If you’ve ever had your nails done at a professional salon, you might agree that few things are as mood- or confidence-boosting as a fresh set of nails. Choosing different styles and designs can be great fun; and you might find yourself gazing at your hands for at least the first 48 hours afterwards!
If you’ve never been to a nail salon before but have always fancied the idea, there’s also nothing like enjoying professional quality nails for the first time. As well as helping you feel slick and polished, the experience itself can be deeply therapeutic – offering you some much-needed me-time and the chance to relax and unwind.
However, if you’re new to the nail salon or it’s been a while since your last visit, you might be feeling unsure what to ask for when you arrive. With so many options available from almond to square-shaped tips, to BIAB and acrylic coating, it’s only natural to feel awkward or anxious about stepping into the world of nails.
But the good news is that it all sounds far more complicated than it is, and once you find a style you like, it’s quick and easy to go back and get your nails refreshed.
Nail salons are also relaxed places where there’s often little to no pressure to make conversation with staff at all. All sorts of people attend nail salons too – from teenagers to people in their 80s – and while some will be regulars, others will be first-timers.
So, to help you decide what to ask for next time you want to get a manicure, here’s our quick guide to the basics.
Do I need to make an appointment?
Most nail salons accept walk-ins; though the unpredictability of this can mean that you have to wait a for a nail technician to become available. So, if you’re short on time, and the salon has a booking system, you could try using that instead. Many take bookings over the phone or via social media – or you can pop in in-person to make an appointment.
Sometimes booking an appointment can also help to put your mind at ease, as it’s a great chance to ask if the salon can accommodate your nail preferences – and you can ask for clarification on pricing and anything else you’re not sure about.
Choosing a nail manicure
When attending any nail salon, it’s important to first look at their menu and see which nail services are offered. That said, there are a handful of popular ones available in most salons. These include…
Regular nail polish
While not many choose to have their nails painted with regular nail polish at the nail salon anymore – because there are many other longer-lasting options – it can still be suitable for some. For example, if you change your nail colour regularly or want something for a single occasion, which you can later take it off easily at home. Regular nail polish can also be a popular choice for toe nails, which experience less wear and tear than our fingernails.
Some people also prefer this option because there’s no UV lamps or specialist equipment involved – it just needs a little patience while it dries!
Gel nail polish
Gel polish can be painted onto your natural nails or onto nail extensions in thin coats, and has largely replaced regular nail polish because of its durability – often promising a chip free manicure for at least two weeks. It’s set with a UV lamp, offers a glossy finish that doesn’t dull, and you can pretty much choose any colour.
It’s not as easy to remove yourself as regular nail polish and needs the use of specialist products. Therefore, many people pay nail salons a small fee for removal instead.
Note: Gel nails are sometimes incorrectly referred to under the umbrella term of ‘Shellac’. Shellac is a well known type of branded gel nail polish but there are many other high-quality gel polish brands too.
BIAB nails
BIAB nails have become increasingly popular in the last couple of years, and more and more nail salons are now offering them. BIAB stands for ‘Builder in a Bottle’ and is a stronger, thicker nail coating than regular gel, which means it’s got greater staying power, giving you three to four weeks of wear.
BIAB is painted onto natural nails in layers two to three millimetres thick, creating a protective shell over them, and encouraging natural nail growth and strength. It can be a great option for nail biters who want to break the habit or people who just want to work on growing their natural nails without glueing on extensions.
BIAB tends to be slightly more expensive than some of the other nail treatments on offer and there are typically fewer colour choices – because more of a coating than a polish. Nudes and pale pinks are the typical options. However, you can overlay regular gel nail varnish on BIAB if you’d like a colour that isn’t offered.
Like gel nail polish, BIAB will need to be soaked off, which can be a bit of a faff and is generally best done for a fee at your nail salon.
Dip (SNS) nails
Dip powder nails – also known as SNS nails – aren’t as common as acrylic and gel nails. But some people prefer them because they don’t need as much precision as nail polish or the use of UV lamps to cure them. That said, they still need to be soaked off using specialist products.
To achieve this manicure, nails are painted with a base coat, dipped in a coloured powder of your choice, and sealed with a top coat. It’s still possible to have a range of different designs with dip nails (your nail tech will have various tips and tricks for this).
