Winter nail trends

Winter and holiday 2020 nail trends by Cyerra Kemp, Licensed Nail Tech and East Village Spa Nail Artist

By guest blogger, Cyerra Kemp, Licensed Nail Technician, and Cassie Sampson, East Village Spa Owner

Picture your favorite sweater, curled up with a cozy plaid throw, sipping a cup of hot chocolate next to a fire. Can you picture it? This is the vibe right now in the nail world.

Buffalo Plaid, snowflake, and festive red manicure with CND Shellac.
Buffalo Plaid with Studio White and Black Pool, snowflake, and festive red in Devil’s Red manicure with CND Shellac by Cyerra Kemp

Popular colors

Trending now are the lightest nudes to the richest chocolate browns.

Hot chocolate manicure by Cyerra Kemp at East Village Spa
Cyerra created a nude and chocolate swirl manicure with hot cocoa accent nails to showcase the popular shades this season. Featuring Gala Girl, Sweet Cider, Cream Puff, and Arrowhead in CND Shellac.

Festive velvety reds popular this holiday season like Bordeaux Babe and Cherry Apple Red.

Left: Bordeaux Babe, Right: Cherry Apple Red

Olive greens like Cap and Gown are a good alternative to jewel tone greens this season.

Cyerra used Cap and Gown as the green (with Matte top coat) in this design that combines christmas trees and sweater nails.

Experiment with different finishes

A high gloss manicure will always look great, but this season, people are experimenting with mix and match finishes including gel-effect and matte top coats.

CND Vinylux in matte v. gloss top coat
CND Vinyulux in How Merlot with matte finish Vinylux top coat (left) and gel effect top coat (right) (Cassie did this demo, these are definitely not professionally polished!)

Prints are in!

Don’t be afraid to mix and match prints! Tortoise shell and leopard nail designs are still in, and sweater prints and plaids are hitting the scene just in time for the holidays.

Cyerra did this leopard print manicure using CND Vinylux and nail art brushes for the details.

Not sure you trust your own nail art abilities? Book “A Work of Art” Shellac manicure and let me help you express your fun side! Can’t choose just one look? Pick several and you’ll be right in line with the trends!

Cyerra will be back to East Village Spa after the holiday season with lots of new winter and spring looks ready to help you look and feel your best in the new year! Follow her on Instagram at @allnails_by_cyerra or visit www.ShopEastVillageSpa.com to shop online for all of the nail colors pictured above in CND Vinylux, plus a wide assortment of Zoya Nail Polishes, nail and cuticle care products, and more!

What’s the deal with dip nails?

Dip nails aren’t new, it is an old acrylic nail application system that has seen a resurgence in popularity in recent years. At our spa, we’ve seen a big uptick in clients coming in with dip nails, thinking they are the same as a gel polish manicure (think CND Shellac) or can remove like a regular polish. Unfortunately, not all salons that offer dip nails full explain that these are acrylic nail enhancements and don’t remove the same as a CND Shellac gel manicure. We don’t offer dip nails or dip nail removal, so we hope to clear up the confusion! Don’t get us wrong, we’re not opposed to dip nails (and some of our employees occasionally get dip nails), they just don’t align with our mission of providing safe, natural nail care.

Why do people want dip nails?

Dip nails are popular for people wanting more of an enhancement look. They tend to look more “built up” on the nail. They’re also billed by many salons as lasting 3-4 weeks. While the product does adhere very securely to the nail (more on that in the next section), you will still see nail outgrowth at the base after a couple of weeks like you would with any gel polish like Shellac. Some people who use Shellac can extend their wear past 2 weeks, but most choose not to because of the look of the outgrowth.

For people who want an acrylic nail, dip nails are a less fussy application system. Just be aware that there are more sanitary forms of application than double dipping into a shared jar of product, as so often seen in images of the dip technique. If your salon doesn’t use individual powder applications, that’s a red flag.

Why can’t you remove my dip nails?

Some brands of dip nail products claim they can be soaked off with acetone, but we’ve found this is usually not the case, even after manual filing of the top layer. There are many brands. Often, the product is layered. To get the effects of nail art, additional gel polish coats may also be applied and layered on top. We have no idea what products were used and what the manufacturer’s recommended removal is.

