Questions & Answers

A Russian manicure is a technique built around one idea: nails that look immaculately clean and cared for. Instead of soaking the hands, we work dry with a fine electric file. It lifts the cuticle gently, removes the excess skin that grows onto the nail plate and takes off the dead cells that dull the surface, so what is left is a smooth, healthy nail with a crisp, even line at its base. Colour can then be applied right up to the cuticle, with barely any space between the cuticle and the polish, so your hands look cleaner and the result lasts longer. Most importantly, a Russian manicure is a professional service that has to be performed by a skilled professional. In the right hands it is the cleanest and most refined manicure you can have.

The difference is in the cuticle, and in what each manicure does with it. A regular manicure does not work with the cuticle in depth: the skin is softened in water and pushed back or trimmed, the nail is filed and painted, and the colour stops a little short of the skin, because polish cannot be placed over skin that is soft and uneven. How the result looks then depends entirely on the cuticle you came in with. If it is thin and even, a regular manicure can look fine; if it is thick, dry or uneven, as many are, the outcome rarely matches the photo you were hoping for, and within a week the gap at the base has grown. A Russian manicure works with the cuticle directly. The excess skin is cleaned away dry with a fine electric file, the surface of the nail is smoothed, and the colour is placed exactly where the nail meets the skin, so the line is clean and the nail looks longer. The state of your cuticle no longer decides the result: whatever shape, thickness or condition you arrive with, you leave with the same clean, refined look at every visit. Work at this level takes specific training and years of practice, which is why it is done by specialists, and at NEBO it is the only kind of manicure we do.

Yes. A Russian manicure works only on dead skin and on the excess cuticle that has grown onto the nail plate. The living skin that seals the base of the nail stays exactly where it belongs, and the nail plate itself is never thinned. Working dry is part of what keeps it safe: the skin is firm and clearly visible, so the technician sees where the dead skin ends and the healthy skin begins and takes off only what should go. Every instrument comes to your table in an individual sterilisation pouch straight from the autoclave. Like any professional procedure, it has to be done by a professional. The technique itself is gentle, and the skill of the person holding the file is what keeps it that way. If you have read that this manicure can be aggressive, that describes a poorly performed service, not the technique.

No. A Russian manicure performed correctly does not hurt. The file works on dead skin and on the surface of the nail, never on living tissue, so all you feel is a light vibration and, occasionally, a little warmth. A comfortable appointment and hands that feel completely normal afterwards are the standard, and at NEBO that is what you get. Burning, stinging, or a red and swollen finger the following day are signs of a service performed without the right training, and they have no place in a professional studio. If anything feels uncomfortable during your appointment, please tell us immediately and we will adjust. Your health comes first, always.

With gel colour, around 2 to 4 weeks, depending on your health, your hormones and how quickly your nails grow. Without colour, the result lasts around 2 to 3 weeks. Such durability comes from the technique itself: when the cuticle area is cleaned and professionally prepared, the colour is placed right at the skin line, and the regrowth takes far longer to show. Another benefit of proper preparation is that the colour holds well, without lifting or chipping in normal wear, so in most cases what brings you back for a retouch is nothing more than the natural growth of your nails. You are welcome to book either option, with or without gel polish.

The answer is simple: cuticle oil. It takes ten seconds a day and it is the single biggest difference between a manicure that looks fresh for a month and one that starts to look less neat within a couple of weeks. It keeps the skin around the nail soft, so the cuticle stays clean, and it keeps the gel flexible, so it does not chip. We also recommend wearing gloves when you clean, because hot water and detergent dry out both the skin and the coating. Treat your nails as they deserve: avoid opening cans or scraping labels with them. If the gel lifts at an edge, do not pick it, because the top layer of your nail comes away with it; come in and we will fix it in minutes. And if you want your pedicure to last just as long, a foot cream at night keeps the skin soft for weeks.

Yes, we do nail extensions in every shape and length. As a base we recommend gel tips, and the building material itself is chosen according to the condition of your hands, because every treatment is individual: hands that tend to sweat need a different approach from dry ones, thin nails break differently from thick ones, and we could go on. At NEBO we believe that your treatment has to suit you, not the other way round. A nail extension already includes a full Russian manicure and the preparation of the natural nail. If you already wear extensions, come as you are and we will take care of the rest, and if it is your first time, we will explain how maintenance works so you know exactly what to expect.

