When it comes to beauty, there’s a reason we often find ourselves looking at Brazil—there’s Brazilian waxes, the Brazilian butt lift and, of course, Gisele. But when it comes to our manicures, should they also be Brazilian?
What seems to be a new trend in nails, the Brazilian manicure, involves soaking the hands in paraffin wax and exfoliating them. Then the cuticles are completely removed (as in not just trimmed and cleaned—literally removed) to reveal a cleaner look—a look that’s often desired in Brazil. In some cases, the cuticle is removed to the point where they start to bleed. If that alone doesn’t seem problematic, then you might want to read about your manicurists’ dirty little secret.
As for polish, it’s painted on the skin that surrounds the nail, coating all the edges, so that it lasts longer. The excess nail polish is usually removed with a piece of cotton that is dipped in nail polish remover and wrapped around an orange wood stick. But in some cases, it’s even aggressively scraped off.
“A lot of people enjoy getting Brazilian manicures because they get hooked on the super clean look,” says New York manicurist and owner of JINsoon Hand and Foot Spa, Jin Soon Choi. “But I don’t recommend them because a few days after cutting off so much of the cuticle, it grows back ragged and starts to peel. There is a reason why cuticles exist; they are the barrier between your nails and skin.”
While we love a good manicure, we may want to sit this one out due to its aggressive nature and suggest you do too. Have you ever had a Brazilian manicure? Tell us what you think in the comments below.
