Last night's episode of Fake Britain on BBC1 exposed the dangerous practice of salons offering faux gel nails, charging premium prices for pretend Shellac.
The original UV gel polish, CND Shellac, was launched in 2010 and changed the mani game forever. Set under UV lights these polishes stay chip-free and uber-glossy for a minimum of two weeks – perfect for the summer holiday season (and lazy girls whatever the weather).
Many similarly brilliant brands have launched with success since, from Jessica's GELeration to Gellish, but there has also been a wave of fakes, with brands claiming to be not imitators of Shellac, but the real deal.
The BBC documentary (originally screened in May), revealed that fake versions from China have worked their way into UK salons throughout the country and – complete with CND branding – reveal real damage to women's nails when the polish is removed, some of which can take up to an hour and a half due to the inferior formulas. Eek!
Untrained salon staff are not only using potentially dangerous products but are also incorrectly operating the UV lamps and misinforming customers with bad (or no) aftercare advice.
While major chain salons can obviously be trusted, be sure to check on independent salons if you want CND by finding your nearest reputable salon at lovecnd.com. Professionals can get listed on their salon locator by contacting them.
