If you’ve seen the Russian manicure all over your social media page, you’re not the only one—it seems like the beauty trend is everywhere these days. But we’re wondering what about the Russian manicure makes it so special, and what allows the process to make your manicure last a lot longer than a traditional manicure or gel treatment. We spoke to the experts at The Gilded Ritual to learn about their Russian Manicure nail treatment and how it stands out above the rest.
It was designed to optimize nail wellbeing for all types of nails—even those with issues related to brittleness, hangnails, or thin nail plates. The salon’s process also focuses on high OSHA standards that support clean workstations for nail technicians and instruments that undergo double sterilization. This careful treatment can take up to 1 and a half to 2 hours. But the final result can last up to 4 weeks, reducing the number of trips to the manicurist, and saving time and money overall. Read more on the holistic beauty treatment below!
The Gilded Ritual Russian Manicure
Step 1: Prep the nail bed
The first step requires the cleaning of the nail bed by a master technician. This is done in a dry manicure process—which means the guest’s nails are not soaked in water, and no potentially
damaging or drying chemicals like acetone are used. Instead, the nail is prepped with an electric file. The technician carefully removes any polish via the precise use of several specialized electric nail bits. This step takes place even for those with nails that are not treated with polish so that the following steps are built on a perfectly smooth nail bed.
Step 2: Shape the nail
The Russian Manicure does not use any type of acrylic tips but instead creates a beautiful natural nail shape that perfectly fits the guest’s hands. The master technician is trained in all styles and can guide the guest in choosing the ideal shape that compliments one’s hands.
Step 3: Processing the nail cuticle
The next step is the careful processing of the cuticle with an electric file using specialized nail bits designed for this purpose. This is done so that the skin around the nails looks neat and well-groomed, supporting a long-lasting professional manicure experience.
Step 4: Creating the nail architecture
The next stage is the gel alignment, which ensures that the treatment and coating last longer, and the nails themselves look attractive. A very strong base coat that is used primarily only with Russian Manicure treatments is applied at this stage. This unique base coat is used not just to help with the longevity of the manicure but also to create a perfect arch of the nail bed, preparing for the last step.
Step 5: The perfect nail polish
The final step is the application of the guest’s preferred nail polish (either air-dry or gel polish)with specialized artist brushes to provide coverage as close to the cuticle as possible, without streaks. Gilded Ritual uses only 7-free nail polishes and gels—which means they are free of the 7 most toxic ingredients commonly found in nail polish. The nails are then sealed with a topcoat.
The 101 on the Russian Manicure
1) What is a Russian manicure?
A Russian manicure is the style of manicure that is the standard in many countries in Europe. This manicure process includes detailed cuticle work, done with an e-file, and polish alignment to give the appearance of perfectly arched nail beds. The precision of this technique, allows manicures to not only last longer and supports your nail health.
2) What is the difference between a Russian manicure and a regular manicure?
With a regular manicure, typically, the technician will only buff and cut the direct cuticle. With the Russian Manicure, we use an e-file to remove what is unnecessary from the cuticle and also clean underneath the cuticle. We also buff the dry skin on the edges of your fingers to give you a fresh look. Russian Manicures also offer polish alignment. Not everyone’s nail beds have a perfect arch. Some are flat, some have holes or bumps. With polish alignment, we are able to give the illusion of a perfect nail arch. With a regular manicure, the technician will just paint, which can leave your nails looking unsmooth and unflattering to your hands and fingers.
3) How is it better?
With the detailed cuticle work and polish alignment, your manicure can last an extra 1 – 3 weeks! You will start to see your nails get stronger and you won’t be worrying about your cuticles as often.
Meet the Expert:
Emma Eskander has worked with some of the beauty industry greats—including celebrity hairstylist Frederic Fekkai and the world-renowned pampering destination for bath, body, and skincare Bliss Spa. She recently opened the flagship salon for Chaz Dean, known for the popular Wen by Chaz Dean brand. She has opened four new salons in NYC in the last 10 years and has managed teams of more than 140 skilled beauty technicians, during some of the most popular and toughest years for this industry.
