The Times of Talons
Stay tuned to what’s happening in the world of nails.
Live Your Now (LYN) has taken the nail art game to a whole new level with its new launches in this segment. First off is the Pink Story! This new collection offers 12 gorgeous pink shades in a palette spanning hot pinks like Femme Fatal to reddish pink hues like Pink Collar and Very Berry. Other shades are Maviliscious, Cherry Blossoms, Pop Champagne and Tickled to Pink. The products are cruelty free and vegan friendly. The LYN team has worked closely with an expert formulator based in France to create a revolutionary High Definition nail lacquer that promises to give pure colour perfection.
Next up is Acrygel. This new range presents a breakthrough formula in nail enhancement. As the name suggests, the range combines the best of acrylic and gel. It ensures faster application as no monomer or mixing is required. It can be applied as an overlay or used to sculpt a full set of nails. The range includes Acrygel Clear / Acrygel Pink priced at `3,900 for 60g tubes and Acry Solution for `1,500 for 250 ml.
And the last offering of LYN for the season is the star-studded Stardust collection, which has jewel inspired enamels. The nail lacquers are completely vegan and come with the revolutionary High Definition formula. The shades in the range include Rubellite Rush, Sapphire Skies, Love Turquoise, Blushing Gems, Ring of Garnet, Coral Drama, Pearl Me Over, Olive Crystals and Citrine Charm.
Rimmel has introduced new Super Gel nail polish, an exclusive two-step system for superior colour and shine that lasts for up to 14 days. Easy to apply, it dries like a regular nail polish, without UV lamps. Step One is application of two coats of Super Gel colour using the precision brush for a streak-free, one-stroke application. The built-in base coat means there’s no need to prep nails to achieve a salon-perfect finish. Step Two is activating the self-curing process with the Super Gel top coat. Natural light does the rest. The range offers 20 shades, 10 of which are curated by Hollywood beauty Kate Moss. Out of the 20 shades, 13 are available in duo packs. Some of the shades are named Bare Yourself by Kate, Hottie Choccie, Urban Purple, Darling Dahlia by Kate, Seduce and Punk Rock.
Nykaa’s Black To Gold Nail Enamel collection reinvents black and gold for the festive season with six hand-picked shades. The range features rich pigments and gold glitter shades. The nail paint stays longer and protects your nails from chipping. It is also equipped with a UV filter. The nail lacquers come in a 9 ml bottle priced at `249 each. The shades include Shimmy Shimmy, Night Fever, Disco Gold, Dancing Queen, Rock n Roll Night and Stayin Alive.
FACES Canada has launched their new Instant Nail Enamel Remover #DipTwistRepeat. The InstaRemove collection gives an immaculate finish and intense shine to your nails, with a single stroke. Just pop the bottle open, dip and twist your finger for clean and smooth finish perfection. This ritual is vital for every woman to easily remove nail paint from her fingers. Available at all FACES Canada counters across the country.
Ola Candy Matte Gel Polishes claim to be free from Formaldehyde, DBP, Camphor, and Toluene, which makes them absolutely safe for your nails. The chip-resistant nail paint comes with a flat brush for a fantastic application and long-lasting smooth finish. Available on Esskaybeauty.in for `299.
When opulence meets perfection
Striking a fine balance between modern minimalism and chic luxury, ‘The White Door’ creates a welcoming ambience that would put you at ease the moment you step in. Spread across 16,00 sq. ft., the spa interiors are dressed in soothing hues of white and pastels. In terms of the decor, Sana Dhanani, Founder of The White Door, shared, “Spas can often get engrossed in cold walls of practicality. The White Door was a vision to humanise the luxury experience and make it a warm and welcoming avenue away from the hustle and bustle of city. We wanted the spa to be radiant with natural light, so we consciously skipped dark colours and anything that opposed warmth. We consciously avoided lit candles, actively avoiding any cliché associated with spas. The colour theme was based around white and grey, accented with shades that are common to women and men alike. Minimalistic interiors, an anti-plastic approach, avoidance of anything loud and gaudy and to coat the edges in rose gold to give that final touch of elegance.”
On my recent visit to the luxury nail and beauty spa, located on the plush Waterfield Road in Bandra, Mumbai, what clearly stood out was the professionalism and attention-to-detail in their services. Being an avid fan of nail extensions, I reviewed their acrylic nail extensions. I was particularly concerned due to my short nail bed. The process started with removal of the existing permanent nail paint, followed by the application of an acrylic base. The finishing touches were done with a permanent nail colour in oxblood shade. The technician applied two coats of OPI’s maroon shade — to achieve the desired look.
The procedure took about two hours and concluded with a hand wash in a copper utensil, which you mostly see in spas during manicures, unlike the usual application of sanitizer in nail salons. Hygiene is most definitely a focal point at The White Door and is being followed religiously.
The studio’s nail menu proudly hosts brands like OPI, Cuccio and Lechat, with an array of stellar shades to choose from. The technicians are experienced and their passion shows in the perfection achieved, while possessing enough knowledge to suggest the right treatments for better results. The shape and finesse of my nails lasted for about 10 days — though this definitely would vary from person to person.