Take me to a nail bar!

woolly · February 2012

Nail bar nail bar.<br><br>I have reached quite an age without ever getting my nails done. Next week I have to be filmed doing sewing stuff with close ups on my hands. Hands that rarely see a nail file, are usually still a bit inky from the last bit of printing I did, and often have broken snaggy nails. My own ability to paint my nails is shoddy and only up to the scrutiny of long sighted people without their glasses.<br><br>I have to get the nails sorted out next week to save embarrassment all round. But where do I go, what do I ask for, what does it cost? I have not got a clue! <br><br>Help me out here please...<br>

dorothy · February 2012

Ask for a manicure and polish, or you could go for natural look and just have a transparent coat, or a French manicure. Even if your nails are short and broken, they can normally make them look good, especially with red varnish. I bite my nails and they look fine afterwards.<div><br></div><div>I've tried a couple of places on SGR. The one by Crouch Hill Station is ok. I'm not really into the whole pampering thing, and I'd rather go somewhere that's quick, the place by Snowhite cleaners were good for that. They used nail varnish that dried really quickly and lasted for ages. I think they're all quite similar. You can bring your own nail varnish as well if you're set on a certain colour. They'll ask if you want round or straight look. I alway say something in between. Make sure you have your money out, or pay before and house keys etc before hand, otherwise your nails all get smudged while you fiddle about. I once unlocked my bike, and put the lock in my bag after a manicure and just had to take all the smudged and puckered varnish off when I got home.</div><div><br></div><div>If you want them to last for ages you can have false tips stuck on and a gel infill which makes the varnish look really glossy. It take a while for them to put it on. Over an hour I think and is more expensive. You can see it growing out after a few days, but it will look ok for around 10 days normally, and then you go to have the growth infilled with more gel and then re-varnished. It feels a bit odd at first.</div><div><br></div><div>Can't remember how much I've been charged. I've not been for a while, between £10 and £20 I think for a manicure and polish on SGR. You can pay up to £90 in somewhere like Harvey Nicks, which seems a pointless waste of money. </div><div><br></div>

vetski · February 2012

<P>From your description, you won't need to ask - all you'll need to do is show your nails to any halfway decent place, and they'll gasp with horror then pull out every conceivable stop! I've always liked Nails Inc. Do go to a proper nail bar, though, rather than a hairdresser that does nails on the side; and you might want to try fitting in a first visit this week with another before filming, just in case they need to file calluses etc, and so you can try out a few different varnish colours. You'll probably want something relatively discreet, so viewers watch your hands working rather than being distracted by e.g. giraffe patterned nails!</P>

woolly · February 2012

Oh you really are brilliant! Thank you.<br><br>Giraffe pattern is tempting, but definitely out. Nail varnish will already be slightly incongruous with my outfit as I'm supposed to be wearing something with a Victorian influence. I don't want to look like the scullery maid though <br><br>Great tip on the keys & money. I bet I wouldn't have thought of that until too late.<br>

vetski · February 2012

Victorian costume? You will, I trust, be sharing a link or programme time, so we can all watch? You'll want your nails rounded because - 1) they're already pretty short & 2) sewing with straight across nails feels weird - the nails can catch their corners on fabric/thread. Rounded nails would also be more in keeping with Vic style. They did wear nail varnish!

woolly · February 2012

Excellent, thanks. It's a Jubilee related how-to video on making bunting Victorian style, for the Historic Royal Palaces. I'm hoping I'll want to share it once it's up there. Today they were talking about using an autocue linked to an ipad. Magic and sorcery I say.<br>

vetski · February 2012

Will be interested to see how Vic bunting differs from my version (fabric + triangle template + pinking shears) - required viewing for the WI, I'd say!

woolly · February 2012

Very little difference really. It's meant to be a mixture of anecdotes about how the Victorians used bunting to celebrate the Jubilee & what they would have done, plus a version that you can do at home now. They mainly used brightly coloured plain muslin & thin cotton and hemmed it, in rectangles as well as triangles, but also bought quite elaborately printed 'jubilee art muslin' to sew into bunting, bannerettes and flags. They went crazy for bunting and put miles of it everywhere. The how to involves fabric + template + chalk + scissors and hand sewing, with an option to print on it with a diamond shape or crown. They pretty much only had wooden block printing and copperplate or roller printing back then, we're using fabric inked up rubber stamps! It's not meant to be highly authentic though, just a nod back.<br><br><br>

emine · February 2012

I've been to Jenny's beauty spa on Tollington Park and I'd recommend her - she's also got a good range of colours. I've been to Hard Az Nailz a couple of times over the years too (though not for a while) and they've been fine, but I just can't get on with those 'z's. <div><br></div><div>My current local favourite is Pura at the bottom of Crouch Hill (Crouch End end). The girl there is really nice and I like the nail polish brand they use. I'm currently sporting a hot pink. And it's £18, which is cheaper than most. </div><div><br></div><div>Allow up to an hour, make sure your purse is to hand as Dorothy says, and don't plan on doing any washing up/car maintenance/gardening ever again.</div>

woolly · February 2012

Thanks! <br>Yes the zs say I'm probably a decade or two over the hill for Hard Az Nailz.<br><br>Thankfully it only has to last a day. I can manage that can't I...? Oh dear. I will prepare an assistant to attach cuffs to my wrists (like you put on a poorly pet) and attempt to do everything with my elbows. I will probably have to sleep in my clothes. Better go to the nail place with the steampunk outfit on then.<br><br>

andy · February 2012

@emine - prejudized

vetski · February 2012

<P>@andy - reazonably zo! </P> <P>@woolly, when I need to protect my freshly-done nails, I wear little velvet gloves - even in the bath - I can lend them to you if you want!</P>

ChangN4N6 · February 2012

Beyond Glam looks "glam". My previous gf liked it. Any reports ? Chang

Detritus · February 2012

<p>The Stroud Green nail bars were mentioned on radio 5 live yesterday.</p>

vetski · February 2012

@Detritus, seriously? For good reasons, or reasons to steer clear?

Detritus · March 2012

Yes there was a discussion about nail bars and getting nails done on 5 live and someone called Sarah contacted the show saying that when a shop closes on Stroud Green Road its turned into a Nail Bar and another type of shop I think it was betting shop. Miss Annie will remember.

feli · March 2012

<P>Only you know how bad your nails are, you should have your nails done one week before, at least shape and polish and put some oil around your cuticule and push it back gently every 2 days and then have a manicure done again the day before there are two good places I know of Hard az nailz and Jenny's Beauty Spa, which ever is the closest to you, you can also have clear gel for a natural look, wear rubber glove when doing housework let us know when we can see your nails on TV, good luck Woolly!</P>

woolly · March 2012

In the end I just got a manicure and no polish, in a mad rush the day before. I hadn't done my homework so needed to stay up late sewing and polish would've been a liability. The only place I could go to in that much of a hurry was United Nails, where a man who I think was the owner made my digits respectable in double quick time. I do really fancy getting the polish now though too, and will definitely get an appointment soon for that, when I have time to enjoy it a bit more. I have some nice vintage gloves that will do the trick for protecting them... <br>

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