Tips on choosing the best nail salons in Nairobi

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Nail salons in Kenya are increasingly sprouting such that any street you take a turn on, any corner you walk by, you’re sure to spot a nail parlour , nail bar or nail spot. This can be a bit confusing and borderline overwhelming. The big question is ‘Where do you go when you want the best nail care services in Nairobi?’. Whether you are looking to get a  manicure, pedicure or advanced nail services, you may decide to search for “nail salon near me” to locate the best nail salon in Kenya. This is a good idea but you need to learn how to identify good nail salons in Nairobi first. This detailed guide is definitely to help you know what to look out for when making the decision.

How to identify a good Nail Parlour in Nairobi?

1. Cleanliness                                                                                                                                           Any professional-level nail salon in Nairobi will have cleanliness as one of its top priorities. Why should cleanliness be one of the major reasons behind your choice? Just think about all the equipment /tools that come into contact with the many clients each day. If all this equipment is not thoroughly cleaned and properly sanitized you run the risk of contracting an infection.                                                                                                                           Make sure you look out for these things;

• What do the workstations look like? Are they clean? Are the towels used on you clean?
• Are the stations cleaned and disinfected after every client?
• Do the technicians wear gloves or sanitize their hands before handling clients?
• Are the equipment/tools properly sanitized? Technicians should never borrow tools from each other.
• Clean and neat employees

2. Exceptional customer service

Being treated poorly at a nail salon in Nairobi or elsewhere is a terrible experience for anyone and it leaves one feeling like they didn’t get what they paid for, yet customer service should be part of the treatment you pay for during your visit.

What to look out for;

• The employees’ attitude;
• How do the front desk people handle clients?
• How do the technicians deal with client questions?
• How do employees interact with each other? Generally, what’s the team’s attitude towards clients?

3. Quality Professional products

A good nail salon should use quality professional nail products and the technicians should be able to explain the product used and why comfortably. Good quality nail products come at a cost though, so suspiciously low service prices should tell you something. No nail salon should use harmful MMA products for acrylics. See dangers of using low-quality or fake beauty products.

4. Services offered

A quality nail salon offers its clients a range of nail treatments showing that they know their trade. All services offered should be top quality.

Nail services offered at a good nail salon;

• Basic manicure
• Basic pedicure
• Nailart
• Gel manicure
• French manicure
• Nail extensions (Acrylic Nail Extensions, Gel Nail extensions, Acrygel Extensions)
• Nail Overlays (Acrylic overlays, Gel nail overlays, Acrygel overlays)
• Specialized Manicures
• Specialized pedicures
• Spa Manicures
• Spa Pedicures
• Gents manicure
• Gents pedicure

5. Service comfort /Salon features

   Has the nail salon in Nairobi made a deliberate move to make clients’ stay comfortable? Space should have comfortable sitting spaces, loud and noisy employees is a big NO. The general look of the nail salon can actually tell you how much or little the owners of the business really care. This actually reflects in the service they give to clients.

6. Recommendations

Referrals from friends and coworkers also help one point out good nail salons in Nairobi. Check out nail salon reviews online, it’s another good way of judging a business.

7. Covid-19 preventive measures in place

With Covid-19 and considering how nail salons are client-facing and high contact places, it is advisable to choose a brand with serious Covid-19 preventative measures in place.

Look for nail salons in Nairobi that;

•   Check temperature before admitting you
•  Have hand sanitizer/handwashing stations
• Have employees who wear face masks at all times
• Have plexiglass workstation separators or have people wear face shields for extra protection
• Sanitize their space regularly as they work and have each station sanitized after each client
• Maintain social distance
• Have cashless payment options
• Have all clients wearing face masks

To be sure you can compare measures taken with Ministry of health protocols

How do you book an appointment with a Nail salon in Nairobi?

After identifying the nail salon you would like to visit, it’s important to know how they operate. Whether they take walk-ins or just work with appointments.

For most nail salons appointments are made via social media pages, text messages, WhatsApp messages or phone calls. It’s imperative to be sure how to book an appointment before visiting to avoid disappointment or inconvenience.

How do you prepare before going to a Nail salon?

