Anna McCormack visits The Nail Spa to have her talons tamed, treated and tipped by the pros.
The promise
The Lavender Base treatment is a nail polish and strengthener in one. It is enriched with essential oils and minerals that improve the condition of the nails while giving a subtle and natural looking lilac tint.
The experience
The Nail Spa in Al Wahda Mall is a delightfully serene environment. The décor is dominated by neutral shades of cream and browns, and the treatment chairs are separated by billowing cream curtains that can either be drawn for privacy or pushed back if you want to chat.
Since we suffer from brittle and weak nails, we elected to go for the Lavender Base treatment manicure and threw in some French tips just for fun.
First our poor, long-neglected finger nails were cut and filed to a perfect ‘almond’ shape, just as we requested. Then our disgraceful cuticles were very gently trimmed away leaving us with clean nail beds and fingers we will no longer hide out of shame.
Bio Sculpture Gel is a nail treatment that cures instantly under UV light, meaning drying time is seriously reduced and you won’t risk your mani while you’re fishing out your credit card. The colour lasts, chip-free, for around two weeks at which point it needs to be soaked off. It claims to preserve the health of the natural nails and it is among the more natural looking lasting colours on the market.
First was applied a thin strip of a clear base gel over the tips of our nails just a bit further than where the white French tips would go. This was cured under a UV lamp before the fine white tip itself was applied and then cured. Our nails were thoroughly cleaned of any residue before having a vitamin rich treatment applied and left to absorb. Finally, two coats of the Lavender Base treatment were applied and it was off to the dryer to end our treatment.
The results
Our nails are an extremely pretty, very natural-looking colour with elegant white tips. Two weeks later and our tips are still looking great, though the Lavender base started to chip away towards the end of the first week.
Pros
We can’t comment on the effectiveness on the treatment with regards to our weak nails, but the colour is pretty and if it helps then so much the better. For the lazy (like us) Bio Sculpture is an excellent option to minimize the amount of manicure maintenance needed. The tips stay looking fresh and white for a good two weeks.
Cons
The only con with these long-lasting polishes is that they need to be removed in the salon rather than with a quick swipe of remover at home. But frankly this is a small price to pay for fuss-free nails.
5/5
Lavender base treatment is Dhs140, Bio Sculpture gel nail colour starts at Dhs200. The Nail Spa, Al Wahda Mall, Hazza Bin Zayed Street (02 642 3444). Also at the World Trade Centre Mall, Khalifa Street (02 626 1331).