Many salons use e-files (the drill) to speed up the process. We won’t use this because of the risk of damaging your nail and also because we don’t want our guests, employees, and massage clients in the next room breathing in the acrylic dust. More than one client has told us to just rip the dip acrylic nails off because that’s what their usual salon does. We definitely will NOT do that, and recommend that you don’t either!

Will you ever offer dip nails?

No, acrylic nails and nail enhancements fall outside of East Village Spa’s mission to provide safe, natural nail care. That said, we will not be offended if you’ve been a CND Shellac devotee but are dying to jump on the dip trend. This is a great story from the Today Show about a gel polish enthusiast who tried dip nails, and how the two services compared to each other.

If you want to try dip nails, we can refer you to another salon and I promise we won’t be mad. Like I said, some of our employees have even tried dip nails so we get it, it can be fun to see what the fuss is about. We just ask that when it comes time to remove your dip nails, you visit a salon that offers this service so they can do so according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

Licensed Nail Technician Cyerra giving me a CND Shellac maniure. Full disclosure: I’m a Shellac enthusiast who has never tried dip nails. I have seen the frustrtaion of my team members and their guests in trying to remove them, which has served as a powerful deterrent!

Cassie Sampson owns East Village Spa, offering skilled massage therapy, Rhonda Allison facials, Hydrafacial, and safe, natural nail care with CND Shellac, Vinylux, and Zoya polishes. Click here to learn more or schedule!

Pedicure Safety Myths

‘Tis the season to prep and polish toes for spring break trips and soon-to-be sandal weather! It is also the season of pedicure safety myth-busting.

Myth #1: A good pedicure will leave your feet baby soft.

We have calluses to protect our feet. A safe pedicure will gently soften the callus, but won’t cut it. Razors and graters that cut or aggressively file calluses are illegal in Iowa and many other states (though some salons still use them) Cutting calluses can open you to infection and will make them grow back harder. We use a safe foot file that we send home with you so you can continue gently softening your calluses safely over time.

Myth #2: You should to bring your own tools to a nail salon to avoid infection.

If you feel like you need to bring your own tools to your nail salon, you probably need a new nail salon. Salons are required by law to properly sanitize tools in an EPA Registered disinfectant like Barbicide (the blue liquid), or by heat or steam sterilizing them. We use both Barbicide AND heat sterilization for our metal tools. Sterilized tools are then sealed until use. Porous tools like files, buffers, flip flops, toe separators and wooden sticks must be immeidatly disposed of or given to our guests to take home. If a salon re-uses disposable tools, it is likely they are cutting other safety corners too.

If you bring your own tools, it is unlikely that they are sterilized to our standards. If they’ve been rolling around in your purse, car, or make-up bag in a punctured Ziplock, they are likely contaminated with bacteria or debris that can cause infection. Just because those tools are only used on you doesn’t mean they are clean! If you have any doubt about your salon’s sanitary standards, ask them! Salons that do things the right way are always proud to discuss their sanitization proceedures.

Myth 3: I need to bring my own nail polish to a salon.

Nail polish at a reputable salon is safe. By the time it is applied to a guest, their nails have been cleaned sanitized. Our polishes are also selected for safe ingredients. Guests who come with a diseased toenail are required to go without polish or purchase a bottle to keep. We do not use shared polishes on these guests for everyone’s safety.

If you bring your own, it might not look as great as we’d like. Different consistencies and brush sizes mean that our nail technicians aren’t going to get the same results they get with the brands they trust and use every day, plus they may not combine well with our top coats.

Myth 4: It’s “just a pedicure.” Laws and regulations are excessive.

Several states are facing legislation to try to reduce licensing in cosmetology professions. In Iowa, licensed cosmetologists and licensed nail technicians can legally do manicures and pedicures. They spend hundreds of hours training in not only how to make your nails look good, but to learn how to identify nail health concerns, infection control, safety techniques, and chemistry of products they use. They have to take regular continuing education including topics like safety, sanitation, and the law. Licensed nail technicians and cosmetologists are subject to oversight by the department of public health.

We’ve all heard nail salon horror stories. Many of these issues are caused by salons that are not following the laws. Insist that the person giving you a pedicure is educated and practicing legally. The salon license and every individual nail technician or cosmetologts’ licenses are required to be posted in the business.

