14 April 2012

BEIRUT: Stuck in the office and dreaming of the beach? Pop out for a quick manicure at lunch to bring the summer to your desk.

Highlight your tan this season with either bright, flashy colors, especially oranges and pinks – think midday sun and dayglo cocktails – or pastel blues, purples and green – reminiscent of ice-cream against a cloudless Mediterranean sky.

Paparazzi (Bliss)

Enjoy a manicure with a view at this spacious nail salon on Bliss Street, where you can sit back and relax while overlooking the beautiful American University of Beirut campus. Paparazzi offers a whole host of spa treatments, from spray tanning to haircuts, and their range of nail colors is extensive. Rita Nakhle, head of nail treatments at the spa, recommends pastel colors for the summer season, especially pale, grassy greens. Pick from their range of Essie or Jessica colors or go for a gellish treatment – perfect for a summer getaway, this unique nail polish lasts for around 10 days, chip free, but has to be removed at the salon.

Full manicure: LL17,000; express manicure: LL12,000; Gellish full manicure: LL45,000; Gellish express: LL30,000. Located above Krispy Kreme, Noujoud Bldg, 1st floor, Bliss Street, 01-369-919. Opening hours: Mon-Sat 9 a.m.-9 p.m., Sun 1 p.m.-9 p.m.

Nail Bar (Ashrafieh)

If you’re looking for a laid back and friendly experience, the Nail Bar (next to Spinneys) is the perfect place. Established by two friends, Australian-Lebanese Katy and Brit Jennie, who wanted to provide the professional manicure standard which they thought was lacking in Beirut, the salon has a huge range of nail colors, and offers waxing and other beauty treatments.

Full manicure: LL21,000; Recovery manicure (for problem nails): LL27,000; Polish N Go: LL9,000. Located on Mar Mitr Street, 01-205-040. Opening hours: Mon-Wed 9 a.m.-7 p.m.; Thur-Fri 9 a.m.-8 p.m.; Sat 9 a.m.-7 p.m.

G Spa (Ashrafieh)

For the summer season, the nail experts at G Spa are recommending lights and brights. With a vast range of OPI and Essie colors, this luxurious spa in the center of the city offers the ideal getaway escape from urban chaos.

Full manicure: LL21,000; Acrylic set: LL35,000. Located on Avenue Elias Sarki, 01-210-220. Opening hours: Mon-Sat 8 a.m.-9 p.m.

Color Moods (Qoreitem)

At this dazzling salon in Qoreitem, pick from over 600 different colors or create your own unique shade at the Nail-Tini cocktail bar. The nail artists here recommend flashy neons for summer 2012, in particular bright orange.

Full manicure: LL12,000; French manicure: LL14,000; Full set gel manicure: LL60,000. Located in the Attieh Bldg, Labban Street, Near LAU Lower Gat, 01-790-020/1. Opening hours: Mon-Sat 9 a.m.-9 p.m.

Emak (Ashrafieh)

This classy spa in Tabaris, which opened in 2009, offers the full range of beauty treatments, and has around 800 different nail shades with several different brands. Owner Zena Aouad also recommends bright, flashy colors for summer, in particular orange and green or pastels, especially pale lemon yellow or lilac. “Nails have become another accessory for women. You can wear a simple white T-shirt and a pair of jeans, but if you have bright, fabulous finger nails and toenails, it completes the outfit,” she says.

Full manicure: LL17,000; Located on the 2nd Floor, BLC Bank Bldg, Tabaris, Ashrafieh, Beirut, Lebanon, 01-333-135.

Cherry Beauty Lounge (Qoraitem)

This cheap and cheerful salon in Qoraitem is a firm favorite among Lebanese American University students. Experts here also recommend neon brights for summer 2012, particularly orange and pink, or alternatively go for a pale sea spray blue.

Full manicure: LL15,000. Located on Al Hussein Street, 01-866-606. Opening hours: Mon-Sat 9 a.m.-8 p.m.; Sun 10 a.m.-8 p.m.

Copyright The Daily Star 2012.