too good to be true, right? As a DIY manicurist who keeps her fingernails polished about 350 days of the year, I was intrigued.
Hiatus Spa + Retreat (where I have a membership) offers an alternative to the shellac manicure with the Orly GelFX system. Hiatus refers to this as their “eco-gel” manicure. Per the Orly website, their gel lacquer contains antioxidant vitamins A and E to promote healthy nails and pro-vitamin B5 to help strengthen the nail. Also, the Orly GelFX cures with LED light rather than UV light used in shellac, which is a plus. At Hiatus, the gel manicure is a $19 add-on to their spa manicure, or $55 for non-members. In May, I opted for the Essential Mani-Pedi Retreat plus eco-gel add-on to give this gel polish business a try.
