Happy Manicure Monday and I hope you had an amazing 4th of July weekend! Today I have a new product from Ciaté to share with you guys: the SHELL manicure.

I don't know about you but I'm a big fan of anything iridescent like seashells so having crushed shells on my nails sounded mighty intriguing. Would it be sparkling? Would it be rough? Would it fall off in a day?
I had heard about the Ciaté brand when the caviar manicure trend went around (using micro-beads on the nails for a 3-d nail effect) but this was the first time I tried Ciaté out myself. The kit is pretty simple, coming with 1 nail color (Halo), 1 bottle of crushed shells (Wish Upon A Starfish), and a small funnel for ease of cleanup.

Halo is a translucent polish with iridescent micro-flecks that shift from pink to purple. It's a shade I'd typically use as a topper on another color, but was actually pleasantly surprised at how clean and pretty it looks applied on its own.


For the ring finger, I applied a base of Halo then added a second coat, pouring the crushed shells on top of the wet polish. Since many pieces are jagged, I pressed and adjusted the shells onto the nail until it laid fairly flat and even. (Tip: I recommend running a fingernail or orange stick around the perimeter of the nail before it sets to prevent poking pieces.)

Now, this is KEY! Wait 15-20 minutes for the shells to set first, then add a thick top coat. I recommend Seche Vite for this type of 3D manicure because it leaves a smoother finish compared to thinner top coats.


The less fun part comes during cleanup because this is honestly a pretty messy endeavor. The package comes with a large plastic well to catch falling shells during application, but it's not super reasonable to keep the entire plastic package around for subsequent uses. Be prepared to have shell particles get everywhere! Also, there was spillage when opening the shell bottle in the first place because it's filled to the max. It's interesting to note that the funnel is just for putting the shells back into the bottle, not for actual use during the manicure.

I've had this on my nails for about 5 days now and only had very minimal shell-fallout and tipwear on my dominant hand which actually isn't too noticeable with the natural shell color. Next time I might try a white polish under Halo or a french tip for a more balanced look. I also have my eye on Mermaid You Look, an edgy purple-grey version that looks very rockstar.

Overall I'm really digging the clean and beachy look of a shell mani, although there are definitely some caveats that come with the process. Worth it if you love nail art and want something unique for a special occasion!

If you are interested, you can check out Wish Upon A Starfish for $25 at Sephora and Bloomingdales.

Readers, will you be trying out the shell manicure? What are your thoughts on textured nail art? Let me know in the comments below! 

Disclaimer: This post contains product provided by the company's PR for consideration. For more information please see my review policy.