Health and beauty: a manicure at Pure Spa

What’s the point of a manicure? You sit for half an hour while someone makes a beautiful job of your nails, and when they’re done you dip your hand into your bag to get your wallet and scratch your still-soft polish with your keys.

Well, that’s what I always thought until I went to one of Edinburgh’s branches of Pure Spa (they also have a spa in the capital’s Ocean Terminal, as well as places in Glasgow and Aberdeen, see the website for full details) with a friend to try out their new range of Leighton Denny polishes. The key to a great mani, I’ve discovered, is to go with a pal and make an event of it. The ladies at Pure appreciate that getting your nails done is an indulgent treat and pamper you accordingly. Cup of freshly brewed tea and a delightful little cupcake? Don’t mind if I do.

As my buddy Ashley had opted for a deluxe pedicure, I had my hard-to-pin-down friend as a captive audience for 40 minutes while our therapist, Nadine, buffed and polished her scandalous city feet into sandal-worthy shape. That’s a lot of gossip time. While Ash’s toes were soaked in a softening solution (amusingly entitled Sole Pleasure) I was able to bring her up to speed with the ins and outs of my complicated love life (here’s hoping beauty therapists honour the same code as doctors, I’m sure they do). And after her feet were massaged with a fresh and minty exfoliant, Ash dispensed advice as our therapist dispensed with her cuticles. When Ashley’s toes were all soft and pretty, Nadine painted her nails with two coats of Leighton Denny’s Whatever polish, a flattering mauve shade, and a protecting glossy 
top coat.

Then it was Ashley’s turn to hold court while I put my hands into Nadine’s hands for my deluxe manicure. After my uncouth mitts were soaked, exfoliated, massaged and oiled, my nails were shaped into perfect “squovals” (that’s a square oval in case you were wondering) ready for painting. If you can’t decide on a polish colour (I never can) Pure are happy for you to mix and match from the range on offer. They will also allow you to devise “colour cocktails” by layering different lacquers. I opted for an incredible metallic blue called Ink Jet, plus showstealing Golden Girl for the nails of my ring fingers.

Did my manicure endure trial by keys? Not quite. Did we have the best girl date ever? I think we nailed it.

MERCY BREHENY

Pure Spa, 138 Lothian Road, Edinburgh (0131-221 9133, www.pure spauk.com)