All photographs by Melissa Hom
Sakura Nail and Spa
35 E. 1st St., nr. First Ave.; 212-387-9161
There’s a sense of whimsy at this cozy, subterranean salon in the East Village, where most customers opt for the signature Calgel treatment (like acrylics but better for your nails), topped off with decals and intricate designs. For Halloween, Sakura gave us a manicure with Essie polish complete with spiderwebs and glittery skulls painted on with acrylic.
Service: Manicure with nail art and Swarovski rhinestones.
Pricing: Manicures from $12; nail art from $1.50 per finger; Swarovski rhinestones from 50 cents per rhinestone.
Valley
198 Elizabeth St., nr. Prince St.; 212-274-8985
This Nolita nail salon and spa, which shares a space with vintage clothing store Portia & Manny, has gained a following among the downtown fashion set for their sleek nail design. In their Laurel Canyon–inspired setting, the manicurist lengthened our nails with Prescription Nail extensions and topped them off with a cool, matte-black polish from the Williamsburg-based line Knock Out. A shiny topcoat was added to our tips for a tuxedo effect, and red acrylic to emulate blood. A ghost created with rhinestones completed the vamp-y look.
Service: Nail extensions with manicure, 3-D acrylic design, and crystal embellishments.
Pricing: Valley nail set extensions $50; manicure from $22; nail art from $3 per finger.
Marie Nails
155 Prince St., second fl., nr. W. Broadway; 646-370-4170
When given the challenge to create Halloween-esque nails, this newish Soho salon (which is based in Japan and has three L.A. locations) went with the holiday’s traditional black and orange colors and Halloween motifs. Our nails were painted with OPI “Black Onyx” and Essie “Bright Tights,” then adorned with black-lace and star decals, plus ghosts and pumpkins in acrylic.
Service: Manicure with 3-D nail art and stones.
Pricing: Manicure from $10; 3-D design from $3 per finger; stones five for $3.