Ready to book your safe pedicure at East Village Spa? Click here to book online! Remember, wherever you go, it is ok to ask questions. If your gut tells you something isn’t right, it is ok to end the service and leave. Your health is worth it.





Dads Need Day Spas!


According to an International Spa Association study, 47% of spa-goers are men! Father’s Day is a great opportunity to introduce the important men in your life to some the health and relaxation benefits of professional massage therapy, skin care, and nail grooming. The following are benefits of each service that appeal to men:

Licensed Massage Therapy: Licensed Massage Therapists (LMTs) are health care providers with hundreds of hours (most of our LMTs have well over 1000 hours) of training and maintain high standards of professional ethics. An LMT can help with general stress management by stimulating the parasympathetic nervous system, or relieve pain by relaxing tight muscles or addressing soft tissue  injuries with orthopedic techniques. Both relaxation and orthopedic massages have researched and proven health benefits. The American College of Physicians now recommends massage therapy as a first course of treatment for pain including low back pain.

Facials: Men truly benefit from professional facials performed by licensed estheticians (in Iowa an esthetician starts their career with 600 hours of training and accumulates hundreds of hours in additional training in skin health, product chemistry, and treatments). I’d even argue that men need these services more than women. Why? Shaving and beards! While women primarily seek professional skincare to slow signs of aging, men tend to seek skincare for irritation. Shaving can over-exfoliate skin and razor burn is uncomfortable and not the look most guys are going for. Men who wear beards experience dry, flaky skin under the beard. Even guys who rock a full beard can enjoy a facial, your esthetician can work through the beard to the skin below and focus lower on the neck. A professional skin analysis and treatment can help with these concerns. A simple but effective home care routine (sometimes just a product or two) can make a world of difference to a man’s skin and relieve discomfort. 

In addition, most facials at East Village Spa include lots of relaxing massage of the face, neck, and shoulders, which everyone loves, regardless of gender. For a man that is uncomfortable with the idea of booking a full body massage therapy treatment, a professional facial is a safe and healthy, way to experience stress relief.

Nail grooming: Most people associate a manicure (hands) or pedicure (feet) with a perfectly polished finish, but in actuality, the nail polish is the most minor part of the service and can be substituted with a healthy buff to a natural shine. Our hands and feet are some of our body’s most used and abused tools and their health is vital. Plus, everyone loves the hand or foot massage included in most services! Dry, cracked cuticles are an invitation to infection.

Healthy fingernails are a part of a well-groomed professional look and are vital for people in fields working with their hands like musicians or health providers. Safe, skilled care for cuticles and calluses and safe nail clipping to prevent discomfort or ingrown nails is an important part of foot care for athletes, especially in sports that require running. Men who work in industries with steel toe boots often experience foot discomfort and love the results of a professional pedicure. Men with mobility problems who can’t reach their own toenails especially benefit from some TLC, though if they need more than routine maintenance, a podiatrist might be a good first step.

If you want to treat dad, grandpa, or another important man in your life to a healthy spa service, stop in or purchase a gift card online (www.EVDaySpa.com). We also offer convenient online scheduling! We promise they won’t feel awkward at East Village Spa, we have a great mix of guests from teenagers to octogenarians and, YES, we see lots of men!

Top 5 reasons to get a winter pedicure: Your freezing feet will thank you!

“Nobody seems my toenails in the winter,” is no excuse to let your foot care go during the cold months according to Lindsay Crow, a licensed cosmetologist and esthetician at East Village Spa. Lindsay strongly believes that foot and nail care is a year round health necessity. She shared her top 5 reasons to take care of your tootsies with a safe, professional pedicure this winter.

1. Cuticle and nail oil is a must for cold, dry weather. Natural oils like shea butter, avocado, and jojoba are the best types to use for hydrating nails and cuticles to prevent small cracks and openings in the nail which can lead to infections, hang nails, and ingrowns. These oils also strengthen the natural nail. We think about cuticle oils on our hands, but we forget about them for our feet.

