The Brazilian You Haven't Heard About

By now you should know that the women in Brazil live a bit differently than women in the United States.  For starters, they spend more time in their Brazilian bikinis… for this reason, it’s not surprising that their beauty treatments are a bit different as well. Most American women have heard of the Brazilian wax, and we are, for the most part, on-board with that.  In case you haven’t tried it, a little hint: it gets easier the second time…TRUST ME.  There is also the ever-so-popular Brazilian Straightening which will calm your kinks for an extended period, leaving your luscious locks easy to tame.

 But ladies, there is another beauty treatment that remains a little known secret here in the states.  This week, we’re going to school you on the elusive Brazilian Manicure.  I’m not sure about you, but these days I’m starting my daily routine with tons of vitamins and supplements. Collagen for the skin.  Biotin for the hair.  And for me personally I have seen an improvement.  And some side effects, or should I say, side benefits.  My nails are growing like weeds… and they are strong as steel.  For most of my adult life I’ve been used to getting regular manicures every two weeks.  This is just, shall we say, an expected “cost of doing business” for a woman in the fashion industry. Your wardrobe needs to be up to date.  Your highlights need to be maintained. And your mani-pedi needs to be on point.

 That being said, with all this new growth, I was left with the issue of trying to keep up with my claws.  Enter the Brazilian Manicure.  What differs in a Brazilian vs. your standard, made in the USA version may seem a little un-orthodox, but I promise you, if you try it, you’ll like it.

 Let’s start with the Cuticle.  What exactly is a cuticle and what is it made of?  A cuticle is a thin, waxy membrane made up mostly of dead skin cells that lie at the base of the nail plate (aka “the nail”) and the top of the matrix.  The cuticle serves as a protective layer that keeps bacteria and other foreign matter from invading the matrix of the nail.  During the American Mani/Pedi, the cuticle is most often pushed back or trimmed, but not really “removed”.  In a Brazilian, as is the case with the wax, the technician will go a bit…deeper.  The full cuticle will be removed.  It is for this reason that you need to do a bit of homework.  You don’t want to go to just any salon, you need to go to a place that specializes in Brazilian Manicures.  You also need to make sure that the salon uses proper procedures of sanitation to sterilize the equipment and does not share instruments between clients without using proper techniques.  Even if you are just getting a regular manicure, it’s always a good idea to keep your eyes open and if you see them cutting corners or trying to save time by reusing equipment that has not been properly treated, don’t be afraid to speak up.  Your health should always come first!

 The second major difference in a Brazilian Manicure is that the full nail and everything around it is painted.  Yes, that’s right!  They do not color within the lines.  First a clear base coat is painted, on the nail and right over the edge of the nail, on to the fingertip.   Once this is dry, they do the same thing with the color.  This process forms a seal between the nail and the finger.  The polish actually seeps under what is left of the cuticle.  Instead of having that little space at the edge of your nail that looks unpolished, your nail will be fully covered, top to bottom.  Then, once the polish is dry, the technician removes the polish from the finger with an orange stick, a bit of cotton and some polish remover.  The result is a manicure that will look fresh for several days longer because it doesn’t look “grown out” as quickly.

 Now that we’ve given you the skinny on the Brazilian manicure, here are some tips on how to match some of our favorite nail lacquers with our new prints and colors from the Guria Beachwear 2020 Collection:

 From the Essie Fall 2019 Collection, we love the way Hay There matches the Yellow Shimmer fabric in Guria Rib Collection. 

OPI Grabs the Unicorn by the Horn is a perfect match to our Sky Blue group from the Guria Piqué collection. 

 If you like the shimmering leopard print of our new Formentera Group, you can find a great match in Porchester Square - Nude by NAILS INC.

 The color Ibiza From Deborah Lippmann full coverage Terra Cotta Crème Collection pairs well with our Coral Pink, also from the Ribbed Collection. 

 And Sweater Weather from Essie’s limited edition Fall 2019 collection looks smashing with any of the suits from our Majorca Group.

 But ladies, we don’t want to take all the fun out of it…after all who doesn’t love an afternoon outing to Sephora.  So grab your favorite Guria Brazilian Bikini at a store near you or online, and your best girlfriend and hit the mall to find your perfect match.  After all, summer may be ending, but shopping is always a good idea.

Written by JS