- In the past year, I've gotten a variety of different types of manicures.
- I wasn't blown away by my structured gel manicure, despite the fact it lasted four weeks.
- I was surprised by how well my press-on nails fared during an international trip.
Over the past year, I've tried a variety of different manicure techniques at salons around the world.
From Japanese gel in Chicago to a French manicure in Paris, each technique offered something different for my nails, like affordability, improved nail health, or speedy application.
Here's how I'd rank all the manicures I've tried.
Le Mini Macaron's at-home gel manicure came in last place.
Le Mini Macaron's $38 at-home gel kit was incredibly user-friendly.
The kit included nail-prep tools, a 3-in-1 polish, and a macaron-shaped LED lamp, making the process very straightforward.
Although the kit was affordable and made gel manicures more accessible, it only lasted a few days after I applied the polish.
When I attempted to touch up the manicure, the uneven polish layers made my nails look lumpy.
I liked my structured gel manicure, but I wasn't amazed.
I went to my usual nail tech, Teresa "Tere" Rodriguez, for a structured gel manicure.
This technique uses an extra layer of soft or hard gel before the polish is applied, creating a stronger foundation for your nails.
I opted for gold chrome and gems scattered across every nail, which cost $110 and took about two hours to complete.
I thought the manicure was a good option for prioritizing my nail health. It lasted the expected four weeks (sans a few gems), I didn't have to worry too much about breakage, and my nails weren't as flimsy as I thought they'd be when I had the set removed.
Japanese gel felt like an elevated version of a structured gel manicure.
I went to Tokyo Nails in West Loop, Chicago, for a Japanese gel overlay on short natural nails with a simple design.
The salon owners, sisters Nomin and Nomundari Uuganbayar, source their 100% gel polish directly from Japan.
After four weeks of no chipping, my $160 Japanese gel manicure fulfilled its promise of longevity, and my nails weren't as damaged as I expected after removal.
Overall, I preferred this option over a structured gel manicure due to the 100% gel polish.
I was surprised by how much I liked my Brazilian manicure.
I went to Maria Bonita Salon & Spa in New York City for a Brazilian manicure, which includes applying generous coats of regular polish all over the nail bed and surrounding skin before removing the excess.
During the service, my nail tech offered advice for keeping my nails healthy in the coming months. The careful cuticle work juxtaposed the messy regular-polish application, which had beautiful results after she cleaned my skin with a wooden cuticle stick and a small puff of cotton soaked in polish remover.
My manicure didn't last very long (it started chipping within the week), but it reminded me of my appreciation for regular polish and my interest in prioritizing cuticle care and overall nail health. Plus, it only cost $35 (not including tip).
It was also great knowing I could do the technique on myself for a full-coverage manicure.
I adored my professional press-on nails.
Tokyo Nails offers pre-made, professional press-on nails for a flat rate of $50, regardless of design. The sets come in extra-small, small, and medium sizes, but large sizes can be custom-made.
I paid $90 for a silver set, which included the press-ons, previous manicure removal, tax, and tip.
Although my appointment went over the allotted 35-minute time because of my manicure removal, the application process was fast.
My nails lasted about a week with minimal setbacks. One thumbnail came off six days after application, but I was able to fix it with gel glue provided by my nail tech in an at-home repair kit.
However, my other thumbnail fell off a few days later and didn't respond to the glue. Still, I thoroughly loved this manicure for its stunning design options, surprising longevity, and easy application process.
My French manicure grew out beautifully.
Even though the salon (Nail Club Paris) used a technique similar to what I've experienced in the US, getting a French manicure in Paris was a memorable experience.
My $160 tortoiseshell French manicure, which was done using Aprés gel extensions, was finished so quickly that I genuinely didn't expect it to last as long as it did (over four weeks).
I ranked this manicure so highly because of its unexpected longevity and the nail tech's impressive craftsmanship. I also appreciated how on-trend these French tips were and how beautiful they looked weeks later.
The Russian manicure reigned supreme.
My $300 Russian manicure with hard-gel extensions from Say-It Nails in New York City claimed the top spot.
Russian manicures are done dry and emphasize the importance of cuticle care, removing the excess skin to create more surface area for polish application. Nail techs also prioritize correcting each nails' apex (it's thickest part) to keep them strong.
I still think about the meticulous cuticle care and the satisfying 'pops' of my hard-gel extensions coming out of their plastic molds.
I had this set on for a month, but fully believe it could've lasted weeks longer without chips or lifting (which is one of my biggest pet peeves).
Although my nails needed a little breather after removing this set, the nail care during this manicure — and longevity afterward — had me itching to make another appointment.