We do every shape. Square, soft square, oval, almond, coffin, stiletto, and everything in between, at any length you like. The shape and the length are entirely your choice, and we make exactly what you ask for. If you are still deciding, we are glad to help: a shape that flatters long fingers can look heavy on shorter ones, and a length that is effortless on a wide nail bed will be fragile on a narrow one, so we will tell you what will suit your hands and your lifestyle best. And the best part is that nothing is permanent. Shape and length can change at any infill, so you can start elegant and go bolder, or the other way round.

Yes, we do both the timeless classics and the current trends. If you would like a design, just ask and we will show you options and help you choose one that suits your shape and length and wears well. If you have something specific in mind, bring a reference photo; most designs we can do on the day. For something truly special or unusual, sending us the photo a couple of days ahead means every colour and detail is ready for you, so the result is exactly what you pictured. There is a particular pleasure in looking at your hands and seeing the nails you imagined, and that moment is the part of our work we love most.

Three materials, three different jobs. Semi-permanent is gel polish: a thin coat of colour on the natural nail, cured under a lamp, that protects the nail and keeps its colour for weeks without adding length or strength. Builder gel is thicker and is shaped over the nail to reinforce or extend it; it also cures under a lamp, and once cured it stays slightly elastic, so it bends a little with the natural nail instead of cracking. Acrylic is a powder mixed with a liquid monomer that sets in the air. It is strong and very rigid. The sharp smell in acrylic salons is often that monomer evaporating; it irritates eyes and airways and, with repeated contact, can sensitise skin. And because acrylic does not bend, a knock travels straight into the natural nail, which is why cracks and lifting underneath are so common with it. That is why at NEBO we work in gel. It gives you the strength you want with far less strain on your nails, and no fumes in the room, for your health and for the health of the person working on your hands.

BIAB started as a product name, Builder In A Bottle, and has become the everyday word for a whole category: builder gel is applied in a thin layer over the natural nail. It does two things at once. It strengthens, adding a flexible layer to nails that bend, split or peel, and it levels, evening out ridges and dips so the surface looks smooth under colour. It is the right choice if you want stronger natural nails without extensions, or if your nails are too weak to hold ordinary gel polish.

We recommend coming in for a correction every 3 to 4 weeks. The same set can look flawless for longer than that, but timely corrections matter for far more than looks: at each one we disinfect and take care of the nail, and that is what keeps it healthy. BIAB is a strong material, and if water or dirt were to get underneath it and stay there without a correction, an infection could develop, so keeping to the schedule is how your nails and hands stay healthy as well as beautiful. At a correction BIAB is not removed and reapplied; it is infilled. When the regrowth at the base becomes visible, we file the existing layer down, clean and disinfect the nail and the new growth, dehydrate the surface so the fresh gel bonds properly, then rebalance the shape and apply gel over the new growth, so your natural nail is not stripped back to bare at every visit. After two or three infills we take the set off completely, check the natural nail underneath and start fresh, which is how the nail stays healthy under the product for months. Between visits the gel does not weaken or wear thin; it grows out with the nail, and the nail grows under its protection, which is why people who could never keep length before find that with BIAB they can.

IBX is a treatment procedure for the nail itself, not a coating on top of it. It is applied to the bare nail, warmed gently so it sinks into the upper layers of the plate, and then cured under a lamp. Inside the nail it sets and binds the layers together, which is why we describe it as strengthening from within. The nail becomes firmer and less prone to peeling and splitting, and because the treatment sits inside the plate, you can wear gel colour over it and treat your nails at the same time as you decorate them. It is for nails that peel, split or have thinned after years of gel or a rough removal, and for anyone who wants to grow a healthy natural nail without the breaks and peeling that keep setting it back. One thing to know before you book: IBX is a treatment, not a coating, and once cured it looks as if you are wearing nothing at all. If what you want is the look of gel polish, talk to us first, because in your case a builder gel may be the better option.

It depends on how damaged your nails are, and we follow the manufacturer's guidance. Very damaged, thin or peeling nails are treated once a week until they are in good condition; as they recover the interval stretches to every two weeks, and once they are strong, a treatment every three weeks, usually together with your regular appointment, keeps them that way. IBX is never applied more often than once a week, because the nail needs time to respond between treatments, and here more does not always mean better. Each session bonds the peeling and splitting in the nail you have today so it stops getting worse, and protects the new nail as it grows in, so over the following months the whole plate grows out under treatment. What no treatment can do is bring back nail that has already been lost; that part grows off and is replaced by a stronger nail. If you would like to know more, you are welcome to contact us.

