Lunch Time Manicure（在线收听）

In New York City, no self-respecting woman would be caught dead without perfectly ¹⁾manicured hands. The reason, hundreds of drop in nail bars all designed to have you ²⁾buffed, ³⁾polished now and out in a time frame that fits perfectly within your lunch hour. Well, the finger phenomenon has come to London and I’m here to check it out.     

How long does a manicure take?     

A quick manicure is twenty-five minutes, which is really for a very quick manicure and not a ⁴⁾luxury treatment. It should be done in twenty-five minutes, and it shouldn’t take any longer and certainly not any less. So, in a standard manicure, you’ll have attention paid to the ⁵⁾cuticle for the shape. This is what we call the “lunch time manicure” this is where we have a lot of office workers around here, so they need to come in at their lunch break to be able to achieve their manicure, or after work.     What are the most fashionable shapes at the moment for nails?     

The ⁶⁾oval is coming back in!   

Really?   

Yes, the square has been around now for about twelve months, two years where it has been ⁷⁾predominantly square, short and square and neat.    

What are the fashions in terms of colors?     

Colors at the moment, we’e got a lovely choice, because all the pastels are in. All the soft blues, soft pink, soft green, the lilacs, those are the most popular shades at the moment everybody loves those.     

What’s the most popular nail color in your salons?     

French manicure!    

Is it? Still the traditional French manicure?     

Still French manicure, I think, obviously, because there is no limitation on ⁸⁾coordinating color with ⁹⁾outfits. And if you’re having a lot of changes, then obviously the French manicure is so easy to ¹⁰⁾go with.     

What are the fashionable nail lengths?     

Nail lengths is determined by life style, definitely by lifestyle. If you have somebody in IT on the keyboard all the time, then obviously there’s going to be too much stress on the natural nail plate, if you know they are using them all the time. You have to take into account, when you consult your client, what their lifestyle is. Are they sporty? Are they IT? Do they do a lot of gardening? Or are they a lady of leisure that can shop all the time and get away with not having to put stress on the natural nail? A manicure should be part of your regular beauty regime. This particular product, the ¹¹⁾massage oil, very, very popular. Even in fact, I think we sell as much to men as we do to women. A perfect manicure for home care, obviously pick your ideal time and give yourself time, you’re going to do it at home. Obviously, you have to push back the cuticle, you would file in the direction to the center of the nail, then you would buff the nail to the shine or to the finish. Apply a very, very good quality base coat or a ¹²⁾protein treatment, depending on what your ¹³⁾manicurist has suggested for you, and then you polish two coats of polish and then one top coat. But remember the drying times. It is very, very important to finish the manicure. I’e said, if possibly complete one hand and then do the other one. I usually actually get a video out if I’m really doing a serious manicure at home, ¹⁴⁾pedicure, then I force myself to sit down and not do anything.   

And between polishes at home, could I use my own hair dryer?   

You certainly could as long as you place it on a cool setting. Right, it has to be cold not hot. A cool setting, not a warm setting, will accelerate the polish drying time. CE