Nothing tops off a well polished look more than the perfect manicure (and even a matching pedicure if it’s toes-out season).
We’ve got a huge list of salons that offer not only manis and pedis but luxurious spa treatments with added hand and foot massages, scrubs and moisturising treatments.
Why not add a paraffin wax treatment to your manicure? Your hands will be dipped into warm molten wax and once it’s set, it’ll be removed to reveal your baby soft, nourished skin, et voila!
If your nails aren't as long or strong as you’d like them, acrylic nails could be answer to your manicure prayers. An acrylic nail session involves adding a mix of liquid monomer and powdered polymer (chemistry or wizardry, we’re not entirely sure, but it gets results) to nails. Choose to either match the length of your natural nail exactly, or go longer, to give the appearance of finger-slimming, longer nails (these are nail extensions, when a lightweight plastic plate is glued to the tip of your nail, covered with acrylic and painted over so no one will ever know). When mixed and exposed to the air, the monomer and the polymer harden to form a solid, clear base that can be painted over with any colour of the rainbow you like.
Gel nails will give you the same strength as acrylics, without the extension in length, so they can look more natural. Perfect if a natural look is what you’re after! Gels need setting under a UV light, and the most well known brand is Shellac. Both acrylics and gels are super strong and will last you for weeks. They’ll need to be removed professionally, picking at them and peeling them off yourself can cause damage to the nail bed, so however tempting it is, leave it to the pros!
SNS nails (Signature Nail Systems) start off the same way as gel nails. A brush on gel base is applied, but then your nails are dipped into a powder a couple of times, then it all gets sealed with a top layer of gel. The result is either a natural French Manicure style or a colour of your choice. SNS nails are thinner than a gel finish, feel much more like your own nails and don’t require UV light to ‘fix’ them.
Of course, the traditional file ‘n’ polish still exists, just, but even that has been jazzed up. Choose from no end of nail art (Minx Nails are the biggies in this area), colours and shapes. Stiletto nails, not for the faint of heart, are your nails (or acrylics) filed into a point, think sharpening a pencil. Or for a more classic look, go for a squoval or softer almond shape.
CND, the company behind Shellac, also produce Vinylux, a fast drying polish in more colours than we can count, that lasts a week. Yep, that’s right, a normal nail polish, without the need for UV fixing, that lasts seven whole days. Don’t believe us? Book in with one of our Vinylux salons today, and see for yourself!
No longer should male nail care consist of a weekly clip and chewed cuticles. Many salons and even barbers offer man-icures - proper filing and buffing to neaten up the nails and keep them looking smart.
