CalGel Nails: Discover the New Japanese Nail Art at Wonderland Beauty Parlor

By Alexis Wolfer

There is something about perfectly polished fingers that makes us happy. Maybe it’s that we spend so much time typing away at our computers that we just can’t help but stare at our latest lacquer. Or perhaps it’s that our nails seem like the perfect place to “add more color to our lives,” as per the recommendation of our contributing life coach. Regardless, we know we’re not alone. At NY Fashion Week, glittered, chromed and otherwise elaborate manicures left us lusting. And while we’re predicting nail art to be a must-have trend come fall, we see no reason to have to wait until then.

See another one of our favorite trends from NY Fashion Week!

For many women though, (myself, unfortunately, included,) nail art has always been unreasonable: not only are elaborate designs expensive (even on our uber-short nails), but for those of us with weak nails that bend, peel and chip, we’re lucky if our deigns last a few days before they too chip and peel. And while silk wraps, acrylics and UV gels have long been available to help us achieve those strong nails that withstand the test of time, they have all come at a hefty price – both financially and nail-health wise.

Wonderland Beauty Parlor in NYC, however, is helping even those of us with weak nails jump on the nail art trend as one of the few places state-side to offer CalGel. By way of Japan, CalGel is the latest nail technique that doesn’t damage the natural nail (extensive buffing isn’t required, it’s free from toxic polymers and allows the nail to breathe), looks natural (it’s applied in thin layers so your nails won’t look “fake”), and actually integrates the art within the gel (instead of painting it on top) for designs that last up to a month!

In London? Try this salon for fabulous nail art!

While a few other salons in the US offer CalGel, we’re partial to Wonderland because, well, to call Aya Fukuda anything less that an insanely talented artist (who happens to choose nails as her medium) would be an insult. With glitter, rhinestones, animal prints and other adornments, Aya uses the nail strengthening CalGel to create intricate nail art that would stop even a strutting runway model in her tracks – in fact, on multiple occasions during NY Fashion Week I was stopped by makeup artists and designers alike who commented on my fashion-forward fingers.

Click here to see another spring nail trend!

And while CalGels are still pricey at $110 and up, all beauty comes at a price. And this price is worth it! They not only look fun and flirty, but also last an astonishing 4 weeks on even our keyboard-pounding fingers. (A manicure each week for the month would cost us about $60 and look nowhere near as astounding – nor actually last the entire week!).

The Beauty Bean’s bottom line: Worth it! Well worth it! We’re hooked!

CalGel Manicure with Aya, $110 and up, Wonderland Beauty Parlor

Wonderland Beauty Parlor
418 W. 13^th Street
NY, NY 10014
212.524.2800