2. A winter pedi is a perfect chance to treat your nails while taking a break from polish. It is ok to be bare! Nails are made of a tough protective protein called keratin. Nails do not breathe, but putting polish onregularly without a break can lock in and trap bacteria, fungus, yeast, mold, and mildes that can form under the nail plate. Podiatrist Erin Nelson from Des Moines University taught our team during a recent training that if you have unwanted growths, polish could trap them in, speeding along their progression. It is also good to take a polish break before a visit to your physician, podiatrist, or dermatologist so they can inspect nails for fungus, ingrowns, and melanoma. We can always buff your natural nails to a shine if you are willing to take the bare nail plunge!

3. Professional, safe nail trimming and filing helps prevent ingrowns, excessive skin overgrowth, and helps keep nails from catching onto those fuzzy socks and tearing. A licensed nail care professional can help teach you the best way to clip and file nails and can help identify concerns that might warrant a visit to the podiatrist.

4. A pedicure is a great opportunity for extra TLC to clean the unwanted dirt and debris that easily gets caught under toenails and between toes. People can also experience issues if they don’t properly dry between their toes, especially before putting on socks. For some people, especially guests with injuries, who are pregnant or aging, it is hard or impossible to reach your own toes! Our nail technicians take care of that while you relax.

5. A pedicure can be a time to relax and recharge your batteries. Enjoy a cup of hot tea, get an amazing foot massage, and do something that is good for your physical AND mental health.

Click here to book a pedicure with Lindsay or any of our great nail technicians this winter. Not ready to go bare but want a polish that dries immediately? Book a Shellac pedicure and you’ll be ready to put on your boots before you go.

 

7 tips to make your Shellac last, plus tricks to hide chips

Hannah Bates, Nail Technician and Esthetician

Our nail technician (and esthetician) Hannah shared her top 7 tips to keep your CND Shellac manicures looking great this summer (and tips for what to do if you get a chip).

 

  1. Oil! Lots and lots of cuticle oil.  

Apply cuticle oil to your shellac manicure at least once a day to improve your manicure’s longevity.  When the nail bed becomes dehydrated, your shellac is more likely to chip off.  Bonus: Keeping cuticle oil on the skin around your nails will also reduce the likelihood of getting hangnails and dry skin surrounding the nail.  We recommend CND Solar Oil which is made from Jojoba and Sweet Almond Oils to nourish the skin and nail.

2. Keep away from Harsh Chemicals

Not only can harsh cleaning agents and chemicals dehydrate your nails, but they can also change the chemistry of your shellac.  Some shellac colors may change slightly when exposed to cleaning agents, or even melt a little!  We recommend wearing thick cleaning gloves to protect your manicure, as well as rinsing your hands with soap and water, and finishing with lotion and cuticle oil to maintain a beautiful manicure AND a clean house.

3. Water Exposure

We love fun in the sun as much as anyone else, and CND Shellac is the perfect product for a manicure that outlasts the sand as well as the water.  However, when our nails absorb water, it causes them to expand and contract just the same way a wet sponge does, which can lead to peeling.  So should you go to the beach in latex gloves?! As much as that would be a sight to see, we just recommend washing your hands with mild soap and water after you are done swimming to wash away the excess chlorine or salt. If you know you’re going to be swimming a lot, let your nail technician know, and we have a few tricks up our sleeves! Remember to always re-hydrate your nails with cuticle oil at the end of your beach or pool day.

4. Stay Hydrated

You’ve heard it before and you’ll hear it again, make sure you are drinking plenty of water which hydrates the nail from the inside out, and assists in keeping the nails from splitting, cracking or peeling.

5. Treat Your Nails Like Jewels-Not Tools!

Many times shellac chips or peels it’s because we are treating our nails as tools.  This is admittedly a very hard habit to break, and it’s something I personally am VERY guilty of. Use caution when opening soda cans, peeling stickers or price tags off of new items, and even doing dishes.  Again, here is where a pair of rubber gloves can seriously be a great investment in the kitchen.

6. Gardening

I just love when the spring and summer comes here in Iowa, the flowers start blooming, and I can grow fresh produce in my yard.  Unfortunately, with gardening comes WEEDING. Gardening gloves are an absolute must for the gardener who also loves their manicure!  Bonus: Adding a layer of latex surgical gloves underneath your gardening gloves is a great barrier option for keeping dirt and debris out from under your nails.

