Blush Nail Lounge

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Though it's below street level in a neighborhood awash with nail salons, Blush Nail Lounge is easy to spot due to its location in a candy-pink townhouse. The "blush" theme extends inside the salon: exposed brick walls and dark wood floors are bathed in the warm pink glow that radiates from a statement neon sign perched just behind the counter. Owned and run by Vanessa Diaz, a native New Yorker who used to work in fashion, the eight-seat nail parlor feels feminine, but not tackily so. Diaz has achieved a stylish aesthetic with private fifties-style booth seats for manicures, cushy elevated armchairs, and a stream of retro pop hits pumping from the stereo. Friendly staff dressed in simple black uniforms provide standard manicures and pedicures using Essie and OPI polishes, as well as more luxurious, aromatic offerings like the signature Milk and Honey mani-pedi, a combination of real milk, chrysanthemum petals, molten honey, and a paraffin wrap that can resurrect the most damaged of New York feet. The downtown location ensures an eclectic array of customers—waxes are popular with European men staying at one of the many nearby hotels—and event and group bookings are encouraged. Students get 10 percent off all services. — Alexa Tsoulis-Reay