Yes, we remove gel, BIAB and extensions properly and start from a clean, healthy nail. Once the old coating is off we can see the real condition of your nails and either go ahead with the procedure or recommend the treatment that will work best for them. With nail extensions or BIAB built elsewhere we always start with a fresh set. We do not work on top of someone else's nail work, because we cannot know exactly which materials were used or be certain that the full disinfection and preparation protocol was followed, so we remove everything first and, if the condition of your nails allows it, build the new set from scratch. If your nails need a little recovery before that, we will say so and make them look good in the meantime. You do not need to remove anything before you come.

SMART is the pedicure system we work with, and we chose it because it gives the smoothest, longest-lasting result so that everything that touches your feet has either just come out of the autoclave or is being used for the first time. At its heart is a metal disc that goes through the autoclave and is fitted with a fresh single-use abrasive file for every client, used together with an e-file for the nails and the cuticle area. The whole pedicure is done on dry skin, and that is what makes it so effective: dry skin shows exactly where the hard layer is and where the healthy skin begins, so we take down what needs to go and leave the rest, evenly across the whole foot. Skin that has been soaked swells and hides that line, which is why a soaked pedicure so often feels rough again within days. Working dry also means there is no shared water, so nothing passes from one pair of feet to the next. You may also see this pedicure called a Russian pedicure; it is the same method, and the result is feet that stay smooth for weeks.

SMART is the name of the pedicure disc system we work with, and it is what makes our pedicure different from the one you may be used to. The disc is metal and goes through the autoclave; a fresh single-use abrasive file is fitted to it for every client; and it is used together with an e-file, on dry skin, with no water and no blades at any stage. That combination is why the result is so even and lasts so long: dry skin shows exactly where the hard layer is, so we remove what needs to go and nothing more, and the skin stays smooth for weeks rather than days. The SMART gel pedicure takes this method and finishes it with gel colour. Your feet are disinfected. The toenails are shortened and shaped with the e-file and the cuticle area is cleaned the same way. Hard skin on the heels, soles and toes is softened with a special solution and taken down with the SMART disc until it is smooth, with the e-file for the corners and edges, and the skin is buffed to a soft finish. Then base, colour and top coat go on edge to edge and are cured under the lamp, and the pedicure ends with cream worked into the skin. It is for anyone who wants smooth, comfortable feet and colour that stays glossy until the nail has grown out.

Yes, we can help. To start with, what is hard skin and why does it appear? Hard skin is your foot's way of protecting itself in the places that take the most pressure and rubbing: the heel, the ball of the foot, the sides of the big toe. The skin thickens there to defend the tissue underneath, and once it is thick it dries out, and thick, dry skin is what feels rough to the touch. To sort it out, the thick layer has to be taken down evenly to a comfortable level, leaving the healthy skin intact, and then kept soft so it does not build back up as quickly. That is exactly what the dry pedicure does. Because we work on dry skin, we can see how thick the layer is and take it down gradually with single-use abrasives and the e-file, stopping at healthy skin, because taking too much irritates the skin and can make it come back more quickly. Then we moisturise. You walk out on soft feet, and a foot cream at night keeps them that way for weeks. If an area is painful or deeply cracked, we will tell you, because that needs a podiatrist's attention first.

Yes, we can help. A callus is the skin's reaction to pressure that keeps landing on the same spot, day after day. The most common cause by far is shoes that do not quite fit, followed by long hours on your feet, sports such as padel or running, and sometimes the shape of the foot itself, such as flat feet, high arches or a bunion, which changes where your weight lands. Calluses keep coming back because the cause is still there: if the callus is treated but the shoe, the routine or the pressure point behind it stays the same, the skin will build it again. The fix therefore has two parts. The callus needs to be reduced properly and regularly, and the pressure behind it needs to be identified and changed. At NEBO we reduce it gently at each visit, never cutting it, and we set a rhythm of visits that stays ahead of the build-up. If we can see the cause, we will tell you; often the answer is an insole or a different pair of shoes, and knowing that saves you years of filing. A callus with a hard, painful core is a corn, and for that we refer you to a podiatrist, who can treat it properly.