7. Always Remove Your Shellac Properly

CND Shellac is the only true non-damage long wearing manicure on the market.  That being said, improper removal can ABSOLUTELY damage your nails! My goodness is it satisfying when a corner of polish lifts up and you can slide the whole fingernail’s worth of shellac off in one lovely sheet.  However, this often takes layers of your actual nail plate along with it, and weakens your nails.  If this does happen to you, it’s best to give your nails a few weeks to recover before trying another shellac manicure, and make sure you are using plenty of Solar Oil and lotion daily.  Shellac that is applied to compromised nail plates is at risk for peeling and chipping sooner than when it is applied to healthy nails.  Remember to schedule an appointment to have your shellac soaked off by your nail technician 2-3 weeks after application! Worst case scenario, click here to see our video on removing it safely yourself at home.

So you tried your hardest and still had a chip?  Here are your best options:

  1. If the whole manicure to be re-done or just removed, call the spa and book a removal with us! A stand-alone appointment for removal usually only takes us 15-20 minutes, and we would love to assist you in removing them properly.
  2. MOST of our shellac shades are also available in CND Vinylux  corresponding colors! So if you are worried about chipping, purchase a Vinylux color for touch-ups on the go.
  3. If your chip is just on the edge of your nail, trim the edge of the nail where the chip is, and file lightly with a high-grit nail file like the one we offer you at the end of your manicure.
  4. If all else fails and you end up losing a nail of your shellac manicure try rocking an accent nail by covering the chipped polish with an accent color of your choice! 

If you your Shellac chips off of a nail, rock an accent nail like Hannah did in this pic with a polish you have on hand, especially if it is a glittery one.

Ready to book your Shellac manicure? Click here to schedule with Hannah or any of our great nail technicians! They are all a wealth of information and ideas on nail issues and look forward to your visit!

5 “Awkward” summer issues to mention to your spa provider

We’ve all been there, you show up for a spa service and realize you are wearing your stinky sandals, or you spent a day at a pool party and got some extra sun a couple of days before your massage. The good news is it is fine, and expected, for our guests to mention these and other common summer issues to their provider BEFORE the session so we can make accommodations!

Stinky Feet Situations:

If you are worried your feet are not as fresh as they could be and it is going to bother you so much that you can’t just relax, it is fine to mention it to your provider before hand! While you’re getting ready, they can prepare some hot towels with tea tree oil to freshen up your feet so you can relax into your session! Other spas and massage therapists are likely to have solutions as well.

Plantar Warts:

Tell your therapist if you have plantar warts, especially because some rooms are pretty dark and we don’t always see them. While plantar warts are not super likely to spread between people in a massage situation, we don’t want to spread on your feet and we know they might be painful to massage. Your therapist can also do deep compression work on your feet or hit reflex points through a sheet over the immediate area (assuming it isn’t painful) so not to worry, you’ll still get a great foot massage and we promise we won’t be weirded out! (Get more info about plantar warts here.)

Post-sun flaking skin:

Summer is the season of “bonus exfoliation” in massage treatments. Dry, sun-exposed skin will sometimes ball up as we massage the back, but fear not because we have a solution. Once this starts, we’ll add some extra oil to the back and buff it with a dry towel, this usually takes care of the layer of dead skin so we can get back to massage! If you suspect this will happen, let us know in advance so we can start the session this way and your massage can have a better flow to it. If you have big pieces of peeling skin or a serious burn, that is different. In that case, it is best to reschedule your massage with plenty of advanced notice or ask your therapist to avoid the area.

Foot or nail fungus:

Let your therapist know before the service starts. While people with a healthy immune system have better luck avoiding person-to-person infection from a fungus, people who are pregnant or who have certain health concerns may be especially susceptible to infection so they will want to avoid the area or work with gloves. If you are booking a nail service but have a nail fungus, your nail technician can complete all of the service safely except that if you want polish, you will have to bring your own or purchase a bottle of polish and any base or top coat you wish to have used for the safety of other guests. Unfortunately, a pedicure can’t cure a fungal infection. Learn more here.

