File under nails

THEY are all the rage in New York and are taking London by storm. Now thanks to two York women, the North has its very first 'nail bar'. Nailbarone, the trendy new beauty outlet in Swinegate, York, offers manicures to both sexes, promising maximum results with minimum fuss.

Treatments on offer range from a simple ten-minute 'shape and shine' at £5 to a luxury hand bath, massage, cuticle therapy, file and polish - simply called 'escape' - at £20.

For the boys, there is 'bar man' at £8 - a general tidy up - and the more in depth 'man-i-cure' at £15.

Nailbarone is the brain child of Maxine Hill and Jackie Kilpatrick, two trained manicurists. They have three other members of staff and offer nail art and an extensions service too.

The outlet operates on a first-come, first-served basis, only taking appointments for extensions.

On arrival, customers tell the receptionist which treatment they want, then are shown to a sink area where they wash their hands and remove any varnish they are wearing.

"This means they can have more time with the nail technician," explains Maxine.

While waiting, customers can have a complimentary coffee, read the latest magazines, or browse the extensive range of nail and hand products on sale (gift vouchers for treatments are available too). Next year, Jackie and Maxine hope Nailbarone will be licensed to sell alcohol.

To discover whether Nailbarone gets the thumbs up, we tried out a his and hers treatment. Here are our findings...THEY are all the rage in New York and are taking London by storm. Now thanks to two York women, the North has its very first 'nail bar'. Nailbarone, the trendy new beauty outlet in Swinegate, York, offers manicures to both sexes, promising maximum results with minimum fuss.

Treatments on offer range from a simple ten-minute 'shape and shine' at £5 to a luxury hand bath, massage, cuticle therapy, file and polish - simply called 'escape' - at £20.

For the boys, there is 'bar man' at £8 - a general tidy up - and the more in depth 'man-i-cure' at £15.

Nailbarone is the brain child of Maxine Hill and Jackie Kilpatrick, two trained manicurists. They have three other members of staff and offer nail art and an extensions service too.

The outlet operates on a first-come, first-served basis, only taking appointments for extensions.

On arrival, customers tell the receptionist which treatment they want, then are shown to a sink area where they wash their hands and remove any varnish they are wearing.

"This means they can have more time with the nail technician," explains Maxine.

While waiting, customers can have a complimentary coffee, read the latest magazines, or browse the extensive range of nail and hand products on sale (gift vouchers for treatments are available too). Next year, Jackie and Maxine hope Nailbarone will be licensed to sell alcohol.

To discover whether Nailbarone gets the thumbs up, we tried out a his and hers treatment. Here are our findings...

HER TREATMENT

Maxine tries 'escape'

YOU'VE heard of the yo-yo dieter, well meet the yo-yo nail biter. Currently in recovery, I've managed to resist nibbling my nails for a couple of months and thought I deserved a reward. So from the menu on offer at Nailbarone, it had to be 'escape', billed as the 'deluxe spa treatment - pure indulgence'.

My technician Maxine began by cleansing my hands with some effervescent liquid, which refreshingly fizzed in my palms the way Space Dust sweets sizzle on the tongue. It was the first of many pleasurable sensations over the next 45 minutes.

Exfoliation came next, followed by the application of some cream to my ragged cuticles.

Next, my hands were soaked for five minutes in a bowl of warm water. Cuticles nicely softened by this point, Maxine softly pushed them back with an orange stick, removing any stray skin which was falling away. No cutting is allowed at Nailbarone, and Maxine insisted that in time, with regular treatments - most of which I could do at home with some special cream - my cuticles would start to look 'normal' again.

Next, my hands were smothered in a hand cream then placed in a plastic glove, then inserted into hot mitts. After five minutes of being baked, they were freed and the remaining cream massaged into my hands. Bliss.

Next, my nails were quickly shaped and polish was applied - a deep plum colour called Sway Date from American nailcare firm Essie (a favourite of Madonna's apparently).

A top coat was applied to help speed up the drying process, but I also popped my hands under some special nail dryers to help the polish set. At this point, I smudged a nail, but Maxine quickly redid it - admitting it was a regular request.

The treatment left me with super-glossy nails and silky-soft hands which remained so for the rest of the day.

The atmosphere in the salon was chatty and relaxed, with everyone sitting around a horseshoe-shaped table. When the drinks arrive next year, a trip to Nailbarone will be even more appealing.

HIS TREATMENT

Dan tries 'man-i-cure'

I'm not the most image-aware man you'd ever meet - I've not been in a barber's for five years, let alone a nail bar. So you can appreciate that I felt self-conscious.

Jackie, my technician and one of the ever-enthusiastic founders of the nail parlour, told me to wash my hands. I did so sheepishly.

A little embarrassed at my bitten and dirty nails, I watched nervously as we rubbed hands in this strange, fizzy stuff. It turned out to be the first of many unusual products I was to sample during my treatment.

A little nail serum was applied and then a strength-building potion before the cuticle-softening cream was rubbed in.

I was told that 20 per cent of customers were male, with many a barrister thrown in. At first the appeal of all this beauty nonsense was lost on me, but Jackie put me at ease.

Having my cuticles attacked with a big metal stick was a little disconcerting but painless. Although my nails were short, they began to appear longer after the horrible dead skin was knocked back.

And then I had a hand massage.

Quite how I managed to type this story I don't know. A soapy solution was rubbed all over my scabby, bruised and burnt fingers leaving me with a relaxed sensation you wouldn't have believed possible in this part of your body.

Perfect for the busy worker, somehow I went into a world of my own as Jackie's gentle fingers worked my hands.

A bit of buffing and a bit of filing and I was left with remarkably healthy and clean looking nails.

My initial concern at coming out with shiny, girly hands proved unfounded and it was a pleasant experience.

Much as I hate to admit it, it was good fun and I may even go back again.

Nailbarone, 12 Swinegate, York, YO1 8AZ, telephone: 01904 670900. Open Monday to Saturday.