Yes, we can help. To understand what needs to be done, it helps to know why toenails end up too short or start growing into the skin in the first place. Most often they are cut down into the corners or too short, usually at home with tools used incorrectly; sometimes shoes press the toes together, a nail is knocked, or the nail is naturally curved. Whatever the cause, once a corner is cut away or pushed inwards, the nail grows back against the skin instead of over it, and the skin begins to swell around it. What needs fixing is the direction of growth: the nail has to grow out straight while it is shaped correctly, and the habit that caused it has to change. At NEBO we shape what is there with the e-file, leave the corners alone so the nail can come out straight, and show you exactly where to cut: straight across, level with the tip of the toe. Together with shoes that give your toes room, that is usually all it takes. If a nail has already turned into the skin, or the toe is red, swollen or sore, it needs a podiatrist first, and we will tell you straight away; if there is no infection, we carry on with the rest of your pedicure around it. Once it has settled, regular pedicures keep your feet healthy and work as prevention, so it does not happen again.

Yes, we can help. Heels often crack because the skin there has thickened and lost its moisture: it becomes stiff, and stiff skin splits when you walk. What is needed is to take the thick layer down so the skin can bend again, and then to give it back the moisture it has lost. At NEBO we take the hard layer down gradually with single-use abrasives, working slowly so the skin is left smooth and even, and finish with cream. Shallow cracks close on their own once the thick rim around them is gone and the skin can hold moisture again, and the change after one visit is usually the most visible part of the pedicure. Aftercare with a foot cream every night, ideally one with urea, helps the skin heal and keeps your heels smooth between visits. One important note: deep cracks that bleed or hurt when you walk are a job for a podiatrist, and we will tell you if that is your case. For most people, though, a properly done pedicure solves the problem.

Only when going ahead could harm you, and if that ever happens we will explain why and what to do next. A pedicure is safe on healthy skin and nails. It is not safe over a fungal infection, warts, an open wound or inflamed skin, and going ahead anyway can do real damage: gel applied over a fungal nail seals the infection in, where it spreads to the nail bed and to the other toes and becomes far harder to treat; filing over warts spreads them; and working on broken or infected skin can turn a small problem into a serious one. So if we see any of those signs, we stop, explain what is happening, and point you to a podiatrist or doctor. Once your feet have healed, we will be happy to see you again for your pedicure.

A manicure for men is less about how your hands look and more about how they feel from day to day. The problems men most often come in with are hardened or split cuticles, hangnails that catch on everything, and nails that have been cut too short or into a shape that does not feel right. The point of a male manicure is to take that inconvenience away: the nails are shaped so they feel comfortable, the cuticles are cleaned so they stop splitting, and the rough skin around the fingertips is smoothed. Nothing is painted. We recommend a maintenance visit once a month, which for most men is enough to stop thinking about their hands altogether. You should not have to think about the comfort of your nails; let us do that for you.

A male manicure is a professional treatment of the nails and the skin around them, done dry with an e-file and without polish, and the goal is your comfort: no split cuticles, no hangnails, no rough skin at the fingertips, and nails at a length and shape that feel right. It includes shaping the nails to a short, clean length that follows your fingertips, cleaning the cuticle area with the e-file, done dry rather than by soaking and cutting, removing hangnails and rough skin around the nails, and a light buff at the end so the nail looks healthy rather than polished, or a matte protective coat if you want the nails a little stronger. Every instrument comes out of an individual sterilisation pouch in front of you. What it solves are the small daily irritations most men simply live with: a cuticle that catches on a sweater and tears, a nail cut too short that stings, skin at the fingertip that cracks in winter. Maintenance is what makes the result last, because a cuticle that is cleaned regularly stays soft and stops splitting, while one that is left alone thickens again within weeks, so a visit once a month keeps your hands in order without you having to think about them. And everything is adjusted to you: gel is not part of a male manicure, but if your nails split easily we can add an invisible protective layer, and if you want nothing at all on the nail, that is exactly what you get.

No. There is no shine, no colour and nothing on the nail to see. What people notice, if they ever do, is that your hands look clean and well kept: even nails, no ragged cuticles, no rough edges. The finish is a light buff that leaves the nail looking healthy and nothing else. If you want to be sure there is no shine at all, let us know and we will adjust. The most important thing is that you feel comfortable with your hands.

