Different Types Of Manicures

A manicure leaves your hand feeling pampered and irresistibly soft to touch. Manicures are performed in professional salons and spas but they can also be done at home with very few simple ingredients.

Manicure not just involves cleaning, exfoliating and moisturizing the hands; it also involves prepping your fingernails and adorning it with trendy nail colours and designs.

There are myriad types of manicures available in salons but choosing the right one for your hands is important. Here we have listed down a few popular manicure treatments around the world that you can choose from –

Regular or Basic manicure

The basic manicure involves soaking your hands in warm soapy water, scrubbing it for exfoliation and moisturizing it to reveal soft velvety skin.

The nails on the other hand are buffed, polished and filed. The manicure is completed with a fresh coat of paint on the nails.

This is the most inexpensive of the lot and takes the least amount of time to finish; it is ideal for people who want to maintain healthy hands and nails without anything over-the-top or fancy.

French manicure

This classic manicure is characterized by a clear or translucent colour on the body of the nail and a white colour on the tip of the nail.

The rest of the procedure is similar to a basic manicure where the hands are cleaned, exfoliated and moisturized and the nails are buffed and shaped. If you want to give a stylish and sophisticated look to your nails, then this manicure is perfect for you.

Spa manicure

Spa manicure is a more elaborate method of taking care of your hands and nails which starts out like the basic manicure but is usually accompanied by an additional treatment.

This extra step can be anything from a glycolic exfoliation to a paraffin wax treatment. In glycolic treatment, a cream or gel with glycolic acid in it is applied on the hands to remove dead skin cells.

Similarly, the hand can also be dipped in warm paraffin wax solution, then covered in gloves and finally washed off to reveal smooth and radiant complexion.

Gel manicure

When you get a gel manicure done, a special gel polish is applied on the nails which can last up to two weeks.

The procedure starts with regular filing, shaping and buffing of your nails. Then gel polish is applied on the nails and a process called curing follows where the nails are dried using UV light.

Gel polish is very similar to regular polish, but it lasts more and has less chances of chipping. Gel polish can be easily removed at home using acetone, cotton balls and aluminum foil. However, it is always better to get them removed professionally at a beauty salon.

Hot stone manicure

This relaxing manicure uses hot stone therapy to relax and rejuvenate tired hands. Hot stones are placed strategically on the hands at specific points to stimulate the muscles and give you an indulgent, invigorating experience.

American manicure

An American manicure gives a natural look to your nails. Here, the nails are rounded off to match the shape of your fingers and clear polish is applied over the base coat.

Now that you know all there is to the different kinds of manicure available at salons, you can choose one depending on your mood, budget or liking.