GROOMING Pedicures help you get a toehold on summer
Nail down a perfect pedicure so you can wear sassy summer sandals.
WASHINGTON POST
Forget the boys of summer; it's the ladies who will be making waves this season. Here comes the sun, and women up and down the East Coast are kicking their sneakers to the back of the closet in favor of sassy summer sandals. But as any girl can tell you, to shine in a pair of slingbacks, you've got to nail down the perfect pedicure.
With all the attention that a shiny, strappy, patterned, bejeweled or candy-colored pair of thongs, slides, flip-flops or reefs can get their wearer, it's no wonder that women will put so much time and money into making sure their tootsies look their absolute best. And so we bring you the opinions of three Connecticut nail salons: What colors are hot; to French or not to French; big toe decals or a natural look.
According to Cindy Seo of Cleopatra Nails, which has locations in Norwalk and Fairfield, Conn., pedicures are the order of the day during the summer. "In general, our customers get French manicures and pedicures year-round, but this time of year lots of people go for bright pinks on their toes."
Stick to basics
Nancy Cort of Norwalk has been frequenting Cleopatra Nails in Norwalk for about a year and a half. "I like to stick with the basics, keep it light as far as colors go, and mostly, I just like to keep my nails nice," Cort says, regarding her seasonal nail habits.
Cleopatra has been open in Norwalk for four years, and recently celebrated the one-year anniversary of its Fairfield store. The Norwalk store offers manicures, pedicures and waxing, while the Fairfield store offers those services plus a variety of spa treatments.
Kim Jung at Classic Nails in Stamford agrees that pedicures are a must for summer and that French pedicures, whether in classic white on pink, white on clear or white on light blue, are especially popular. "We get a lot of requests for French linen and soft pink colors, like Cotton Candy by OPI and Ballet Slippers by Essie."
Jung also finds that flowers and other designs on the big toenail are constantly in demand, and at $5 for both toes, an inexpensive way to jazz up the standard seasonal pedicure.
"I like to use lots of sparkles and bright colors for my nails in the summer months," says Vicky Kral of Stamford, a customer at Classic since its opening eight years ago. "I think that dark colors are better suited for the winter, and I like to get red with for the holidays, sometimes with a design like a snowman."
Service oriented
Classic Nails underwent an expansion in February that has allowed them to offer a host of new services. Along with many types of manicures, pedicures and waxing, spa treatments like facials and massages are also available. Classic offers a paraffin wax massage manicure and a hot cream massage manicure that are very popular in the harsh winter.
Jung also says that pinks are popular summer nail color choices. However, OPI's classic color, simply called "OPI Red," is a consistent best seller year-round.
Tiffany Nails in Greenwich, Conn., finds that their "permanent French manicure" remains very popular during the summer. The manicure employs silk powder in place of standard nail polish to achieve the white tips that make a manicure "French." This technique also lasts a lot longer than a standard manicure, and with the extra wear and tear of beach, barbecue and boat, it can be a good investment.
Spa treatment
In its seven years in business, Tiffany has also seen the "spa pedicure" gain in popularity. The pedicure incorporates more oils, lotions and massage than standard, and feet are left entirely smooth and callus-free.
Still, for many, a trip to the nail salon is less about caring for their soles than their soul. As Classic Nails customer Kral says, "I come here to relax. The people are just so nice, and the neck and shoulder massage while you are drying is just wonderful."