The result normally lasts from 2 to 3 weeks, but a maintenance visit once a month is more than enough for most men to keep their hands clean and tidy before the cuticles grow back and the nails start to feel uncomfortable again. Nothing is on the nail, so nothing chips or peels in between; your hands just gradually return to how they were. A visit every month keeps them in order, and you stop noticing the things that used to nag at you, such as a torn cuticle catching on a sleeve or the sting of a nail cut too short.

Yes, we can help, although the solution takes a comprehensive approach rather than a single fix. To start with, why do people bite their nails? Most often it is stress or nerves, sometimes boredom or deep concentration, and for many it is a habit that began in childhood and never quite left. Whatever the trigger, the habit feeds on the damage it causes: a rough edge, a torn cuticle or a hangnail gives the fingers something to find, and the hand goes to the mouth without you noticing. The fix has two parts. The nails and the skin around them have to be repaired so there is nothing left to catch on, and the nail has to be protected for long enough to grow. At NEBO we start with the repair: we even out the nails, clear the torn skin around them and smooth the fingertips, so from the first visit there is nothing to pick at, and for many men that alone changes the habit. If you want more support, a thin layer of builder gel over the natural nail makes it hard to bite through and gives the nail the chance to grow; it is invisible and can be finished matte. Raw or inflamed skin around the nails needs to settle before we apply anything, and we will tell you if that is the case. And if the habit has beaten every attempt so far, a therapist who works with habits can help; dermatologists recommend it, and there is no shame in it. This problem can be solved.

If your feet ever feel tired, dry or sore at the end of the day, yes. Your feet carry you through everything you do, from a full day at work to training, and when they hurt, the quality of everything else drops with them: you walk less, you stand awkwardly, you stop enjoying the sport you like. Most of the foot problems men put up with are easy to prevent. Toenails that are too long or cut into the corners press into the skin and can grow inwards; hard skin and calluses build up where the foot takes weight and make every step feel like walking on a pebble; dry heels crack and start to hurt. A regular pedicure prevents all of this: nails shaped so they do not press, hard skin taken down to a comfortable level, heels kept soft. At NEBO the pedicure is done dry, without water or blades, and without polish. You feel the difference the moment you stand up, and men who come once for a specific problem usually keep coming, because their feet feel better and stop needing attention.

SMART is the name of the pedicure disc system we work with, and it is what sets this pedicure apart from a standard one. The disc is metal and goes through the autoclave, a fresh single-use abrasive file is fitted to it for every client, and it is used with an e-file on dry skin, with no water and no blades. Working dry, we can see exactly where the thick skin is, so it is taken down evenly and the feet stay smooth for weeks rather than days, and because nothing is soaked and everything that touches your feet has either just come out of the autoclave or is being used for the first time, there is nothing to pass from one pair of feet to the next. The male SMART pedicure is that method without polish. It includes disinfection of the feet, shortening and shaping the toenails with the e-file, with the corners left alone so they grow straight, cleaning the cuticle area, taking down hard skin, calluses and dry heels with the SMART disc, never with a blade, and cream worked into the skin at the end. The problems it solves are the ones men most often live with: toenails that press into the skin or start to grow inwards, thick nails that are hard to cut, calluses under the ball of the foot from sport or standing, and heels that crack in summer and catch on socks in winter. A visit every five to eight weeks keeps all of it under control.

Normally the nails stay in shape for 5 to 6 weeks, since toenails grow slowly, and the heels and soles stay smooth for about as long if you use a foot cream at night, so a pedicure holds considerably longer than a manicure. How long exactly depends on you, because your health, your hormones and how quickly your nails grow all play a part. However, calluses are the one variable to take into consideration, because the same shoe or the same sport brings them back at the same rate every time, which is why we set the interval with you once we have seen how quickly yours return. For most men a visit every 5 to 8 weeks keeps everything in order.

Yes. Hard skin is a common problem, and it generally appears because the foot is protecting itself: wherever it takes repeated pressure and rubbing, from shoes, sport or long hours standing, the skin thickens to defend the tissue underneath, and once it is thick it dries out and turns rough. What it needs is to be taken down evenly to a comfortable level and then kept soft. With the SMART disc, single-use abrasives and the e-file we remove the thick layer gradually, stopping at healthy skin, and because we work dry we can see exactly where that is, so the skin is left smooth rather than stripped and it comes back more slowly. You walk out on soft feet, and a foot cream at night keeps them that way for weeks. If an area is painful or deeply cracked, we will point you to a podiatrist first.

