economie

I paid over $300 for a Russian manicure that took 3 hours. It blew American and Japanese gel out of the water.

September 10, 20240
I like having hard gel extensions for my monthly manicures.

Gia Yetikyel

I prefer the look of longer nails, and I like that hard-gel extensions provide a thicker, stronger base than regular gel polish.

When creating the extensions, Sahin applied a gel base, put gel polish in a plastic nail mold, removed the plastic mold, and shaped the nails accordingly.

I opted for an almond shape and noticed how the plastic mold helped make the extensions look realistic and elegant. After Sahin created the extensions, she went over them with another gel coat before applying the base colors.

I had fun during my manicure — which isn’t always the case.
I couldn’t get over how cute the designs turned out.

Gia Yetikyel

Before tax and tip — and with a 10%-off deal — my service was $243. All in, I paid over $300 for the set.

Although this was more expensive than my usual manicure, the difference in technique was beyond evident. I absolutely adored the final result and couldn’t get over how meticulous Sahin was.

The appointment was also long, but the hours were supplemented by game shows on the TV, idle chatter among nail technicians and clients, and a glimpse of Midtown through the large windows.

Between the clean atmosphere, included hand massage and cuticle oiling, and fantastic design technique, I feel inclined to say this is the best kind of manicure I’ve ever had.

If I still lived in New York, I’d make Say-It Nails my go-to spot for monthly manicures, price and all. But I could also make it more affordable by opting for simpler (or no) nail art.

My manicure held up beautifully.
My Russian manicure was worth every penny.

Gia Yetikyel

In the hours after finishing the manicure, the 3D bow charms I originally had on my thumbs fell off. But I texted Sahin, and we were able to fix the issue quickly.

I decided to replace the charms with hand-painted bows, which took no more than 10 minutes.

After four weeks, my nails were still in perfect condition without any chipping or lifting. Although the growth was evident, they still looked great a full month later.

Overall, I found this manicure worth it and would fully consider making it a regular staple for my nail care.