Scholl Nail Beauty Set

 RRP: £40

--What does the promo say?--
"This useful Scholl Nail Beauty Set includes 13 different manicure and pedicure attachments, and an integrated nail dryer."

 --Packaging--
The box is Scholl's usual cheerful blue and yellow, which means you immediately associate it with a trustworthy brand, and implies that the product will be effective. The nail beauty set itself is compact and practical, meaning you could easily take it with you on holiday or to a sleepover, without it a) falling open in your bag and spilling all the attachments everywhere, or b) it taking up too much space. Each attachment has its own individual space in the carry case, and the nail drier is well integrated into the tray as well. The lid is an attractive blue-green colour and is made of see-through plastic, evoking images of sea, spas, and swimming pools, which all adds to the general notion of well-being. There's room enough, too, between the lid and appliance to ensure that there is enough space for the mains wire (no matter how haphazardly you shove it in there) and the instruction leaflet (which comes in English and Arabic).

--Usage--
The aforementioned instruction leaflet is clear and concise, and comes with a handy diagram that labels each attachment with a letter for logical identification. It would be even better if each attachment had the corresponding letter marked on it, or if the kit came with stickers for you to mark them yourself - some attachments are quite small and look similar to others. Still, you could always do this yourself with a permanent marker. The two-speed manicure pen is easy to use and not at all painful (even if the whirring sound is a little reminiscent of a trip to the dentist), and can be used either wirelessly or while plugged into the mains (the same is true of the unit itself when you wish to activate the nail dryer). The attachments are also easy to clip into place and then to remove, which along with the painlessness of treatment makes the set ideal for beginners who may lack confidence with professional-seeming instruments.

--Results--
The various files shape nails and cuticles effortlessly, leaving a smooth rather than ragged finish. The buffing discs are also effective once you've finished evening out the nails that have a rougher texture. However, the cones for removing rough skin are perhaps the stars of the show, transforming your lizard feet in moments. The integrated nail dryer is also convenient and does the job well.

--Value for money--
The efficacy and simplicity of this kit makes the £40 price tag a pleasant surprise. Scholl could easily charge double for it and it would still be worth it. However, the £40 RRP keeps it accessible for all, and it's perfect for keeping your feet in top condition in between (or perhaps even in place of) professional pedicure sessions. I was sent mine for free by Scholl's lovely PR, but would definitely pay out for it and recommend it to others (FWIW, Amazon and Argos are the main suppliers).

perfect partners
Velvet Smooth Essential Moisture Cream, £5.99
Velvet Smooth Foot Soak, £6.99
Colour Pop Foot Spa, £30 
Fungal Nail Treatment, £19.40

Nail Bar Review: Hollywood Nails, Maidenhead

I love getting my nails done (is there any girl that doesn't?) but this hardly ever happens for a few reasons. Number one: the expense. This is a common problem in many establishments, and one of the reasons I practically never get my nails done at the beauty salon where I'm actually a member, where even at the members' rate, a manicure and pedicure would set me back nearly €50 a time. Secondly, there's the pain. I've also tried another chain that's close to where I live, and the girls that work there are so rough with you that it makes me wince just thinking of it. Definitely not what you want when you're paying for something that's supposed to relax you and make you feel beautiful! Finally, on a more frivolous note, there's the fact that my nail colour never seems to last. I know this is down to me and my bad habit of basically being orally fixated and constantly having my fingers in my mouth - but if it isn't going to last, I may as well not bother paying for it.

However, at Hollywood Nails, which is a salon round the corner from my parents' home in Maidenhead, Berkshire, those first two problems are definitely eliminated. There you can have a manicure and pedicure for £35, which at today's exchange rate comes to €40 - a good saving compared to the €50 I would normally have to pay for the same. Obviously the amount you save depends on the exchange rate, but I find it good value primarily for the second reason I mentioned above. The treatments are always so gentle, yet effective: not a single suck-your-teeth-in moment to be had. You also get to sit in their massage chair and read trashy magazines while they turn your lizard feet into perfect paws, so it's a relaxing experience in more ways than one.

There are also other reasons I choose this salon. Staff are friendly and discreet as well as being professional, and they also offer a range of other services that I'm yet to try, such as their maxi facial (also £35). The array of nail colours available for manicure and pedicure is mind-boggling (well over 200) and the addition of colour is included in the price of the treatment (which it isn't at my usual salon), which makes a huge difference psychologically. The salon itself is also within walking distance of my parents' home, which is practical, and they offer discount coupons via their website, as well as a loyalty scheme. Such friendly and good-value service is rare in France, so I'm always happy to visit whenever I'm in the UK. Now, if I could just keep my fingers out of my mouth...!

http://www.myhollywoodnails.com/
9 Queen Street, Maidenhead SL6 1NB

Beauty Byte: Gel Nails

With apologies for the craptacular photography (...I never was good at that...), let us proceed with no further delay to the subject of GEL NAILS.

The newest innovation in the beauty sector, this manicure method has attracted praise (for the sheer indestructability of its results) as well as criticism (given that UVA/UVB rays are used to dry the nails, an increase in the incidence of cancer in the fingers has been seen in the United States among regular customers). But what do I think of it?

