Spa Sunday Review: The Bastien Gonzalez Mani: Pedi: Cure experience

04 Apr 2011, Posted by Cape Town Girl in CTG recommends, beauty, cape town, girl stuff, lifestyle, south africa, spa saturdays, things to do, weekends, 2 Comments

One&Only Island Spa - where the Bastien Gonzalez studio is located

Yesterday I went for a Bastien Gonzalez Manicure and Pedicure as an Easter treat to myself. They have a ‘chocoholics special’ on at the moment. The treatment involves cocoa-infused products so I figured it would be a better option that Easter Eggs, which really just set one back in the skinny jeans department, and with winter coming up well… Anyway, I’d heard loads about it, but having been for many such treatments in my life, the truth is I wasn’t expecting anything vastly different, apart from the fact that I had booked a ‘natural treatment’, as in, they weren’t going to paint my nails. Now if you paint your nails a lot you’ll know that it kinda messes up your nails, so in fact I was skeptical that this would be better than having some colour put on.

Bastien Gonzalez does do colour if you want - but I went for the natural treatment.

But I was completely surprised. The Bastien Gonzalez method is all about restoring nail health, rather than splashing out with colours, so it’s great for holidays and times when you want to take a break from the grooming cycle. The Gonzalez method eliminates the yellow from previous coats of paint, and restores the nails to their natural pink, and shapes them in a way that means they grow out stronger and healthy and look gorgeous – yet don’t have a stitch of paint on them! Kim & Celeste were my therapists and Kim did an amazing job of explaining to me what she was doing. First all existing colour was removed, then the nails were shaped, and then buffed. The whole thing was done dry – no soaking in water, only a swift coat of paraffin.

They buffed my nails with an exfoliant made from ground up pearls – called Stardust Buffing Paint- and then they polished the buffed nails with a chammy (am not kidding) and added some cuticle drops and the result was that my nails look like I’d had a French Manicure but they literally have nothing on them, not even a gloss. And they are smoother than if there was a gloss on them. Magic!

The same was done to my feet, and after the nails were done, I got a hand and foot massage with cocoa-infused paraffin wax which was just incredible, and makes you want to eat your hands and feet, and comes as part of the treatment. Luckily they give you Lindt hot chocolate to stop you gnawing on your paws. Guys – this is a great Easter gift for ladies and they have an Easter special on. Check it out here until special offers or call 021 431 5810 or email reservations@oneandonlycapetown.com. The special runs until the end of April.