Every now and again I like to treat myself to a spa day. This whole day affair consists of a hair cut and color, a body treatment at a nearby spa, maybe a lash extension service, and a mani-pedi with a relaxing foot scrub to wind down my day of pampering. It's rough (and expensive!) being a girl.
But when all I need is a quick pick-me-up, I go to my new santo sanctorum along EDSA right next to Dasmariñas Village: St. Nails Nail Spa.
When I first visited St. Nails, I thought it was a bit weird that it was situated at the Petron station along EDSA, but now that I think about it, it's perfectly situated near the posh Dasma and pretty near Makati and BGC. If you've ever tried the best pasta place in Makati, Va Bene, then you've definitely seen this pretty nail place.
I visited the place with Jericho's sister, Justice, for some much needed cuticle care. I am practically hopeless when it comes to painting my own nails, so I turn to the experts every chance I get.
Exuding a modern, sophisticated vibe, the rich purple palette of the nail spa gives the promise of a luxurious treatment with a deluxe service experience that isn't too intimidating. I love the black and white Spanish terracotta tiles and the soft, plush purple chairs and ottomans.
All I needed was a martini and I'd be all set. Although they didn't have said martini, they did welcome me with a warm herbal pillow for my neck and shoulders, which was just as relaxing.
St. Nails carries imported nail polishes from Orly, Sally Hansen, OPI, Misa, and Butter London with trendy and muted color options. Justice went for a glittery bronze color while I opted to go a bit girly with a pink mani and red pedi. They also have pretty nail art options if you want to get really creative with your digits!
After a quick consult with Carol, one of the founders, on which treatment package to get (we were both too distracted that the menu being a tablet you can swipe though methinks), we both wanted to try their Spoil Me Now (P1,100) which comes with a mani-pedi combo with paraffin treatment for the hands and feet that supposedly locks in moisture for softer, smoother skin. I've never had a paraffin treatment before, so I was curious to see what that would be like.
Our treatment started with general cleaning and filing, and all of the products that were used on our hands and feet were from Orly. You can really see and feel the difference of the well-thought out and packaged Orly products are compared to the cheap alcohol-based stuff you get at your neighborhood salon.
For the paraffin treatment, our nail technicians brought out what looked like vats of melted wax. We were to then dip our hand or foot in it a few times until we get a nice thick coat, and then the said body part is wrapped in cling wrap and towels for about 15 minutes. This is to get your hands feeling smoother and softer.
I didn't think the vat of wax would be so hot! If you know the feeling of hot wax dripping on you, imagine voluntarily dipping your whole foot into a tub of the stuff. It wasn't that pretty - my foot looks like it belongs on the set of the horror film House of Wax. It did end up feeling baby soft after it was unwrapped and waxed off. Sigh, what we women go through to look and feel pretty.
I enjoyed sipping on my complimentary cup of Jasmine tea while I waited for the paraffin treatment on my feet to do its thing. St. Nails also hosts tea parties every now and then, so give them a call if you're thinking of having a hen party, baby shower, or birthday party at the nail spa!
This was also my first time to go gel. A bit pricier than your regular polish, this nail lacquer hardly ever chips and can last you as long as a month, which is perfect for people like me who only visit the nail salon once a month anyway.
They apply a primer for the gel nail lacquer, and then another coat near the tips of your nails that makes them virtually chip-proof before applying a few coats of the shade of your choice. After each coat of primer and polish, my nails go under an LED light instead of the damaging UV light to quickly dry out the polish. This equipment is safe for both the nails and skin, and you don't feel a thing.
By the end of the two hour treatment, Justice and I left with pretty, chip-free nails! Over the course of three weeks, I noticed that aside from my nails growing out, there was hardly any chipping at all. And this is after all the typing, scrubbing, and scrounging I've been doing for work, cleaning up my apartment, and giving the dog a bath.
Nothing is more rewarding than contributing to a good cause and having great nails at the same time - which is another great reason to keep coming back to St. Nails as part of the sales goes to Gawad Kalinga, a partner community. Yes, the trained technicians that make you feel comfortable and who file and paint away are also GK residents. St. Nails helps to provide them with sustainable employment.
So when mucking around Makati and in need of a change of polish, give St. Nails a try. I will definitely be coming back to get my gel polish removed and have a new coat of gel polish for the month of October. at P600 for a gel mani-pedi, this ends up being cheaper than going to your neighborhood salon and getting it changed every week.
Just mucking around Manila,
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Images taken by Jericho San Miguel of The Pixel Project Manila
St. Nails
+63 2 586 0985
G/F NFB Building, EDSA cor. Arnaiz Ave.,
Bargy. Dasmarinas, Makati City
Open Daily: 10am - 11pm