Yes, and the first step is understanding why they return. A callus forms where the same pressure lands on the same spot again and again: a shoe that presses in one place, a running gait, a ball of the foot that carries more than its share, sometimes the shape of the foot itself. If the callus is removed but the pressure stays, the skin builds it back on schedule, which is why filing alone never ends the cycle. What is needed is regular reduction combined with a change to whatever is causing it. At each visit we take the callus down gently, never cutting it, and if we can see the pattern we tell you, because the real fix is often an insole or a different pair of shoes. A callus with a hard core that hurts when you press it is a corn, and that is a podiatrist's job.

Let them grow, and stop cutting into the corners, because that is where most ingrown nails start: once a corner is cut away, the nail grows back against the skin instead of over it. Tight shoes, a knock to the nail and a naturally curved nail can do the same, so give your toes room while it grows. This is where a professional pedicure makes the difference that clippers at home cannot. With the e-file we shape the nail without cutting into it, thin and smooth the edge that presses on the skin, clear the hard skin that builds up in the nail fold and adds to the pressure, and leave the corners exactly where they need to be for the nail to grow out straight. We also see the nail from an angle you cannot, and we show you where to cut next time: straight across, level with the tip of the toe. A nail that has already turned into the skin, or a toe that is red, swollen or sore, needs a podiatrist first, and we will tell you straight away; if there is no infection, we do the rest of the pedicure around it. Once it has settled, a regular pedicure keeps it from happening again.

Yes. Heels catch on socks when the skin has thickened and dried until the surface splits, and what it needs is for the thick layer to be taken down so the skin can bend again, and then for the moisture to be put back. We take the hard layer down gradually with single-use abrasives, working slowly so the skin is left smooth rather than raw, then apply cream. From there, the aftercare you can do at home is simple: a foot cream at night, ideally one with urea, keeps the heels soft, and a visit every few weeks keeps them that way. Deep cracks that bleed or hurt when you walk need a podiatrist, and we will tell you if that is what we see.

Only something that would harm you if we went ahead, and we will explain if we see it. Signs of a fungal nail or skin infection, warts, open cuts or blisters, or anything red and inflamed need a podiatrist or doctor first, and the pedicure follows once it is treated. There is a good reason for the order: working on an infected foot spreads the problem across your foot and, without proper sterilisation, to the next client, and turns a small problem into a long one. Once it has been treated, we will be glad to see you.

Every instrument goes through the same five steps after every client. First, cleaning: instruments and e-file bits are scrubbed free of all residue. Second, disinfection: they are placed in a disinfectant solution for the time the manufacturer specifies, then rinsed and dried. Third, packaging: each set is sealed into an individual sterilisation pouch with an indicator that changes colour once sterilisation has taken place. Fourth, sterilisation: the pouches go through a Class B autoclave, the same standard used in dental clinics, which sterilises with pressurised steam. Fifth, the cycle is logged. Your pouch stays sealed until it is opened in front of you at your table, so you can be certain that nothing touching you has touched anyone else since it left the autoclave. This is what gives you complete peace of mind.

An autoclave is a steam steriliser that heats instruments under pressure to around 134 degrees, a temperature that kills bacteria, fungi, viruses and the spores that survive everything else. The disinfectant sprays, UV cabinets and soaking solutions used in most salons do not kill spores, so they disinfect; only an autoclave sterilises. Class B is the highest class for small autoclaves under the European standard EN 13060, and it uses a vacuum to draw the air out and drive steam onto every surface, inside hollow instruments and inside sealed pouches, so a pouched kit is sterile all the way through. It is the class used in dental clinics, and ours records every cycle.

Yes, whenever you like. The autoclave and the sealed pouches are in the studio, in view, and we will gladly show you the cycle log and the indicator on your own pouch that confirms it went through. Every pouch is opened in front of you in any case; that is how every appointment starts. You do not have to take our word for it; you can watch the whole process for yourself, and we are happy to show you.

Yes. Everything that cannot go through the autoclave is used once and thrown away in front of you: nail files, buffers, the abrasive files on the pedicure disc, wooden sticks, wipes and gloves. Metal instruments and e-file bits are sterilised; everything else is new for every client. A file is porous, and no amount of spraying or wiping makes it sterile, which is why reused files are one of the recognised ways infections move between clients. At NEBO you see the file come out of its packet at the start of your appointment and go into the bin at the end, and that is how every appointment works here.

