Treatment guides

A lash lift is a semi-permanent treatment that reshapes your own natural lashes, curling them upwards from the root so they look longer, more open and beautifully defined without extensions or daily curling. It is often paired with a lash tint, which darkens the lashes for a mascara-effect finish. During the treatment your lashes are gently lifted onto a silicone shield or rod, then a lifting solution and a setting solution are applied in turn to soften the lashes, mould them into the new shape and lock that shape in place.

Lash and brow tinting uses a semi-permanent dye to darken your natural eyelashes and eyebrow hairs, giving definition without daily mascara or brow pencil. It is a quick, popular salon treatment that suits people who want their lashes and brows to look fuller and more defined, and it can be especially handy if your natural hairs are fair, grey or sparse-looking. The tint coats the hair itself rather than the skin, so the colour fades gradually as the hairs grow and shed.

Gel polish is a long-wearing nail coating that is painted on much like ordinary varnish, then set (cured) under a UV or LED lamp so it hardens on the nail. Because it stays glossy and chip-resistant for around two to three weeks, it is one of the most popular salon nail treatments in the UK. You will sometimes see it sold under brand names such as Shellac, or described as a builder-in-a-bottle (BIAB) overlay when a thicker, strengthening gel is used.

Nail art is the decorative finishing of the nails, ranging from simple hand-painted details and French tips to intricate designs, foils, chrome, gems, stamping and freehand work. It is applied over a base such as regular polish, gel polish, builder gel (BIAB), acrylic or a natural nail, and is one of the lower-risk treatments in a salon. Even so, the products involved are not risk-free: gel and acrylic systems contain reactive chemicals (notably methacrylates such as HEMA) that can cause a contact allergy if the uncured product touches skin, and UV or LED lamps are used to cure gel.

Brow lamination is a semi-permanent treatment that reshapes and sets your natural eyebrow hairs into a smoother, fuller, more uniform look. A gentle chemical lifting lotion softens the bonds within each hair so it can be brushed and held in a new direction, then a neutralising (or fixing) lotion resets those bonds to lock the shape in place. A nourishing serum usually finishes the treatment, and many salons offer an optional tint at the same time to add depth and definition. It suits unruly, sparse or downward-growing brows, giving a groomed, brushed-up effect without daily styling.