OBSESSIONAiL

If you missed the first episode of our Nail Saga because, I do not know, you were kidnapped by aliens who then discovered the Earth was too screwed up to study or steal and so decided to kindly send you home, or something of the sort, well first of all welcome back. Secondly, jump right to here and get yourself up to speed please (?) because you do not want to miss what is coming next.

So about twenty days ago as promised, and following up on that Nail Assignment, I called a new salon that offers at-home services: Beau Belles. And I decided to give their "long-lasting" manicure a shot. I will not go over the reasons why again (come on, I have asked you very nicely to please get yourself up to speed) but let me just reiterate, my mommy lifestyle requires heavy-duty-long-lasting beautification. OK, I have become a little obsessed (hence the title, but it is a healthy addiction, so I will indulge). 

This time again and as always I was not kind to my nails. Not in the least. It is really not my fault you know, I do try. OK, fine. I do not try at all but this is how it is and how it is going to be for, well forever really. 

Solution? Long-lasting nails by Beau Belles of course: Shellac™ Power Polish.

Image: Beau Belles

The very first advantage is the wide range of colors available. It is way cheaper than my first experience which involved me purchasing the color(s), base, top coat, LED light and other necessities.

The other amazing advantage is the huge LED light which proved to be an issue with the at-home starting kit:

Image: R. Abouzeid

It is big enough to fit an entire hand (and foot) all at once and reduces the drying time by half in comparison to the one I used previously. It also has the advantage of timing each drying phase and turn off automatically when time is up which is quite practical considering each coat requires a different drying duration.

As you can see in the photo above, this time I used a natural color. It was way more suitable than the hot red I had in my starting kit because as the nails grew, the unmanicured space was not that visible (unless you were looking from a close distance, obviously). 

But the most important factor to assess when reviewing a long-lasting manicure is, of course, the test of time. Well, I waited twenty days before removing it and the photos clearly speak for themselves:

Image: R.Abouzeid

The photo on the left was taken on Day 15 and the one on the right on Day 20. As you can see, the manicure did not chip although I caught my index in a cabinet door which resulted in the gel breaking and peeling (so I removed it all). You will also notice a little damage at the tip of my thumbnail because well, I insisted on opening un-openable pistachios. Ahem. Yes, I know, gluttony is a sin. Also, I may have done some bleaching and other housekeeping work without gloves. Anyway, two weeks of almost perfection is far more than anyone could ask for.

SOME ADDED PERKS:

Beau Belles has a loyalty program which allows you to collect a point for each 100 Dirhams spent. Five points will get you a free pedicure, ten a free manicure, fifteen a free mani/pedi, and twenty a treatment of your choice to the value of 300 Dirhams. 

Beau Belles will accomodate your schedule even on weekends and evenings which we all know is crucial, even (if not especially) for stay-at-home moms.

BOTTOM LINE:

I am definitely Beau Belling again! Actually, I have already made a couple of bookings for next week and the week after (right before Christmas). And you should do too as soon as possible if you want them to accommodate you for the holidays. Just call Diane on 050.9559923 and take an appointment now. Keep in mind that the minimum charge for a home visit is 100 Dirhams, regardless of what services you request. All the prices are below (sorry for the huge image, it is not fitting in my usual layout but I felt I should keep it in its original size so it is clear enough to read). 

Image: Beau Belles

Mamma Mia

Find this blog on Facebook