💅 My New DIY Gel Mani Go-To

It's a new-to-me brand that delivers

Let’s talk nails.

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I’m a longtime nail DIY-er, but after the pandemic and having to do my own nails for a year+, I returned to the nail salon with gusto in 2021/2022/2023.

Manicures in New York City are one of the town’s hidden inexpensive gems — along with bodega flowers and cabs (though the latter is no longer inexpensive). There was a time not even ten years ago that an amazing little nail salon near me offered $10 pedicures and $5 manicures. It was unheard of. I mentioned it on my former blog here.

The story went that the family who owned the salon also owned the brownstone with the salon on the ground level — so they were able to charge an absurdly low price for manicures. Everyone who went understood that that meant you had to tip super generously. The whole enterprise went on for years until they finally closed it (RIP New Nails II), and opened a massage spa in its place.

I’m still devastated about it.

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Cut to my life in the suburbs in Rye, where I’m lucky there is an abundance of nail salons in this little city — at least eight come to mind, and one on my street — but I’m now paying at least 20% more for my manis and pedis. I’m still getting the pedis because I do gel and it’s an indulgence every month or two, but I’ve started to cut back and do my own gel manis.

I discovered a new gel nail polish/nail care brand via my friend/nail guru Julia Talisman on Instagram with stunning ASMR how-to videos and while I want to gatekeep it, I’m spilling the deets below.

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