• Don’t cut your nails

Some services such as nail overlays and gel polish applications require one to have a free edge on the nails. This enables proper sealing because when you cut your nails you might cut them too short which might give your technician a hard time when capping the edge.

• Carry a pair of open sandals                                                                                                             There is certainly nothing as bad as forgetting to carry a pair of open sandals when going to get a pedicure with regular polish in a nail salon, so don’t be the forgetful one.

• Wear something that makes your legs easily accessible

If getting a pedicure done, for you to enjoy, make sure you have a comfortable pair of trousers or skirt that can be pulled above the knees easily.

• Don’t shave your legs before a pedicure

Shaving the legs may cause tiny nicks on your skin that might increase your risk of infection during a pedicure.

Nail salon jargon you need to know

Make sure you understand the basic terminologies so that you don’t get confused when you visit a nail salon in Nairobi.

• Acrylic Nails 

Acrylics is a nail product that uses powder and liquid (monomer), the two are mixed using a brush into a thick consistency that dries up when exposed to air. The acrylic product can be used on nail overlays or nail extensions.

• Gel Nails 

Gel nail product is a thick liquid that is cured under UV light after being applied with a gel nail brush. The product can be used for nail overlays or nail extensions.

 Nail extensions vs Nail Overlays

The main difference between nail overlays and nail extensions is that nail overlays only cover the natural nails but extensions extend over the free edge to give the nail length.

• Gel polish vs nail Overlays

Gel nail polish provides a color coating to the nails that last for at least 2 weeks, while nail overlays are applied directly to the nail plate to act as a protective layer and smooth out any dents on the natural nails.

• Nail Infills

This is a maintenance service done on nail overlays or extensions after 2-3 weeks depending on how fast your nails grow. The regrowth area is filled out flash to the nail and the product (could be acrylic, gel nail, or acryl gel ) is reapplied and buffed down leaving the nails to look as good as new.

How to take care of your nails after a nail salon visit

To get good value for your money and have the nails serve you longer after getting the service done, it’s good to be able to take good care of them.

Here are ways;

• Practice good nail hygiene

Keep your nails clean and dry as constant contact with water coupled with dirty nails tends to breed bacteria that can cause troublesome nail infections.

• Protect your nail whenever possible

Excess contact with water can lead to split natural nails or cause lifting in nail extensions. Wear gloves when washing dishes or when constantly in water.

• Ensure you get regular infills

Make sure you get your nail extensions or nail overlays refilled at least 2-3 weeks to avoid breaking and lifting.

• Keep your hands and Cuticles well moisturized

Moisturizing your cuticles and nails can go a long way in ensuring your nails stay healthy. Ensuring that your cuticles are well moisturized also helps avoid common nail problems such as dry skin and hangnails which can snowball into bigger problems if ignored.

• Use mild soaps and sanitizers

 The chemicals found in some of the soaps and sanitizers tend to be harsh and may strip your nails and the skin around your nails of their natural oils, leaving them open, dry, and jagged (cuticles especially). By using mild soaps and sanitizers coupled with moisturizing of the hands and cuticles will definitely give your nails a boost with regards to health.

• Do not bite your nails

Biting at your nails and cuticles leaves them exposed and prone to infections. Opt for a professionally done service or get yourself nail clippers to better trim and cut your nails.

• Do not use your nails as tools

Using your nails as tools can range from using them to slide your feet into your shoes or opening tight lids or scratching off a sticker using your nails.

Are manicures and pedicures also for Men?

Men should normalize getting their manicures and pedicures. You shave, trim your beard, and even shower. So why walk with overgrown nails, ragged cuticles, and dry hands while there are exceptional nail salons in Nairobi?

Manicures and pedicures are not for women only, men greatly benefit from them too because:

• Clean trimmed and well-shaped nails look good on any man, it shows they are well-groomed.
• It definitely feels good
• A softer touch hurt nobody. Since first impression matters, confidently give a firm handshake with perfectly manicured hands.
• Healthy hands and feet. The removal of dead skin excess cuticles, hangnails, or even ingrown toe ensures you have healthy hands and feet.

Now that you know the standards to look for in nail salons in Nairobi, we highly recommend you to visit us at Luxe Nails Parlour for the best nail care services in Nairobi. We encourage our customers to book appointments on Instagram DM, via Whatsapp or Call 0711187367.