Shige Hair Salon: Japanese Gel Polish Review
Contrary to what people think, I’ve never been a girly girl. I don’t own a hairdryer and I usually make do with the soaps provided by hotels when I travel. While I’m very conscious about my appearance, I prefer to be practical.
Waxing, threading, haircuts and dentist visits are a necessity, but I’m quite slack when it comes to manicures and pedicures. I’m quite rough and tend to chip nail polishes within a day or two so it’s not economical for me. I got my nails done the night before my ROM and I still managed to chip and scratch them before the registration. 😯
Bio Sculpture Gel from Japan
My sister recommended gel manicure or ‘gelish’, which lasts up to a month without chipping or scratching. Gelish is a gel treatment that is applied similar to nail polish and cured under a UV lamp.
Glitters and and coloured stones for nail art
Glitter and gradation samples
Full nail colour samples
I got my Japanese gel manicure and pedicure done at Shige Hair Salon in Plaza Damas. It’s a hair salon that also offers manicure and pedicure services. The polish dried almost immediately, so I didn’t have to worry about ruining my new nails. Below are pictures of the entire process, including the removal of the gel.
I chose colour No.5
Buff and file nails
UV Light
Nail art
The gel colour is applied in layers
Topped up with glitter
Tada!
Gelish Removal
Nails are wrapped in silver foil
To remove the gel polish, my nails were wrapped in a silver foil containing acetone. Acetone can cause the nail to become brittle and peel after repeated use, so my nail technician massaged some moisturizer into my nails to combat that.
Once the nails are soaked for 10 minutes, the gel is scraped off
And the residue is lightly buffed away
Biju applying moisturiser on my nails
Some people are concerned about how their nails will get ruined during the removal process, but I didn’t find it much of a problem. My nail tech Biju has been working with gelish for more than 9 years so she’s pretty pro. Of course, don’t remove your gelish every week lah. That will surely damage your nails.
The downside (and also a plus side) I find about gelish is how long it lasts. Mine lasted for 5 weeks. You will need to commit to a colour for at least 2 weeks. Otherwise, don’t bother doing gelish. So choose your colour wisely.
My gelish manicure
It also costs more than a regular manicure and pedicure, but you don’t have to worry about your nails chipping or losing their shine. My manicure and pedicure was RM260 each for the gelish gradation and nail art. It will cost more if you opt for a more extravagant nail art.
Price list
I think gel polish is great for brides, honeymooners and those with weak or easily chipped nails. If you’re getting hitched soon, do consider getting gel polish as you don’t have to worry about your nails chipping and touch-ups on your big day. As it is, you’re plenty to worry about on that day so this is one problem off the list. 😉
Shige Hair Salon
C-0-6 & C-1-6,
Plaza Damas,
60, Jalan Sri Hartamas 1,
Sri Hartamas,
50480 Kuala Lumpur.
Tel: 03-6201 7368
15 Responses
Gelish polish is the only nail polish that I use now. Tried normal manicure several times but I’m like you, always got them chipped in less than a day! So I decided to DIY and bought the Gel polish kit with UV lamp and lot myself! LOL! Costs about AUD90 but came with 8 bottles of polish. Looking at the price charged per visit, I think it’s a worthy investment. 🙂
Waaa…damn terror la you! Yes, it’s a good investment, especially if you have steady hands. 😀
Something new I learn today. I like the natural color you chose for your nails. Easy to match with any clothes.
Thanks! Yup, I choose a natural colour for that reason. 😉
I did my 1st gel nail when I was at Taiwan, love it but have yet do any here at Malaysia. My nails always can’t keep long, I think longer nails look better 🙂
Yes, longer nails look better. But gel polish allows your nails to grow long without chipping. 🙂
Mahal giler! Lol.
But it’s nice, no? 🙂
Yes, it is nice though.
Yet to try but i think this is a good idea per se since i often chip my colours within the first 12 hours. I wonder how well does it withstand alcohol since i have to handle alcohol swaps quite often.
It should be ok as long as you don’t soak your fingers in alcohol/acetone. Hehe
i was walking past an outlet at pavilion and saw it offering an avocado manicure and pedicure. sounds delicious! 😀
Tried it once, liked it a lot but the removal process was quite hardcore and I got worried when the artist scraped the gel off of my nails. It looked as if the surface of nails eroded! Scary sight. Nway hate the fact that my regular nail salon charges rm30 extra for removal alone so I find it a bit on the expensive side. As if the gel polish didn’t cost extra, removal also want to charge extra, konon susah and tedious. So I never bothered since then. Plus there are many current nail polishes that have extra staying power at the moment, with effects similar like gelish.
soo expensive! the nail salon i go to charge just extra 30 on top of normal manicure. usually i will pay about 50 bucks for full set of gel manicure. INCLUDING removal! plus the lady who works there is soo friendly she usually gives free moisturising treatment, because wearing gel nail can be drying.
P/s: also ladies. careful when u remove the gel polish, apparently most nail salon use pure acetone, but this is not the right way, it will ruin your hands/fingers! all dry! they should use proper solution, apparently acetone cheaper so they cut cost. ish
I found that if you soak pieces of cotton wool in pure acetone – the same as used to remove acrylics and hold to the nail wrapped in foil for 20 minutes the gel wipes off no damage 🙂 this was opi back in the UK so assume the same would work here.. this is so expensive though like twice the price of the uk.. guess you pay for quality though looks really good 🙂