AQUAERIA NAIL SALON

Hidden away in a verdant corner at the top of Glenealy Street is an oasis of relaxation and a tranquil place to pretty up your nails. The narrow entrance of Aquaeria Nail Salon belies its spacious interior. With high ceilings, gallery-like walls and a back garden, Aquaeria is both cozy and lofty at the same time.

The reason the salon is so Zen is because the owner, ERI NISHIDA, is originally from Japan. Eri is the only instructor from Japan Nail Association (JNA) in HK, and has won awards for several nail art competitions. Aquaeria differentiates itself from other nail salons because they offer the polite, meticulous service often seen in Japan.  In addition, Aquaeria offers unique services using products which can only be found in Japan.

For example, they offer one of the best lash perming services in Hong Kong. If you’ve never seen permed lashes before, just imagine that you’ve curled and lengthened your lashes with a lash curler. It looks like that- but it lasts for a couple of months. It’s an instant eye-brightener! I had this procedure done before at a different salon and the second time I went back, my lashes curled in different directions like a kinky perm. The reason this happens is because most salons use perm solution for the hair on your head not for the lashes. Not only is this dangerous if you get it in your eyes, but the second time you perm, you’re at risk of getting untamed afro-lashes. At Aquaeria, the mild perm solution does not damage the eyelashes nor would it be toxic even if you did get some of it in your eye. It’s a very comfortable procedure. The beautician carefully separates and shapes your lashes onto a piece of long thin foam. Some salons use a glue-like substance to make the lashes stick to the foam but Aquaeria does not use glue. The margin for error is high when you use glue and it damges the lashes. The beautician, May, is also extremely meticulous so as to make the lashes curl in the right direction.

Another specialty of the salon is the Cagel procedure. For those who have weak nails that chip or break easily, Cagel is the solution. It’s a very thin soft gel coating which strengthen the nail. Cagel comes in a few different colors including some trendy neon colors for the summer! For those looking for the perfect French manicure that won’t chip or break off for about 3 weeks, Cagel is definitely for you. The soft gel is a product from Japan which is not readily available here.

You may be familiar with the more common ‘hard gel’ procedure which is 10 times more high maintenance and harsh on the nail itself. There’s a lot of filing, buffing and shaping. Removing hard gel is a laborious procedure involving soaking your nails and scraping off the gel substance. On the other hand, Cagel is self-leveling, can easily be removed and does not harm the nail.

Cagel pedicures can last as long as two months! So get your pedicure before you go off on your summer holiday and keep your toes looking pretty even through long days of sun, sand and swimming. Try hot pink and then paint a flower on your big toes. It looks really beautiful for summer and Eri is a nail art aficionado!

Right now they are offering a special discount for hiphongkong readers. Lash perming is usually 250HKD but first timers can get the procedure for 200HKD!

There’s a special for Cagel- Refer 3 friends that spend over 200HKD and get a free Cagel manicure. Also there’s a special for the regular MANI & PEDI. The original price is $580 but the introductory price is $480.

You can also get half off on a head and shoulder massage during your manicure. It’s usually 150HKD but currently you can enjoy a relaxing 20 min head and shoulder massage for 75 HKD.

Open 9:30-20:30