Gel Lacquer Manicure & Nail Extension Experience at Juice Salon Lucknow

Our hands do a lot for us; they allow us to touch, feel, grasp, hold, manipulate, and ultimately they help us to express ourselves. Even as we talk, our hands assist us in conveying our message more clearly from the way we move them as we speak. Whether on a conscious or subconscious level, hands are one of the first things we notice when we meet someone. With this in mind, it is easy to understand why our nails too have always formed such an important part of the grooming ritual. Today, as I write this, I recall the day when one of my friends in college told me how high profile in fashion and in popular culture a new generation of young women are opting for nail services to express their individuality, their fashion savvy side and creativity. Its been quite a few months to that discussion but I always felt that I too should try it once since it appears so charming!

On my recent visit to JUICE SALON LUCKNOW, the nail expert guided me on how beneficial a manicure for me is, as well as directed me towards the option of a trendy nail art with extensions to add some swag to my appearance! Below is a detailed procedure for both the services and I'm sure you'll love watching my nail transformation story..

MANICURE

A manicure is simply a cleaning and beautifying treatment for your nails which helps your nails look fresh and pretty. At Juice Salon, the manicure services are performed by highly trained individuals, and unlike amateur manicure, there's nothing to worry about misshapen or over polished nails. I booked an appointment for myself the previous day and my manicurist on the service day was Dheeraj who with his expert skills gave me the best manicure of all time! Take a look at the steps below.

Step 1. After sanitizing my hands, Dheeraj filed my nails in shape.

Step 2. Application of LYN Wheat Massage Cream for softening of the cuticles.

Step 3. Dipping the hand in LYN Lavender Foot Soak for proper cleansing.

Step 4. Using the Back Pusher to push back excess cuticle growth.

Step 5. Using the brush to clean hands.

Step 6. Scrubber usage for exfoliation. 

Step 7. A sharp Nail Cleaner is used to remove the dirt stuck in & around the cuticles. 

Step 8. Dead skin is removed from the nails using a Cuticle Nipper.

Step 9. Nail buffering to smoothen the cuticles.

Step 10. Application of LYN Kiana cuticle oil for moisturising.

Simple manicures are so much fun if you enjoy it learning the benefits. Like, how my manicurist kept explaining me that the procedure helps prevent wrinkles on the nails, massaging with cream increases the blood circulation in hands, increases the flexibility and suppleness of wrist and hands. Any damages in nails like fragile tips, wear and tear, and splits can be prevented, and you will get tidy, shaped and strong nails with glow.

However, since it's the responsibility of the professional manicurist to provide you with quality service that meets your satisfaction, you can be sure of walking out of the salon with beautifully shaped, moisturized and polished nails!

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NAIL EXTENSIONS AND ART

Nail extensions are a lightweight plastic plate that follow the shape of your nail which it is glued to at its tip by professional nail technicians to add length and enhance the visual appearance of your nails. Acrylic or Gel lacquer is then applied on top of the extension and is usually ‘cured’ in order to secure the extension and add strength and shine! While discussing with my nail artist Alia, I finally opted a Gel Lacquer since it's considered to be usually applied in very fine layers, with the nail technician ‘curing’ or ‘sealing’ the gel with a UV light between each layer so that the finished result is hard but still flexible with a natural looking glossy finish which is both instantly dry and chip resistant. 

PS : Whilst gel can be applied on top of an artificial extension to add length, they are particularly good for individuals who have very short, weak or bitten nails because they allow the nail to strengthen and grow below the layer of gel.

Tools used during the procedure of nail extension and art

Step 1. Removal of shine from natural nail using a Buffer & Flyer.

Step 2. Application of PH Balance Solution.

Step 3. Application of Nail Glue to fix the nail extension.

Step 4. Cutting of the extension into desired length and shape.

Step 5. Application of Acrylic Powder Solution.

Step 6. Application of Nail Varnish.

Please note : The entire extension and nail art procedure takes upto 2 hours so you can always steal a nap in between, while the artist will take care of your nails!

 A LYN Quick Dryer is used to dry any liquid solution applied to your nails.

Step 7. Application of Gel Lacquer.
I opted for Beige and White Color to be applied on alternate nails.

Step 8. Application of Crystals for nail art.

I had various designs to choose from but I opted for the crystals to keep it sophisticated and classy.

And, this is how my final nail extensions with pretty art on it looks! Cool, eh?