It goes into the extractor, not into the air. Working dry produces fine dust from skin and gel, so we always work with a dust extractor that draws it away at the source, with filters that are changed on schedule, and surfaces are wiped down between clients. If you have asthma or sensitive airways, please consult your doctor and let us know in advance when you book, so that we can take extra care with ventilation and pacing.

Yes. Nails become weak for a handful of reasons: gel peeled or picked off, filing that went too deep during a removal, years of acetone, or constant water and detergent, and occasionally a health cause that belongs with a doctor. What is needed is to stop the damage, protect the nail while new, healthy nail grows in, and strengthen what is there. At NEBO we begin with a proper look at your nails and then choose the right route: IBX to strengthen the nail from within (explained in the Manicure section), a thin layer of builder gel to support it while it grows, or a period without any colour. Weak nails recover faster than most people expect once they are handled with care at every visit, and we will not recommend anything you do not need.

Yes, and you do not need to grow them out before you come. The solution takes a comprehensive approach, so let us start with why people bite their nails. Most often it is stress or nerves, sometimes boredom or deep concentration, and for many it is a habit from childhood that never quite left. Whatever the trigger, the habit feeds on the damage it causes: a rough edge, a torn cuticle or a hangnail gives the fingers something to find, and the hand goes to the mouth without you noticing. The fix has two parts: the nails and skin have to be repaired so there is nothing to catch on, and the nail has to be protected for long enough to grow. So the first visit is repair. We even out what is there, clear the torn skin around the nails and smooth the fingertips, and your hands look cared for from that day. Then we talk about what will help you stop. For many people a thin layer of builder gel is the answer: it makes the nail hard to bite through, gives it the chance to grow, and can be worn clear or with colour. Watching a nail you have bitten for years grow past the fingertip is a very good reason not to start again. If the skin around the nails is raw or inflamed, we let it settle first. And if the habit has beaten every attempt so far, a therapist who works with habits can help; dermatologists recommend it, and there is no shame in it. This problem can be solved.

No, not when the gel is applied and removed properly. The nail plate is made of dead keratin. It does not breathe, and it is fed from the matrix under the skin, not from the air, so a coating on top takes nothing from it. What thins nails is not the gel but the way it comes off: peeling it, picking it, or filing so hard that the top layers of the nail go with it. If your nails feel thin or peel after years of gel, the cause is most often the removals, and it changes as soon as removal is done with care. A pause is the right advice in one case only: a nail already so thin that it needs to grow out before it can hold a coating well. If that is where you are, we will say so and help it along based on your unique situation.

Yes, at the exposure a manicure involves. Nail lamps emit UVA, the same part of the spectrum that reaches you through a window, and each cure lasts a few minutes on a small area of skin. When researchers measured 17 salon lamps for a 2014 study in JAMA Dermatology, they found that a single visit exposes the skin to far less than the dose associated with DNA damage, and concluded that even with many visits the cancer risk remains small. There is no study showing that gel manicures cause skin cancer; the handful of case reports that exist involve years of heavy exposure, and laboratory research on cells has shown that heavy, repeated exposure can cause damage, which is why dermatologists call the risk low but not zero, and why the question is a fair one. We use LED lamps, which cure quickly and keep your hands under the light for the shortest possible time. If you would like an extra margin, apply a broad-spectrum sunscreen to your hands before your appointment, which is exactly what those researchers recommend.

Often, yes, and it depends on what exactly you react to. Gel allergies are reactions to acrylates, and the usual trigger is HEMA, a small molecule that passes into the skin when uncured gel touches it during application. The reaction shows up a day or two later as itching, redness or small blisters around the nails, sometimes on the face or eyelids from touching. You are protected in two ways: with a product that does not contain the trigger, and with an application in which gel never touches the skin. We have a dedicated HEMA-free system for exactly this, and our application is careful enough that gel does not reach your skin in the first place, which is where most reactions begin. What we cannot do is diagnose you or promise you will never react, because some people are sensitive to other acrylates too, and for the same reason IBX is not an option for allergic clients. If you have reacted before, a dermatologist can patch-test you and tell us exactly what to avoid; if the test shows you are allergic to several acrylates, gel of any kind may not be for you, and we will tell you so. Tell us when you book, and we will prepare your appointment around it.