Mystery Rashes:

If you have a rash that is more than on just one small area of the body away from where your therapist or esthetician will be working, please reschedule your service. If you have poison ivy, you definitely need to reschedule! The risk of transmitting poison ivy to your therapist and to many clients they see is too great. Please give as much notice as possible and believe us, we’ll thank you for rescheduling. Click here for our blog post on poison ivy.

Whew, see, that wasn’t so awkward, was it? It is important to have an open dialogue with your massage therapist, esthetician, and nail technicians. They are experts at what they do and are eager to help you feel comfortable, but they need good communication and feedback from you to make that possible. Ready to schedule a visit? Click here!

 

The Spa Newbie gets her first CND Shellac Manicure!

Our awesome summer intern, Alyssa, has had her final “Spa Newbie” experience with us, the CND Shellac Manicure.  We feel like she’s graduated to spa expert status over the summer and will miss her! Here’s what she had to say about her manicure:

*****

I have had my fair share of manicures at the local spas.  I don’t normally like up keeping my own nails, so when I got the chance, I would find myself getting a gel-polish manicure.  Every place I had been to, I felt as if I was sitting in the chair for hours.  By the time I walked out of there, I wondered why I even went.  At that point in time I wasn’t too thrilled going to the salons anymore.  I felt like I exhausted my limits and decided it was something I could do on my own.

I went out and decided to go buy my own imitation “shellac” kit.  At first I thought it was the greatest thing in the world.  I could paint my nails once a week and I wasn’t concerned about money and the time spent at a salon.  Eventually, I noticed that my cuticle beds were no longer healthy and my nails in general were in very poor shape.  My manicure polish would only stay on for 3 days maximum.  I have tried dozens of times to fix this but never have been able to make it last very long.  I haven’t pulled out my kit in almost 4 months now.  I will bring it out occasionally to give myself a manicure before a weekend trip.  I do not think I will ever be pleased with my own at-home manicures.  They never have that professional look.

I had the pleasure of receiving a CND Shellac manicure from Hannah.  She did not use any products or water first and did a dry manicure.  This included shaping the nails, pushing back the cuticles etc… Then she applied a base, two layers of color, and then the top coat.  Then she used an alcohol cloth to remove the sticky layer.  The last step was applying the Solar Oil on my cuticles to make sure they were nice and moisturized.  I chose a bright pink shade that seemed fitting for the summer.  I was very surprised how easy she made it look and how fast it was to accomplish a great shellac manicure.  This was the perfect amount of length for me to be able to enjoy it to the fullest.

Alyssa's nails right after her CND Shellac Express Manicure with Hannah
Alyssa’s nails right after her CND Shellac Express Manicure with Hannah

I never had been to a place where there was CND shellac before.  This is a non-gel which doesn’t damage the nails like all the other polishes out there.  I have found that this is one of the best polishes that I have come across and wouldn’t go back to any other brand.  It has been over a week now and it looks just as good as it did when they were first done.  With my always on the go lifestyle, I found it amazing that I haven’t had one chip yet.

Alyssa's CND Shellac manicure 8 days later, still looks amazing!
Alyssa’s CND Shellac manicure 8 days later, still looks amazing!

I am very impressed with my manicure and 110% would recommend it to anyone and everyone.  The quality of service I have received with each individual service since being here at East Village Spa, has been superb.  Everyone here is so professional and makes you feel cared for.  I have been to no place like it and I’m not sure I could ever go back to the places I had gone to in the past. I’m a big fan.

*****

Best wishes to Alyssa and we’ll look forward to meeting future interns and introducing them to the spa!

4 common reasons Shellac polish chips, plus solutions:

Don’t get me wrong, we LOVE CND’s Shellac nail polish (the Original Gel-Hybrid Power Polish), but we don’t guarantee it to be chip-free in every situation.

Problem 1. You’ve spent a lot of time in water.  (The inspiration for this post was my weekend trip to swim in Wisconsin’s gorgeous, but skin-drying lakes…between the water and piles of alcohol-based hand sanitizer, my Shellac chipped on one very dry nail).

