With international nail care brands like Essie, Bio Sculpture, Sally Hansen, OPI and Nail Pro being easily available, nail bars and salons are doing it all to give the well-travelled and well-heeled consumers a taste of nail luxury
The glittering and shimmering nails of celebrities like Rihanna, Kylie Jenner, Kim Kardashian and Rita Ora are to be blamed for the fad that has caught on with students, professionals and fashionistas alike.
From a mere manicure, nails today get glamourised with 3D and 4D art, rhinestones, diamantes, or transformed into the shiny, metallic and reflective ‘chrome’ look. Or are given the ‘ombre’ look, where a colour gradient is created using one particular family of colours, with the lighter shades blending seamlessly with the darker tones. And as green is the colour of 2017, shades such as seafoam green, minty green, mojito green, leaf green and bottle green are being used in abundance.
Then ofcourse there exists the nail extension, with shapes like coffin (long and angular), stiletto (long and pointy) and squoval (square and oval) being much in demand, besides the nail piercings that add a novel dimension to the look and feel of nails.
With international nail care brands like Essie, Bio Sculpture, Sally Hansen, OPI and Nail Pro being easily available, nail bars and salons are doing it all to give the well-travelled and well-heeled consumers a taste of nail luxury.
Globally, the business of nail care, comprising nail polish, accessories, extensions and treatments is expected to reach $9 billion by 2019, says market research firm Technavio. Meanwhile in India, nail care constitutes a key chunk of the overall beauty/cosmetics/grooming/hygiene market, which is slated to touch $17 billion by 2020.
Swati Gupta, creative director, Bodycraft Salon & Spa, which started offering specialised nail services almost a decade ago, said, “The demand for nails has increased tremendously. Internationally, exclusive nail bars are a huge trend and generate lots of business. Abroad, practically every second woman is seen with some nail art or extension. The Indian market is evolving and fairly quickly.”
According to Samir Srivastav, CEO, Jean-Claude Biguine Salon & Spa, India, nail bars are now an integral part of salons and are here to stay. “About two years ago, we introduced Biguine Nails to India, a concept from our Paris headquarters. With brands launching damage-free ranges, a lot of clients have been opting for nails extensions and overlays.” Costs No Bar
Earlier perceived as luxury, nail care and art has now become a necessity. Consumers seeking perfection and detail don’t mind shelling out Rs 300-400 per nail to get ombre or chrome embossed. Nor is the costing of Rs 500-600 per nail for 3D art an impediment. In fact, spending as much as Rs 4,000 for a set of nail extensions (stiletto or coffin) is regarded as essential.
“People love sporting well-groomed hands and feet. Whether you’re in the corporate sector or elsewhere, the first contact is made through a handshake and hands should give out a good impression,” says nail care expert Neela Bopaiah, founder, Polished Nail Studio, who plans on holding corporate workshops and events on nail care.
Bopaiah feels the sprouting of standalone nails bars is proof that nail care is today a serious business.
And sensing the demand, global brands like Jean-Claude Biguine Salon & Spa, India are ambitious on expansion. “We plan to expand to 30 new locations in the next two years and some of these locations will have Biguine Nails,” says Srivastav.
NOT JUST A MANICURE
- Consumers don’t mind shelling out Rs 300-400 per nail to get ombre or chrome embossed
- Spending as much as Rs 4,000 for a set of nail extensions (stiletto or coffin) is regarded as essential
- Nail bars and salons are giving the well-travelled and well-heeled consumers a taste of nail luxury
- Globally, the nail-care business comprising accessories, extensions is expected to reach $9 billion by 2019
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
 "Nail care")
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}