Hidden camera investigation finds nail salons advertising Shellac but applying a different product

By: Jenn Strathman, newsnet5.com
CLEVELAND - A 5 On Your Side hidden camera investigation found stores advertising Shellac but offering consumers another product. See how to make sure you're getting the manicure you paid for.
Shellac is advertised as the manicure miracle. It's a polish that promises to last two weeks without chipping and smudging. We had 10 women test the product to see if it works. Even though our testers always asked for Shellac, our investigation found that wasn't always the product that was used.
"I've had manicures last longer than the Shellac process," Carrie Nagorka said.
Nagorka is one of 10 testers we sent to five Northeast Ohio salons. While she wasn't happy, other testers were thrilled with the results.
"They stayed wonderful looking for the full two weeks," Claudia Fleming said.
Shellac mixed with other products in our test
So, what makes the difference? First, look past the price on daily deal sites.
"It's a coupon for Shellac. What else would you need to know? Who would think to go in and say maybe I need to do my research on this place?" college student and tester Ellen Kopy said.
Kopy said she's seen Shellac on her friend’s hands, and didn't expect the experience she got at a Northeast Ohio salon.
"I really like this color. Is that Shellac?" Kopy asked.
"Yeah," the nail professional responded.
Kopy went with tester and NewsChannel5 producer Tara Sutton to the same salon. Both women made it clear they wanted Shellac.
"So this is our first time we're getting Shellac," Sutton said.
However, they got a mix of Shellac and other products. We know this because the bottles used on their hands did not always say Creative Nail Design, or CND. Shellac is a product by CND.
On CND’s website, it says mixing and layering the brands will compromise quality. The front page of the site even warns consumers, "Don't Be Fooled By Shellac Pretenders."
CND shows consumers the tools to look for at a salon so they know they're getting the service they paid for.
Kopy’s polish did not say CND, and her results weren’t what she expected.
"It's wearing down just like a normal nail polish would. If it's going to do that then 3 bucks at the drugstore versus 30 bucks at the nail salon, I might as well go with the drugstore," Kopy said of her manicure.
At the same salon, Sutton’s French manicure was a mix of polishes.
"The white part of mine is CND, but the rest of it was this Gelish brand," Sutton said. "She called it Shellac the whole time."
Unlike Kopy, Sutton's nails held up despite the mixing.
Another salon also said it mixes brands.
"You can use Gelish along with Shellac. Like I can use this Gelish polish but the Shellac light. They have way more colors," the nail tech told our tester.
We questioned the salon management about this, and the owner admitted brands should not be mixed.
"Application is paramount to get the polish to stay on," Licensed Cosmetology Instructor Barbara Brussee said.
Barbara Brussee has been a cosmetology instructor for 36 years and currently teaches at Inner State Beauty School.
While formal training is not required, some nail techs have taken classes. Brussee said licensed professionals can also download instructions online with their license number.
The instructions for Shellac and Gelish are slightly different.

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