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

At the (virtual) nail bar

I don't seem to get the time or money to have my nails done often, which is a shame as I usually enjoy it when I do go. However, manicurists tend to be quite expensive in my area, and even the "cheapest" (at around £30 a go!) tend to be quite rough, making it a far less enjoyable experience. I normally resort to paying over the odds for a nicer experience or waiting until I visit my parents, where their local salon is far cheaper and take so much more care over you too. 

BUT there is help at hand in the interim. You may remember that Marks and Spencer has reworked its beauty counter recently, offering visitors access to niche brands from all over the world. Part of this revamp is a virtual makeover service on the brand's website, which allows you to test the newest makeup colours and products on a digital version of your face, as well as select the right foundation for you, and find your perfect look. Another service it offers is the virtual manicure, meaning it's easier to get through those long gaps between nail bar visits.

And it couldn't be easier to use: choose the photograph of a hand that most closely matches your skin tone, and then select colours that appeal from the colour wheel on the left, which magically appears 'painted' onto the nails in the photograph. I won't lie: at times the colour does look superimposed and not fully realistic, but it does give you an impression of how certain colours suit you. A 'history' is stored below the wheel so you can go back to a colour easily if needed, and the product is shown on the right with its full details and price so that you can add it to your basket right away if you like. Observe:

Give it a go today :)