Ultimate Long Lasting Manicure

Polish that drys in seconds, doesn't chip, and stays on for two weeks sounds too good to be true, doesn't it? Well here's a beauty secret -- it isn't! Hi it's Meghan Mongillo. :)

The ultimate long lasting manicure is here. It's called a gel manicure. A number of salons are offering the service in Cincinnati. I got mine done at Mitchell's Salon and Day Spa. Nail technicians there use a brand called Shallac by The Creative Company.

This service is for clients with natural nails. First the nails are shaped, then the polish is applied, and then it gets different than a regular manicure. The base coat, main coat and top coat have to be cured. That means you stick your finger tips in a UV lightbox for 120 seconds. When it's done, it's done. The polish is completely dry. You can put your hands in your purse and pull out your wallet and keys without worrying about smudges.

There are some drawbacks. The polish has to be removed in the salon by a professional. Your fingertips are soaked in acetone and then the gel polish is scraped off. There are mixed opinions as to whether this weakens your nails or not. I thought it did a bit, but that could have been because my nails were dry as well. The salons recommend using cuticle oil once a day to keep them hydrated.

Look close at the picture. Do you want to guess how long that polish has been on? I know, I know - I'll never be a hand model, but focus in on the nail. That's the manicure I got 13 days ago. You can see as your nail grows the polish stays put. So towards the end you can see the off white of my natural nail tip peeking out under the white polish. Not a big deal and most people won't look that close.

Another downside is that right now the selection of colors to pick from is limited, but that could change. Also it's going to cost a bit more then a regular manicure. Though since it lasts for 2 weeks some might say it's worth it.

I would definitely recommend checking with your local nail salon and trying it. Let me know what you think. I give this new treatment an "A-." Isn't nail polish that doesn't chip every woman's dream? :) Watch FOX19 News at 6pm Friday, September 10th to see my story on this.