What is a Manicure?
During a manicure, you will get your hands professionally taken care of. The nails are cut and filed, your cuticles pushed back, and to finish off polish is applied. Expect smooth, fresh, elegant and well-groomed hands.

Preparation for Manicure
• Can remove your old polish, if any.
• Ask the therapist how they clean their manicure tools – they should be sterilized after each client.

The Manicure
A professional manicure usually lasts 45 minutes. Your nails are cut and filed, according to your desired shape and length. Your hands are soaked in water to soften the cuticles. Then your cuticles are pushed back. A hand massage follows, after which the polish of your choice is applied – base coat, 2 coats of colour and top coat. The colour usually lasts about 5 days – but this depends how well you take care of your hands.

Once Leaving the Salon
• The polish needs to dry completely – be careful with driving and digging into your handbag.

Maintaining your Results
• Moisturize your hands regularly –especially at night, before going to bed.
• From time to time exfoliate your hands.
• Filing your nails (if done correctly) will help to strengthen your nails. File in one direction only – don’t file back and forth, back and forth, as this creates heat, which in turn weakens the nails.
• Nourish your cuticle with cuticle oil (almond oil will do).
• Use gloves while doing tasks around the home, including washing the dishes.
• When the polish starts chipping off, remove it with a non-acetone nail polish remover.
• If you are applying colour yourself, always start with a base coat. Then 2 thin coats of your colour, and finish off with a top coat.
• If you have a nail condition (such as soft or brittle nails) – it would have to be treated accordingly.
• Once in a while, book a paraffin treatment with your manicure to soften your skin and cuticle – skin comes extremely soft. And the softness is long lasting.