How to prep for your nail appointment at a private studio

A little preparation makes the appointment smoother and the set last longer. Here’s what to sort out before you arrive, and what to do once you leave.

1. Book the whole appointment, not just the set

Every appointment is one base service plus whatever you’re adding to it. If you want art, add the art tier when you book, not on the day. The tier reserves its own time on the calendar, and a design that hasn’t been booked may not fit into the slot.

The estimator lets you line up a base and a tier and see the combined price and appointment length before you commit.

2. Add removal if you’re wearing product

If you have gel, acrylic, polygel or a previous set on your nails, add Soak Off / Removal to your booking. Removal time varies with what’s on the nail, so it needs its own slot on top of your service.

Please don’t peel or pick the old set off yourself. Gel and enhancements bond to the surface of the nail, and peeling them takes layers of natural nail with them. A thinner, weaker nail plate makes the next set harder to apply and quicker to lift. Leave it on and let it come off properly.

3. Send reference photos ahead of time

If you have a design in mind, send the pictures by Instagram DM before your appointment. Leah can tell you which tier it falls into, flag anything that would change the price, and think about the design before you’re in the chair. That’s true for an Inspired Set, and it’s just as useful if you’re only half sure what you want.

4. Know how long you’ll be there

The base sets the minimum, and each add-on stacks its own time on top. A polygel set with Tier 3 art is a proper block of your day; a Gel-X set with a French tip is much shorter. The services page lists the time for every item, and the estimator adds them up for you.

The studio runs Monday to Saturday, with hours on the contact page. It’s a private residential studio in Rancho Bernardo rather than a storefront, which is why the site lists the neighborhood and not a street address.

5. Aftercare that actually works

Once the set is on, a few habits make a real difference to how long it lasts:

• Cuticle oil, daily. Dry cuticles and dry nails flex more, and flex is what causes lifting at the edges. A drop of oil each night keeps the whole nail supple.
• Gloves for water and chemicals. Long soaks and household cleaners are the fastest way to weaken the bond. Wear gloves for dishes and cleaning.
• Nails aren’t tools. Prying open a can or scraping a label loose puts stress on the free edge. Use something else.
• Book your fill on time. A polygel fill is for a set Leah did, within two weeks of your last appointment. After that the set needs a rebalance, priced as a full set, so it’s worth getting the fill on the calendar as you leave.

6. If something goes wrong

If a nail pops off within a week of the original service, the repair is free. After that, book a Nail Repair and it can be fixed at your next visit or on its own.

Anything else you’re unsure about, the policies and FAQ page covers the practical questions, and you can always get in touch before you book.