· 3 min read
It is the question we hear most often at the front of the salon: shellac or regular polish? Both sit on the menu, both are finished by hand, and both look beautiful when they leave the room. The difference is in how the colour behaves once it is on the nail — how it dries, how it feels, and what has to happen when you want it off again. Here is a plain, Toronto-practical way to decide before you book.
What each one actually is
Regular polish is a traditional lacquer. It is brushed on in thin coats and it air-dries. Nothing cures it; the solvents simply evaporate, which is why the surface firms up long before the layers underneath are fully set. Because it dries by air, it can be taken off at home with ordinary remover whenever you feel like a change.
Shellac is a gel polish. Each coat is cured under a lamp rather than left to dry, so it hardens on the nail instead of settling. That cured surface is what gives gel polish its high, glassy shine and its resistance to smudging. It also means shellac does not come off with a cotton pad and a bottle of remover — it has to be removed properly, which is why Shellac Removal appears on our menu at $10.
How they differ in the chair
- Finish: shellac reads glossier and more uniform; regular polish has a softer, slightly warmer surface that many people prefer on a sheer nude.
- Drying: shellac is cured and set before you stand up. Regular polish keeps setting after you leave, so plan the rest of your day around it.
- Colour change: regular polish can be swapped at home any evening. Shellac stays until it is removed at the salon.
- Removal: regular polish lifts with remover. Shellac needs Shellac Removal ($10) — and please do not peel it off, because that takes surface layers of the natural nail with it.
Book shellac when the day matters more than the freedom to change your mind.
Which to book, and when
Events, travel and anything with photos
If you have a wedding, a graduation, a shoot, a work trip or a long weekend away, book the Shellac Manicure ($40). It is cured before you leave, so there is no anxious hour of protecting your hands, and the shine holds its own in photographs. This is also the sensible choice if you are heading straight from Dundas East to something you cannot afford to smudge.
Quick changes and seasonal colour
If you like a different colour every couple of weeks — a coral in August, a cocoa in November — regular polish keeps you free. Book the Manicure ($29) for full nail care with colour, or the Regular Polish Change ($22) when your nails are already in good shape and you only want fresh colour on top.
Somewhere in between
You do not have to commit to one forever. Plenty of clients alternate: shellac before a busy stretch, regular polish through a quieter month. If you already wear shellac and just want a new shade, the Shellac Change on Real Nails ($30) refreshes the colour without booking the full manicure.
Price at a glance
| Service | Price |
|---|---|
| Manicure | $29 |
| Shellac Manicure | $40 |
| Regular Polish Change | $22 |
| Shellac Change on Real Nails | $30 |
| Shellac Removal | $10 |
One small booking note: if you are arriving with shellac already on and want shellac again, tell us when you book so the removal is part of the appointment rather than a surprise at the start of it. If you are unsure what is currently on your nails, bring a photo or call us at (416) 203-8888 and describe it — we can usually work it out in a sentence.
Every hand and foot service, with its price written out, lives on the manicure and pedicure menu. See manicure and pedicure pricing
Still torn? Choose by your week, not by the nail. A calm week says regular polish. A week with three things circled on the calendar says shellac. Book online whenever you are ready — the Book Now button carries you straight through to our booking page.