While getting the extensions and nail art done appeared super fun, getting to know that the removal of these would be a tough job made me a bit conscious, but that's okay because its mandatory to get your gel nails removed only by a nail technician (preferably who applied your gels in the first place), and under no circumstances should you attempt to remove it at home! Since all products used at the salon are of high quality (of LYN brand), the gel nails are said to last for about 2 weeks (Be sure to remain tension free chipping off or hampering your nail art while working) and if you need refills, you can re-visit the salon for the same. Please Note : If you have had gel nails applied, bear in mind that some systems are not suitable for infills and will have to be removed completely and reapplied!

The entire procedure costs : Rs. 4800

Manicure : 300/-, Acrylic Nail Extension : 2600/-, Gel Lacquer : 1400/-, Nail Art : 500/-

To conclude, my nail service experience at Juice Salon Lucknow was an absolute satisfaction and delight! The entire place is swanky, clean and clutter free with vibrant surroundings (mostly due to colored makeup and other salon stuff displayed on the shelves) & diligently chosen music that instantly peps you up! The staff members take care of you and make sure you're always comfortable. JUICE is one place I'd highly recommend if you're looking for similar nail services!

If you liked this post, do share it across and don't forget to drop in your feedback! 

 Photographed by : Saumya Kumar

~xoxo~

OnlyXGarfield

Remember the grumpy orange cat telling us that 'Good Morning is a contradiction in terms?' Oh yes, the epitome of laziness, obsessive eating, coffee, and disdain of Mondays and diets, GARFIELD is back after spawning several animated games, TV shows and movies to make its mark in the fashion world. One of the leading fashion brands, ONLY has recently launched its designer collection featuring one of the world's favorite animated character who not only tickled our ribs while we read his comic strips, but also made us fall in love with cats and kittens in so many years!

shirt : ONLY | shorts : Forever21 | shoes : StreetStyleStore | bag : StalkBuyLove

hair clip : Faballey | bracelets : Myntra

ONLY is one of my on-the-go clothing pick brands and I love to pull off their pieces because they're so voguish and comfy. The latest collection in the stores mark the crazy antics of Garfield in so many different styles that got me super excited and I chose to pick the striped longline shirt in powder blue color and cotton fabric, to carry in trend! I teamed it up with a pair of denims shorts and white ankle boots and accessorized minimally with bracelets and a bright orange feather clip to keep in sink to the color of the character print. A bag was just an optional addition and you can ditch it if you're only lazing around in the lounge this summer!

Having said that, is there anything more satisfying than bossing an outfit your mates can only dream of pulling off? Obviously not! But, because almost everyone already towing the long line was failing hard, it made me think for a while if this shirt is what I'm gonna try my hands on for atleast once and I love how effortlessly chic it appeared! Wearing your clothes oversized, longline-loving, proportion-playing, silhouette-shifting pieces offer a way and its only you who can to cut through and make your style known. So girls, barge into the ONLY stores today or find the shirt online on KOOVS, go for it and let me know how else did you pair up this Garfield piece (or more from the collection). I'll be waiting for your tags on instagram!

Photographed by : Zeeshan Khan

~xoxo~

Laces, Knots, Fringes & Straws

Hey dearies, hope everything's happening great! So, I've been in a constant touch with my fellow city bloggers and saw them updating a lot many bohemian inspired looks recently. Whereas, I myself had been thinking of sharing a look on the similar lines since a very long time but I feel I'm more of a free-spirited country girl and like to keep things opulent and sophisticated!

Hence, today I've partnered with a multiple fashion brands (find details below) to put across an eccentric look that includes four of my favorite trends that are booming this season - lace, knots, fringes and straws.

The country-boho as we could name it, history suggests that the urbanity of the look comes from the french period, where girls dressed as art and walked across roads flaunting loose fabrics and lots of colors! Apparently, its true because you would rarely see an Indian girl running around places with fringes and straw hats on head and so we could say its a borrowed craze from the west. Having said that, I am a firm believer of exotic alternatives in fashion and feel that every person carries an individual and unique style which represents a counterculture. 

Scroll down below to check out all the pictures from my kind of boho look and read what makes it a head turner!

dress : Forever21 | hat : Accessorize | bag : Old Buy | footwear : StreetStyleStore

twisty bracelet : Aminabad (Lucknow) | bracelet set : Auhna Creations | earrings : Aarna Designs | rings : H&M

Recently, in of the episodes on the Ellen DeGenerous show, the famous Bollywood actress and former Miss World - Priyanka Chopra carried a beautiful white lace dress from Zimmerman and became the talk of the town for the same! I was astound to find a very similar looking dress at the Forever21 store in Delhi and picked it without giving it a second thought. It was a clinched piece from the waist and an A-Line in the fall with a short length, just perfect for my height. I knew I was going to do something impromptu with it and that's what exactly happened when one morning I got up only to find myself pulling out my new pair of roman gladiators with brown laces from StreetStyleStore that are super comfy to walk in & look hot AF to match with the dress!

