Learn more about Shellac here.

26 Brantwood Park Rd.
Brantford, ON N3P 1G2
Tel: (519) 751-2852

Includes

- Hot oil massaged into nails and cuticles

Benefits
- Hydrates

Average Time/Cost
- 30 minutes – $40

Includes

- Foot soaked
- Nails shaped, buffed, and polished
- Calluses smoothed
- Cuticles dealt with
- Usually includes clear or coloured polish
- Mini foot/leg massage
- Extra charge for French

Benefits

- Healthy, perfect looking nails and feet
- Improved circulation

Average Time/Cost

- 1 hour – $35-$55
- Should be done monthly

Includes

- Nails cleaned, buffed, and new polish

Benefits

- Keeps “perfect” look between manicures

Average Time/Cost

- 15 minutes
- Fingers – $10-$18
- Toes – $25-$30

Acrylic is the most common and popular of all artificial nails.

Process

- Powdered and liquid acrylics are mixed and applied with a brush over the whole natural nail bed. A “tip” can be created to add length.
- Hardens for shaping in minutes. (completely hardens in 24-48 hours).
- Nail polish
- Fill every 2 weeks

Benefits

- Strongest
- Long Lasting
- Durable

Drawbacks

- Thicker than natural nail – look artificial
- Nail loosening or lifting from hard use or overgrow can result in mildew or fungal infections

Average Time/Cost

- Natural nail – 60 minutes – $55-$60
- With tips – 90 minutes – $65-$70
- Add French – $60-$70
- Fill (every 2 weeks) – 60 minutes – $45
- Fill (every 3 weeks) – 60 minutes – $55
- Removal – 30 minutes – $30
- Repairs are extra

U.V. GEL and BIO GEL

Includes

- Gel Mix applied over nail bed and tips.
- Set/cured under ultraviolet light or by brushing/spraying a gel activator onto nails and then dipping in water.
- Nail Polish
- Fill every 2-3 weeks

Benefits

- Non-toxic product. Organically based
- High Gloss
- Flexible
- Durable

Drawbacks

- Natural nail can be damaged if try and remove it yourself
- Not as strong or long lasting as other artificial nails.

Average Time/Cost

- Natural Nail Only: 60 minutes – $55
- With Tips: 90 minutes – $70
- French: extra
- Fill (2-3 weeks): 60 minutes – $45
- Fill (4+ weeks): 90 minutes – $70
- Repairs are extra

SOLAR

Process

- Only applied to natural nail bed
- White, pink or neutral product creates a natural looking nail
- Buffed for shine, no nail polish added
- Fill every 3 weeks

Benefits

- Application takes less time.
- Won’t lift off
- Don’t chip or break
- Helps strengthen natural nail
- No ‘yellowing’ from tanning sessions

Drawbacks

- Expensive and not offered at all salons
- Have to ensure specific brand being used not a substitute.

Average Time/Cost

- On nail bed: 45 minutes – $100+
- Removal: 30 minutes – $50

SILK, LINEN, FIBRE GLASS

Process

- Glue applied over nail and a layer of silk, linen or fibreglass cut to the desired shape is applied and then more glue is applied with an activator and allowed to harden
- Nail Polish
- Fill every 2 weeks max
- Glue Fill alternates with Glue and Wrap Fill

Benefits

- Silk is most natural looking, very flexible
- Linen is stronger
- Fibreglass is best as it has the natural look of silk and strength of linen.

Drawbacks
- Silk is too delicate for an active lifestyle
- Linen is not transparent and thickness makes it look artificial

Average Time/Cost

- On natural nail: 60 minutes – $55
- With Tips: 90 minutes – $70
- Fill: 60 minutes – $45
- Removal: 60 minutes – $70

SCULPTURED

Process

- A piece of plastic or a metal/foil form is used to create the tip and then acrylic, gel or wrap is used to create the shape
- Eventually just the overlay on natural nail
- Nail Polish
- Fill every 2-3 weeks

Benefits

- Last longer than all other types of artificial nails
- Benefits of acrylic, gel or wrap

Drawbacks

- Drawbacks of acrylic, gel or wrap

Average Time/Cost

- With Acrylic Gel or Wraps: 90 minutes – $70
- Removal: 60 minutes – $60-$70

The key thing to remember for colour is skin tone. If you have very fair skin then in most cases you will want to stay away from super dark browns and blacks because it doesn’t compliment pale skin well and can make you look older and washed out. If your skin tone is darker you should stay away from full coverage blond, try highlighting instead for a softer, more natural look.