HEMA, hydroxyethyl methacrylate, is one of the most common ingredients in gel polish and builder gels. It helps the gel bond to the nail and stay flexible, and it is also the ingredient most likely to cause a gel allergy, because it is a small molecule that passes into the skin easily if uncured gel touches it. HEMA-free gels are built on larger molecules that stay on the nail and are far less likely to pass into the skin, which is why they are the choice for anyone who has reacted before or wants to keep the risk as low as possible. A HEMA allergy is for life and can matter beyond your nails, because the same family of acrylates is used in some dental fillings and medical adhesives, so it is worth avoiding from the start.

Yes. We keep a dedicated HEMA-free system for clients who have reacted to gel before or who want to avoid the most common allergen from the start. The other half of prevention is application: gel that never touches the skin and is fully cured is far less likely to sensitise anyone, and that is how we work with every product. HEMA-free lowers the risk a long way; a dermatologist's patch test is the only thing that can tell you exactly which ingredients your skin will tolerate.

TPO is a photoinitiator, the ingredient that makes gel harden under the lamp, and for years it was in most gel polishes. In 2025 the EU classified it as toxic to reproduction, category 1B, and banned it from all cosmetics from 1 September 2025 under Commission Regulation (EU) 2025/877, which added TPO to the list of prohibited substances in the EU Cosmetics Regulation. Since that date no gel containing TPO can legally be sold or used in Spain or anywhere else in the EU, and manufacturers have moved to other photoinitiators that cure just as well. So TPO-free is common practice now. It is the law, and every product in a compliant studio meets it. We think you should know what goes on your nails, and this is one of the things worth knowing.

Yes, every one of them. TPO has been banned in cosmetics across the EU since 1 September 2025, so every gel legally sold in Spain is TPO-free by law, and we treat that as the minimum. What we add is care: we check the documentation from each supplier rather than trusting the label, and no stock bought before the ban is being used up. If you would like to see the ingredient list for anything that goes on your nails, ask; it is available for every product we work with, and we are glad to show it to you.

This is a decision for you and your doctor or midwife, and we would rather you made it with them than with us, because we are nail technicians, not medical professionals. General guidance for pregnancy treats a manicure in a well-ventilated space as acceptable, and many pregnant women continue to have their nails done, but every pregnancy is different, so please check first. What we can tell you is what you will find here. We work dry, so there is no acrylic monomer and none of the fumes that come with it. There is dust extraction at every station. Every product is TPO-free, as the law now requires, and if you prefer to avoid standard gels, our HEMA-free system is available. Appointments are unhurried: you can change position, put your feet up or take a break whenever you like, and if at any point you would rather skip colour, we adapt on the spot.

Yes, always, even when it means losing the appointment. If we see an infection, an open wound, a fungal problem or a nail that needs rest rather than product, we will say so, show you what we are seeing and suggest what to do instead, including a doctor or podiatrist when that is the right call. The same goes for smaller things: a length that will break, a design that will not last, a treatment you do not need. You come to us for the health of your nails as much as for how they look, and we take that seriously. When we say yes, you can trust it.

NEBO is a studio in Barcelona's zona alta, opening soon. We are preparing the studio now and will publish the address and the opening date as soon as both are certain. Join the waitlist or message us on WhatsApp and you will be the first to hear when we open, where we are and how to book.

Because a Russian manicure is a different service, not a longer version of the same one. A regular manicure paints the nail. A Russian manicure prepares it first: the cuticle area is cleaned with a fine electric file until every trace of excess skin is gone, the surface is smoothed, and only then is the colour applied, right up to the skin, so your hands look immaculate and stay that way for weeks. It is the only manicure that works with the cuticle in this way, and that is what makes a truly flawless, clean result possible, whatever the state of your cuticles when you arrive. Work like this asks for specific training and years of practice, and for equipment that meets the standard of a dental clinic: a Class B autoclave, individual sterilisation pouches, single-use files, dust extraction. What you pay for is the result and the safety of getting it: a manicure that looks the way you hoped it would, and hands that are healthy afterwards.

We are pre-opening, so there is no published price list or online booking yet. When there is, prices will be fixed and clear before you sit down: what we quote is what you pay, and nobody will suggest an extra while you are in the chair. To be among the first to book, join the waitlist or message us on WhatsApp; we will share prices and booking details there as soon as they are set.

Message us on WhatsApp or write to hola@nebobarcelona.com. Tell us what you are looking for, or just that you would like to be on the waitlist, and we take it from there.