Dip powder can be applied directly to your natural nails or on top of nail extensions; and will last up to three weeks with proper care. However, they can often have quite a thick, chunky finish, and need to be filed a lot to get the final result, which won’t be for everyone.
Acrylic nails
Acrylic nails are the most traditional, well-known way to enhance your nails; and arguably one of the most hardwearing, giving up to four weeks of wear. They’re created by mixing a liquid monomer and powder polymer together to form a paste, which is then laid over your nails. Most people use them in conjunction with nail extensions.
Acrylic dries very quickly (as soon as it comes into contact with air), so your nail tech will work quickly to apply it to your nails. Once dry, your nails will be filed to shape and painted with high-quality acrylic nail paints, which are set with a UV lamp. Chipping is very unlikely with acrylic nails, which is what makes them such a popular option.
That said, acrylics aren’t great for nail health, as there are lots of chemicals involved and they need to be removed via a two-step process of soaking in acetone and filing. Many find that their nails become weak and brittle after wearing acrylics.
Polygel nails
Polygel nails are relatively new, and have the strength of acrylic nails coupled with the flexibility of gel nails – to supposedly give you the perfect manicured nails that can last up to four weeks. They can be used as an overlay on natural nails or on top of nail extensions.
Nail techs like polygel because it doesn’t start to dry on you as you’re working, giving them longer to get the manicure right. It stays wet until it’s cured under a UV lamp.
As you might expect, polygels are a pricier manicure option but they are thought to be more precise and durable.
Choosing a shape and length
Whether you’re having long, natural nails painted or having extensions added to your nails, your nail tech will ask you which nail shape you’d like. You’ll have a broader range of nail shapes to choose from when using nail extensions, as they can easily be cut to the desired length.
If you’re having nail extensions, your nail tech will ask you how long you’d like your nails to be. They’ll typically glue the extentions onto your nails and clip off a little at a time until you’re happy with the length. When working with your natural nails, they’ll also ask you whether you want to keep the length or go shorter.
As you can see from the image below, there are a wide range of different nail shapes on offer. However, the most popular ones tend to be nature, almond, oval, round, and square.
Choosing a design
When it comes to choosing a nail design, the world really is your oyster, and this is definitely the fun part! If you’re not sure what sort of design you want to start with, it can be helpful to go with something relatively simple – for example, a single colour or a French manicure – especially as you could be wearing the design for up to four weeks.
If, after that, you decide you want to get a bit braver with your design choices, then Pinterest is a great place to look for inspiration. Nail salons also have books of nail colours that you can select from; and many offer design inspiration on their social media business pages, so it’s worth looking them up.
Simply show your nail technician a photo of the design you’d like, and they’ll do the rest!
Going back for a second manicure – what are infills?
With more durable nail designs like BIAB and acrylics, you can return to the salon and ask for ‘infills’ after a few weeks of wear. This simply means that instead of removing your artificial nails, they’ll ‘fill in’ the gap between the natural part of your nail and your fake nail with more acrylic or BIAB.
This doesn’t mean you have to keep the same nail design either because your original design can be filed off, ready for you to have them freshly repainted.
Infills are usually a little bit cheaper than having a full manicure from scratch. However, it’s recommended that you have no more than two or three rounds of infills before getting your manicure removed entirely and starting again. This is largely for health and hygiene reasons – so that your nail tech can clean and inspect your natural nails underneath, and make sure there’s no infections/significant damage.
With continuous infills, you might also find that your artificial nails start to chip or come off altogether. This is usually because the original BIAB/acrylic and extensions from your first manicure are coming to the end of their life. At this point, it’s best to ask for them to be removed and to start again with a fresh set.
Final thoughts…
Whether you’re a nail salon veteran or a curious newcomer, the world of professional nail care offers something for everyone. From the instant confidence boost of a fresh manicure to the relaxing experience of being pampered, getting your nails done is about more than just aesthetics. It’s a form of self-care that allows you to express your personality and treat yourself to a moment of luxury.
As we dive into the various options available, remember that there’s no need to feel overwhelmed. The nail technicians are there to guide you, answer questions, and help you achieve the look you desire. Every nail journey starts with a single appointment, and with this guide, hopefully, you’ll be well-equipped to make informed choices that suit your style and lifestyle.
For more inspiration, check out our article; 9 tips for choosing the best nail colour.
Are you thinking about getting your nails done for the first time in a while? Or perhaps you just want to try something different. We’d love to hear from you in the comments below.