Water will cause your nail plate to expand and contract which gives more opportunities for the polish to lift.  Spending time in chlorine-y pools, ocean water (yay, vacation!) or soapy water (lots of hand-washing) can also really dry out nails and polish leading to chipping and lifting and there isn’t much your nail tech can do about that.

tubing

 

Solution: Keep CND solar oil handy and apply regularly.  I know, it isn’t fun to think about cuticle oil on vacation, and it is a pain to think about re-applying it regularly if you have a job that requires frequent hand washing, but it is really the best way to try to keep all that time in water from causing your Shellac to chip or pop off.

Also,  using rubber gloves if you happen to have to be washing dishes or kids toys soapy water for an extended period of time helps!

Problem 2. Picking off your polish.  If you pick off your polish, it will cause nails to peel (delamination).  When your nail tech re-applies your Shellac, it is likely to peel because the nail underneath is peeling.

pick at nails

Solution: Keep a Shellac removal kit handy, we sell them, you’ll get several  uses out of them, and knowing you have a removal kit at home can save you from mindlessly picking off your Shellac while waiting for your next appointment.

If the damage has already been done and you’ve got peeling nails, try a treatment like CND’s Rescue RX for a week or two on “naked” nails before going back to Shellac to give your nail tech a healthier canvas to work with.  You can also just go to a polish like CND Vinylux which wears well (but not nearly as long as Shellac), removes easily (not a fun one to pick) and doesn’t require the extra time or up-charge that Shellac does.

3. Using your nails as tools.  If you use your nails to scrape or peel at things, you are likely to experience chips at the tip of your nails, even with the best polish application.

Nail quote

 

Solution: Knock it off!  ha ha, ok, I’m so guilty of this so I can’t really talk, but if you use your nails to pick at labels or tear open boxes, keep goo gone and box cutters handy so you have fewer excuses.

4. You have super short nails: Shellac still is great for short nails (we have so many massage therapists on the team so our nail techs are used to working with our little nail nubbins) but they can’t really “cap the free edge” of the nail as well as with nails that extend beyond your fingertip.  This is a polishing technique that helps Shellac stand up to wear, tear, and shrinking better.

leopardfoils

Solution:  If you are trying to grow your nails, Shellac can be a good tool because it is a harder polish so makes them less prone to breaking and less fun to nibble if you’re a nail biter. Can’t grow nails because of your job or lifestyle?  No worries, you are less likely to use your nails as tools (See #3) so you might still get some great wear out of your Shellac.  Plus because the polish is thicker than regular polish, you might get away with a bit more length than normal because it blunts the edge of your nail a bit.  You can also go with a more neutral color so it isn’t obvious if it pulls from the tip a bit.

Need expert help?  Book a manicure with one of our awesome nail techs!  They are great at advising you on the best polish or treatment, helping your nails to look great at the length they are, or helping you to grow them if that’s your goal!

The Spa Newbie Gets a Pedicure!

Alyssa, our intern from Grandview
Alyssa, our intern from Grandview

Blog post by Grandview Business Student and Spa Intern, Alyssa:

As a business management student, I never thought I would find myself in a day spa yet alone interning at one.  I grew up in a town of less than 130 people, so there were not many amenities to be found.  A great opportunity arose and I will be working at East Village Spa for the summer.  One of the perks about being at a spa is getting to try out the services they have to offer.

I was ready to bust out the sandals for the summer but my feet have seen better days. A pedicure was calling my name. Cassandra was my nail technician and she used the watermelon basil vodkatini scrub and then then for the foot massage, ginger sorbet lotion. I can’t express how great the foot rub was; it was the ultimate relaxation. I chose Vinylux Tropix as my color. I am all about the bright pinks for the summer months.

As a newbie, I have only had experienced two pedicures. I’ve been to places that made me stick my feet into whirlpool chairs. I noticed that East Village Spa used a foot bath instead so I got a little curious as to why. I learned that whirlpool chairs are not sanitary and can cause infections if the jets are not cleaned properly. The spa uses a clean disposable liner which is sterile. They also use single use nail kits which you can take home with you. You can really tell the spa cares about health safety.

Overall, I loved the experience and am very glad I got to start off the summer with some fresh sandal ready feet. I am eager to try other services during my time here like the Skin Renewal Peel and EV Signature Massage. I feel very lucky that I was able to get such a great internship here at East Village Spa!

Note from the spa:  If you want to try out the Wellness Pedicure that Alyssa had, or ANY of our great services, click here and schedule your appointment online!