Style, nailed!
So what’s the deal?
Shellac is the new black in the beauty world; it’s not so beautiful in it’s natural form – as Shellac is in fact the resin secreted by the female lac bug, that is found on trees in forests in Thailand and India. Once processed however, the liquid form is a rather chic way to create a lasting, polished look for nails.
Hot on the trend is Nails Couture, a rather chic beauty spot in its own right. The boutique-style salon, decorated in a bright mix of purple and green is scattered with hanging crystals and enough femininity to impress the likes of Paris Hilton.
Why go?
Shellac is pretty similar to standard nail polish. In the bottle, the choice is slightly more limited with some less than on-trend colours available. But seeing as Shellac lasts for two to three weeks without chipping, a fleeting try with a neon bright may not be advisable if the choice were there.
A classic French manicure is a good call – and exactly what we decide to try. As notoriously the hardest of nail trends not to chip within a couple of days, we’re curious to see how it lasts.
The process takes a little longer than the standard manicure with polish; after a thorough cuticle tidy, file and buff, several coats are applied, even before the white ‘nail’ is painted on. At each stage, the hand is placed under a UV light to ‘set’ the Shellac. But it’s bone dry after removing from the light: no mid-manicure smudging here.
To finish, the nails are wiped over and a dab of essential oils is applied. It’s remarkably shiny and the finished look is rather professional. Two weeks in we’ve fumbled for keys, opened fizzy drinks and dipped our nails in and out of the pool at every opportunity and the Shellac doesn’t budge. We’ve gone as far as to disown our own colourful collection of regular polish; we’ll have super shiny, hard-as-nails, er nails, from here on in, thanks very much.
And why not?
Aside from not being able to stray too far from a colour palette mainly consisting of natural nudes, pearly pinks and rather traditional red, the only downside is that one you bore of your colour, you can’t remove it at home. It’s a trip back to the salon for removal, which involves acetone. But you do get your nails re-filed and buffed for your troubles. And it doesn’t take all that long, even if you do sit with tinfoil around your fingers for the duration.
What? Nails Couture
Where? Khalifa St, Garden View Tower
Cost: AED 125 for Shellac French Manicure
We say: Perfect pampering; it may take a little longer, and we’re not quite sure what it does for the health of nails in the long run, but it looks so good so we’re not sure we care
Contact: 02 622 9925
Neat tricks
Stylish homeware brand Umbra offers everything to really make a house a home. These cuties, available from THE One are the perfect way to inject some fun into the home while keeping things tidy
Credible critters
This adorable metal bunny is the perfect partner for your dressing table. There’ll be no need to misplace jewellery – just stack rings up on his ears and admire. Start a collection with cats, mice, and plenty more helpful animals available in this cute collection.
Cook smart
Keep your cookbook out of harm’s way and make following that recipe a piece of cake with this smart book holder. With a folding stand, this is the perfect tidy-away accessory for the kitchen once the cooking’s complete.
Picture perfect
Perfect for office or home, this Snap Multi frame is the perfect way to showcase your favourite family and friends portraits. We love the fun, Polaroid photo inspired shape and easy-on-the eye style.
THE One: (Abu Dhabi Mall)
02 644 8100
