I got ma nails diiidddd! I love getting manicures and pedicures and everything in between. I mean who doesn’t?

People usually get their nails done when they’re on the go and look for the most convenient locations, which they THINK are only in shopping centres. Having to sit in the stench of acetone and wait whilst the nail technicians finish off somebody else’s toes before moving onto you. Shopping trolleys awkwardly in the way. Nope, not relaxing at all.

I recently went to Orchid Day Spa located in the Melbourne CBD and it. Was. Great. I’m guilty of the above. I’ll admit it. But now that I’ve experienced what a relaxing manicure is meant to be like – I am never going back.

It’s easy to miss as its located on the busy Hardware lane – full of cafes and eateries. There’s a sign on the window and a single door that leads up to the “reception”. It’s quite a small place – but does not feel crowded at all. I was 10 minutes early and waited in the “waiting area”. I’d have to say this was probably the only downfall of my experience. The salon is set in an open plan design so the seating is next to the tables where someone else was getting their nails done. And I know, you usually see others getting their nails done too, but as we were the only people there along with the quiet, tranquil music, I felt as though I was intruding on the technician and customers personal space. Maybe I’m just weird. They have water, tea, coffee and cookies in the area too! *BONUS* There are only 3 tables set up for manicures and no big pedicure machine chair things. They do offer pedicures but with the use of a foot spa. There are 2 rooms for massages and facials as well.

I’m not going to bore you with every second of my manicure but I’ll give you a quick rundown. I had the “Hand Spa Therapy” which involves a normal manicure with a scrub, lotion and massage of the hands. (Oh My God I did not realise how much I needed a hand massage after my exams!) This treatment costs $50* and lasts around 45 mins. Instead of selecting a colour from a wall, I was given colour wheels but not wheels – just a single nail on a long stick. This made it a lot easier to choose as I could assess how opaque the polish was. I went for a lobster red. The lovely lady and I were able to have a proper conversation with no interruptions. The music was so peaceful and calming that my eyes closed at times and I was too tired/relaxed to talk. She was very careful whilst cutting my nails and cuticles. She checked several times to make sure all my nails were the same length and the shape I requested – squoval. Polish application was great, although when I look closely at my nails now, the beds of my nails could have been a bit neater as she applied a thick top coat (which I love) and you can see where the top coat is missing from the edged of the nail bed if you look carefully.
It’s been a few days now and I have been receiving many compliments on the colour. People have also asked if it was Shellac – it’s seriously that shiny!
I love the atmosphere of this place so much that im planning on coming back for a massage and a facial.

I found out about Orchid Day Spa through Vaniday – a new app used to locate beauty salons nearby. Think Urbanspoon/Zomato but for haircuts and facials instead of food. It’s really handy when you’re on the go and want to get something done. You simply enter in your post code and select the service you want and it will come up with salons. The salons listed have agreed to be featured on the site so not all the available places come up. You can even pay online so you don’t have to do the awkward “pay before your nails are wet” dance we all do when getting our nails done.

I noticed a few things on the site and with my experience that may need some work. There needs to be better communication between the salon and Vaniday. I booked an appointment at 2:30 (all time slots were shows as available) but was sent a text by Vaniday asking to change to 3:15. This was totally fine but the salon should be able to notify Vaniday or update their own salon page on the website to reflect availabilities.

Also, when filling out the fields in the payment form, they have to be done in order – otherwise it won’t work! (Well it didn’t for me at least!) BUT apart from these, I love the app! It’s convenient – and great for those of us who don’t like calling to make bookings!

Overall, I really enjoyed my time at Orchid Day Spa and will use Vaniday again. It’s perfect for those who don’t like calling people to book appointments and is super convenient – book on the go!

*This service was paid for by Vaniday for reviewing purposes. All opinions expressed in this post are of my own and are not influenced in any way.