I quickly called up my team and told them we're shooting for a country side look in 2 hours and my accessories would be bluntly colored in red, orange, green, blue or just any random color one could think of, so we need a location that looks culturally aesthetic. As you could see in the pictures already, we finally stumbled upon a lake view with a broken bridge and some flowery scenes nearby!

To add, the multi-colored, knotted pom-pom earrings have been making its mark in the fashion market since quite some time, so I got myself some mirrored ones from Aarna Designs & paired it with a multi-colored twisty bracelet on one wrist and another stack of beaded ones on the other wrist complimenting the white dress, and of course we even wanted absolute finesse in the style so I carried a black-brown fringe bag to add vivacity along with my oxidised finger rings from H&M. I opted to finish off the look with a straw hat inspired by the actual country girl mode that I'd been discovering in western movies past so many years. Also, kudos to my MUA who gave me the best face of all time, a fresh & glamorous look with bold eyes, sensitive contouring and deep pink lips, and left my hair open to let me set to pose!

PS : If you were looking for a similar style, or were sceptical about trying out an unconventional look, I hope this post lead you somewhere. Do share it with your friends and help me spread some panache! Until next time, lots of love to you all.

Photographed by : Creativity Studio  |  Makeup by : Divya Vishnani

~xoxo~

Holi Party Look (ft. Sareez.com)

Hey everyone! So you're back from the morning holi celebrations? And I hope your faces don't look painted for life! Well, I don't play colors, but definitely enjoy seeing others play from my terrace, while relishing the holi special meals at home. The gujiyas and the traditional lunch are my favorite.

PS : For my Indian readers, you don't need an introduction to the festival of colors but for my overseas visitors, Holi is one of the most fun festivals of India, celebrated globally where its a feast for everyone with gulaal, water balloons, lots of music, traditional Indian food and love! Apparently, holi is also celebrated for the mythological reasons symbolising the victory of good over evil, and the reaping of the first crop while welcoming spring. So yeah, the festival is all about peace and happiness!

Having said that, there are a lot of evening holi parties that I love attending, because they don't allow dry/wet colors and just play with flowers. And, I take dressing up for it very seriously. Fashion after all is distinctive and constant and one should never refrain from looking their best. Festivals are a great time to dress up extravagant and today, I'm here to share with you an ethnic wear look (in association with a brand called SAREEZ), which is both interesting and inspirational and you can don it tonight to celebrate the festival in style!

suit : Sareez.com | ballerinas : Jolaa.in | necklace, earrings : Vamira | handcuff, ring : Silvette.com

As India is a rich platform of numerous cultures, religions and languages; it also showcases diversity in the ethnic wear, and it has always been the most preferred choice of Indian women including myself as it is the reflection of our rich culture, capable enough to enhance the feminine appeal of the wearer, and for a festival like holi, there can be no room for boredom!

So, while scrolling through one of my frequently visited websites for Indian wear clothing - Sareez.com, I stumbled upon a beautiful set of Anarkali Kurti and Churidar with Dupatta! The fluorescent yellow color on the base with multiple other colors patterned stylishly on the chest in the front and back of the kurti makes it look even pretty! Anarkalis are an age old style and look graceful on all women, and accentuate the height of a petite person like myself! I absolutely love how the fabric layers are stitched and finished with the net on the top. The border of the kurti is a zari embroidery and appeared magnificent as well! the set also contains a solid yellow churidar with a net duppatta embroidered with the same pattern as on the kurti to match. To be honest, I don't really wear too may bright clothes but this suit looks quirky and an unapologetic mashup of colours! 

Accessorising Indian wear for a minimalist like me becomes a task, but when you have a jewelry collection so fanciable, as from Vamira and Silvette, you cannot help but choose only the best to add on! I picked up an aesthetic gold choker with pink & green triangular colored stones studded on it, with a matching pair of sea green earrings, a handcuff for my left wrist and a bold stone ring to match the whole attire! For my footwear, I chose a pair of comfortable, multi colored ballerinas from Jolaa that looked perfectly stunning with the suit, matching the print on the kurti and dupatta! Lastly, I opted for an elegant party makeup with pink eye shadow, winged eyeliner, dense contouring and blush on the cheeks, with dark coral pink lips. And, I loved the dazzling hairstyle that my stylist gave me with a stretched braid, covering my head like a floral band!

So yes, that was the whole Holi party look for you pretty women. Go bright and loud this time. Choose color blocks and pick some head turning Anarkalis to rock the festival. Until next time, lots of love and best wishes. May you and your family have a mind blasting and an eco-friendly holi!

Photographed by : Saumya Kumar  |  Makeup by : Divya Vishnani

~xoxo~