Knowledge is power. To empower you with information and understanding of our services, products, practices and processes we have answered a list of the most commonly asked questions by clients below:
We can’t definitively answer this for you as everyone is different however our guide is a manicure once every 2-4 weeks and a pedicure once a month, thereabouts.
A Performance Polish manicure should last from 1-2 weeks.
A Gel Polish manicure should last 2-3 weeks
A Super Gel Manicure should last 3-4 weeks
We would recommend either a series of IBX Nail Strengthening treatments or a Super Gel Manicure
If you’ve ever wondered why your polish starts peeling or lifting so soon after a manicure, the water is probably to blame. Our nails are very porous, they expand and absorb up to 25% of their weight in water in a single soak. So to ensure a long lasting manicure we skip the step altogether and simply focus on quality nail prep and polish application.
For the majority of services we use either The Gel Bottle or Dazzle Dry as well as some select Melbourne based brands. We carefully research and select the products we use and ensure all are cruelty-free, vegan and minimise toxic ingredients.
A classic manicure has been designed as the perfect ongoing maintenance service for your nails whereas our signature service is a premium offering where we spend additional time getting your nails in tip top condition and best suited to those of you who haven’t had a manicure in a while or have specific problems you’d like targeted. You can view all our services here.
Our performance polish, by Dazzle Dry, is a 4 step system designed to be applied like a traditional nail polish/lacquer yet formulated to be considerably longer-wearing with the added bonus of air drying in 5 minutes (no fans, no lamps). We have had clients last over 2 full weeks before any signs of chipping or wear and tear have appeared. We believe it is far superior to your standard nail polishes/lacquer and have chosen to hone in on this as our choice for polish at Buff.
SNS is a powder based acrylic and requires a dipping process for application. Due to the hygiene issues related to this application we have chosen not to include it as a part of our service menu. If you like the durability of SNS we would guide you to select our “Super Gel Manicure” service, it is long wearing and can be infilled every 3-4 weeks or simply soaked off.
A myth we would love to dispel! Products aren’t ‘bad’ per se for your nails, incorrect nail preparation and incorrect removal are what causes damage to your nail plate. With that said some products do perform better than others as do nail technicians. We exclusively use high performance, quality products here at Buff that we have extensively researched and feel are the best on the market. We also have a team of highly trained and certified nail technicians.
We would recommend a Super Gel Manicure, it gives a hard finish and will restrict you from biting your nails and is a great long term option to help you break the habit.
Our “Chip Free Guarantee” guarantees you a flawless polish application for up to three (3) days for standard performance polish and seven (7) days for gel polish. Simply give us a call or drop into the studio and we will organise to get it touched up free of charge.
Unfortunately some chemicals and products we come into contact with day to day can impact your polish. We recommend those of you who work in jobs that require very frequent hand washing (health care workers) or contact with potentially corrosive chemicals to wear gloves where possible.
Yes, absolutely.
eFiles (aka nail drills) get a bad rap and many of you may have had a negative experience however at Buff we are of the stance that it is the technician not the tool that has potential to do damage. These tools exist for good reason and in the hands of a well-trained, knowledgeable nail technician it can assist in delivering better results than hand filing. It allows us to precisely and efficiently get into tight areas particularly near the cuticle area to clean and prepare the nail for polish application which in turn ensures a long lasting manicure. We will always ask you first before commencing use of the eFile on your nails to ensure you are comfortable with us doing so.
There are certain tools that cannot be properly disinfected to an acceptable standard so instead they are a one-time use only. We either throw these items away, or gift them to you to take home. Here is a list of such items that we guarantee have never been used on a client before you, and will never be used again after you: Nail files, buffers, foot buffers, toe separators, wooden orange sticks.
Soaking off products correctly, in a way that won’t damage your nails, takes time and care. Proper removal not only maintains the health of your nail, it sets the stage for the next product to perform at its best and last longer. That’s why at Buff Nail Studios we don’t do things like scrape with metal implements to try to make the process go faster. Especially when coming from another salon, we can never know exactly what’s on your nails; so whether it’s gel polish, SNS, or traditional acrylic, it can take anywhere from 20 minutes to an hour to safely remove. The extra time and products used in the removal process are what account for the added cost.
At Buff Nail Studios we follow a strict cleaning process where all reusable instruments go through a 3 step process using an ultrasonic cleaner and high-pressure steam Autoclave (steriliser) after every single use.
While we do prefer bookings so we can guarantee someone is available to service you if you’re feeling non-committal and want to just drop by on a whim, you are more than welcome!
We believe in simplicity so our focus is on one thing and doing it really well – NAILS. Underpinned by good hygiene, good service and good quality manicures and pedicures that last, of course.
As much as we LOVE our furry companions, it is against our health and safety guidelines to have animals in the salon, we also have to consider our clients who may be allergic or not as ‘in-love’ with pets as others may be.