Manicure

Who is a manicure for?

A manicure at SIMEHA Institut is for women and men who want well-kept hands: filed nails, tidy cuticles and, if you wish, a carefully applied polish. Everything is done on the natural nail.

You can come for regular upkeep, before an event, or to get your hands back in shape after a while without any care. You can choose simple hand care, with no colour, or a gel polish so that you do not have to think about it for several weeks.

This page is only about hands. For feet, see the pedicure page.

Which manicure should you choose?

We offer three kinds of hand treatment: hand care, a manicure with polish, and polish on its own. The choice depends on how much time you have and on the condition of your nails.

• Complete hand care (1 h, CHF 70): the full ritual, with a soak, a scrub, cuticle care, filing and a moisturising massage.
• Express hand care (30 min, CHF 30): a quick treatment, with filing, cuticles and finishing.
• Manicure + regular polish (1 h, CHF 40): the manicure followed by a regular polish.
• Manicure + gel polish (1 h, CHF 55): the manicure followed by a gel polish.
• Polish on its own: regular (CHF 23, with filing) or gel (CHF 35), in 30 min.
• Complete manicure for men (1 h, CHF 50).

Regular polish or gel polish?

Regular polish dries in the air and comes off with ordinary nail polish remover; gel polish is cured under a lamp and generally lasts longer. At the salon, the price difference is a few francs: CHF 40 against CHF 55 with the manicure.

Regular polish suits you if you like to change colour often or prefer to take it off yourself. Gel polish suits you if you want a glossy result that lasts, with no touch-ups. It does need careful removal, though: do not peel it off, as you would damage the surface of the nail.

We go through this choice in detail in the guide shellac vs regular polish.

What happens during a manicure at SIMEHA Institut?

A manicure at the salon starts with shaping the nails and caring for the cuticles and ends, depending on the treatment you choose, with a moisturising massage or with the polish. It takes from 30 min to 1 h.

If you are already wearing gel polish, remember to book the removal as well (CHF 20, 30 min). We offer a simple removal and a removal with filing and oil, at the same price. Without a booked removal, the time set aside for your manicure may not be enough.

You choose your colour at the salon. If you have a precise idea, you can describe it on WhatsApp before you come.

Tips before and after your manicure

Before a manicure, come with clean hands and, if possible, without any rich cream: polish holds better on a dry nail. After the treatment, moisturise your hands and cuticles every day.

Before your appointment:

• do not cut your cuticles yourself;
• keep a little length if you want a precise shape;
• mention a broken or fragile nail when you sit down.

After your appointment:

• wear gloves for the washing-up and the housework;
• apply an oil or a cream to your cuticles;
• do not use your nails as tools;
• have your gel polish removed at the salon rather than scratching it off.

Book a manicure

Where is the salon?

SIMEHA Institut is at Rue Caroline 41, 1227 Genève, Suisse, in the Acacias district. The salon is open Tuesday to Friday from 10:00 to 19:00 and Saturday from 10:00 to 17:00.

You book online, with no account: the treatment, the time, then your first name, phone number and email. You pay at the salon. You can book a manicure and a pedicure on the same day; all prices are gathered on the prices page.