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Starting tomorrow, Sephora will begin offering manicures through a partnership with airport nail experts XpresSpa. We took the Times Square location for a test run yesterday and discovered that the Sephora stations are fast, easy, and, depending on how crazy you go with styles, not necessarily that expensive. (Full disclosure: Ours was comped for research purposes.) If nail art wasn't ubiquitous before, this should push it squarely into the realm of the mainstream.
How it works: Customers select a style from the menu of options at the manicure stand. Prepare to be overwhelmed by all the choices—we picked the Wild Giraffe look, then spent the whole manicure feeling secretly jealous of the girl next to us and her badass neon ombre combo. After you make your choice, you'll go to the "Nail Studio"—a polish kiosk—and buy a base color from a range that includes Sephora by OPI, Nails INC, London, Illamasqua, NARS, and Dior. Then you'll bring it to your technician, who will work her magic. The price for nail art ranges $22 to $75, with the option to get all ten digits done or pay per nail. Once you're done, they'll give you a nail chart so that you can recreate the look yourself.
For the moment, Times Square and 34th Street are the only city locations offering the service, but Sephora has also stocked their website with details and how-to videos for those playing along at home. iPad users might also want to check out Sephora's nail art app, which offers big glossy photos and step-by-step instructions. Just try not to drip any polish on the screen.
· Sephora's Times Square Location Is Getting a Nail Salon [Racked NY]
· Nail Art[Sephora]