Another thing to consider is whether you want to pay for a professional to dye your hair or if you want to do it yourself with a home colouring kit. Colouring kits are perfect if you want a simple full coverage colour or if you don’t want to dish out the coin at a salon (it can be quite pricey). There are a lot of different colouring kits available so you should shop around and try to determine which is the best for you—ask your friends, co-workers or “Google” it! If you are going to colour your hair yourself then it’s best to only lighten or darken a couple shades from your natural colour. Remember that you will be stuck with your new colour for awhile so you should steer clear of any drastic changes. If you are looking for a more dramatic change then it is definitely a good idea to visit the salon and have a professional give your their input and do it for you.

Highlighting your hair is another option. If you already have a naturally nice hair colour then you might want to consider adding highlights instead of doing an all-over colour. Highlighting can enhance what you already have instead of completely changing it. Another benefit of highlighting is that you do not need to touch it up as often as you do with full coverage colour—this can save you money and is less damaging to your hair because you are not dying it as frequently. There are several types of highlighting and although there are home kits for this as well I think it is best to have a professional do it for you.

During the day keep your gloss simple, stick to a clear shine or something with only a hint of colour. At night you can go ahead and apply your lipstick and finish it with a coat of high shine gloss or simply apply a nice coloured gloss on it’s own. And remember to keep your gloss within reach all day/night for a little pick-me-up whenever necessary.

Eyeliner is not an everyday makeup-must for everyone but if you do wear it then apply it minimally during the day try and stay away from super dark colours like black because it can be overpowering. A thin application on your top eyelid from inner corner to outer is perfect for the day, no need to apply any on the lower lash line.

Mascara is a great way to really widen your eyes and give you a perky look, especially on those early mornings when you need it the most. Not everyone uses or needs to use an eyelash curler, but I personally could not live without mine. Curl your lashes before you apply your mascara. Once again, daytime mascara shouldn’t be as striking as nighttime. Apply one or two coats to your top lashes in a brown or soft black and if you choose to apply mascara to your bottom lashes remember to do so sparingly.

For a night out on the town go ahead and darken your eye makeup. Use darker shadows like charcoal and deep purples, apply a darker eyeliner or simply increase the thickness of it slightly and apply an extra coat of mascara to your top and bottom lashes as well. Finish your evening look with a bit of blush and a nice colour and gloss on your lips. Continue to page 2 for tips on eyebrows.

Eyebrows

Achieving the “perfect” brows can be difficult for some people. If you don’t feel confident enough with the do-it-yourself method then I totally recommend popping into a salon to have a professional do it. Once you’ve had an eyebrow make-over you can maintain the look a lot easier at home afterward. Regardless of whether you like thick or thin brows, every type needs a little love and grooming. Nicely shaped and groomed eyebrows can bring out your eyes and really improve your overall look—nice eyebrows are essential!

As for the methods, there are several. Every woman (and most men!) should have a good set of eyebrow tweezers. Tweezing is great for that after-the-salon maintenance that I mentioned above. Threading is another common method and it works wonders. Threading is exactly that: a long piece of thread that is used to pull and tweeze the hair by the root from your brows. It is very precise and happens to be my favourite method. If you’re having trouble finding a salon that does threading then look up the South Asian salons in your area because it is very popular in these communities. Waxing is another very popular method and just about every salon will have someone specializing in eyebrow waxing.

Shop around, ask your friends, do a bit of research and get a feel for the eyebrow experts in your city!