Firstly, the price is right. I got mine done for about €30, which for a long-lasting, new-to-the-market treatment is not bad - you can get standard manicures being charged at this and more. The process was also relatively quick (about 30 minutes) and painless (in spite of the fact that they do file away the top layer of the nail a little bit, and in spite of the use of the light mentioned above, which is the same type of ray used in tanning salons).

It was also a simple process, using two types of gel, and it gave what I think is a pretty damn good-looking professional manicure result. There's nothing messy about it and thanks to the light the gel dried instantaneously, allowing me to rummage in my bag for my purse afterwards without incident. This was also done ten days ago, with a promise that it would last a minimum of 14 days. Apart from one tiny chip in the gel on the right thumbnail and another chip on the middle fingernail of the left hand, this has proved true so far, and this minimal damage may not even be visible in the (unphotoshopped and unaltered) photo above.

This is not to say that I do not note any disadvantages. You have to go back to the salon to get this stuff removed, as your standard nail varnish remover will not make a dent in it. I've also heard (although as yet not experienced) that following removal your nails can be weaker than usual, although this can be treated with creams and oils. Finally, this type of manicure renders your nails totally useless as functional objects (the chips mentioned above came, I think, from the fact that I did not initially realise this): it is more difficult to do any of those things that we women often do, such as pick at dry skin or open a can of Diet Coke.

While having the gel nails is marvellously faff-free (to not have to worry about the colour coming off is blissful), I'm not sure I would opt for it full-time due to the potential damage to nails and fingers long term as well as the loss of any practical function my nails may have hitherto had. Plus, €360 a year, plus removal fees, is quite a lot to spend on your nails. Nevertheless, I will be going back just before my wedding at the end of April to get them done again: while they may not be a hundred per cent bullet proof, I can be certain of them getting me through my big day.

Essence Cosmetics Hand and Nail Tabs

RRP: under £5 for 4 tabs


--Who?--
Essence Cosmetics is run by a German company called cosnova. The Essence brand ethos is reflected in the playfulness of makeup and seems aimed at teenagers, while cosnova's other brand, Catrice, seems more sophisticated and seems aimed at women aged 20-45. The current countries and branches of distribution are: Germany (Budnikowsky, Combi, dm-drogerie markt, Galeria Kaufhof, Famila, Globus, Ihr Platz, Jibi, Kaufland/markt, Kloppenburg, Muller, Rossmann, SBK, Schlecker, tegut, Wal-Mart), Austria (dm-drogerie markt), Switzerland (Co-op, Co-op City, Manor, Muller), the Netherlands and Belgium (Kruidvat), Italy (Billa), France (Galeries Lafayette), Slovenia (A. S. Watson Slowenien), Bulgaria (Dodis), Ireland (Eurosales), Malta (Genesis), Russia (Grand Cosmetics), Lithuania (Kosmelita), and Poland (Sense and Body). Unfortunately this does not yet include the UK, but the reason I'm including this product in my reviews is that on their website http://www.essence-cosmetics.com/, they say that an online service may become available in future. Plus, you can always buy this product if you're visiting any of the shops in the countries detailed above.


--The promo says...--
"Your hands deserve a tingling care experience! The gentle care bath cleans hands and nails while at the same time nourishing them with the beneficial active ingredients found in aloe vera, almond oil and lecithin."


--Packaging--
One sheet of cardboard, with a sheet of transparent plastic over the top holding each of the tabs in place individually in little pockets. The tabs look quite small - probably no more than 5cm in length, if that. Very pink and all recyclable, yay!


--Application--
Dissolve one tab in water and then bathe your hands for as long as you want. Unfortunately the instructions given are not very specific, and you're more likely to need a washing-up basin full of water rather than the piddly little finger bowl I was planning on using as part of a pre-manicure hand treatment. I put one tab in the water and it started to froth quite quickly. As the marshmallow-pink froth started to rise up the sides of the finger bowl I started to worry, as it showed no signs of stopping. I asked my boyfriend to bring a washing-up basin so that I could pour some of the foam away. It calmed down quite quickly, though, but there was still rather a lot of foam. I ended up using the foam all the way up to my elbows as well as on my hands. Because it didn't totally dissolve, some particles were left in the bowl which served as a rather nice exfoliant. When you're done you just wash it all off.


--Appearance--
Oh so pink and fluffy.


--Texture--
The tabs are quite hard and small so it's a bit of a surprise when they fluff up as they do. The foam is very very soft and light.


--How did your skin feel afterwards?--
Extremely smooth - I noticed the difference straight away.


--Value for money--
Excellent. They're cheap as it is (definitely under £5 if not under £3 for 4 tabs) and given the effects I described when they were just put in a small amount of water, you could probably afford to bash them up and use one tab for 2 or even 3 hand baths.


--Would I buy them again?--
Absolutely, now that I know how to get hold of them (if you're in Paris, go to the main Galeries Lafayette building and go down the the very ground floor, the Version Originale, which is the teen section, and you'll find them there).