STILL London is a non-toxic, cruelty-free, vegan and environmentally friendly nail studio and wellness salon based in Dalston. Many traditional nail salons use polishes that are full of harmful nasties, including Formaldehyde, Toluene and Dibutyl Phthalate, but STILL stands for none of that. Specialising in non-toxic manicures and offering amazing tailored designs by their top nail art technicians, STILL inspires your creative side, while doing no harm to the planet. 

BALANCE popped along to the East London salon to see just what all the fuss was about and try out a treatment – we opted for the Icelandic Arctic Ocean Soak and Massage with Non-Toxic Gel Polish Manicure – and we were not disappointed! 

As you walk into the Instagrammable salon, you are greeted by the relaxing and comforting scent of burning incense. We already know that this is going to be a wonderful experience. Next, you’ll be handed a hot cup of herbal tea, because is there any better way to start a pamper session? 

THE TREATMENT

Sitting down with your technician, you’re asked to choose your non-toxic colour (or colours) before your nails are prepped for application. One instantly noticeable aspect of the treatment is the distinct lack of smell. There’s no strong pong of nail polish remover and absolutely no smell coming from the gel polish being applied to your nails. Plus, there are absolutely no electric buffers in sight! 

Once the colour has been applied and has set, the treatment continues with a soak, scrub and massage. The technician will begin the soak by bathing your hands in a wooden bowl filled with warm water and hand-harvested pure Icelandic Sea Salt to help soften the skin. Next, you’ll dry off your hands and enjoy a thorough exfoliation using a salt scrub infused with Icelandic Moss, Arctic Thyme and Nordic Birch to help buff away dead skin cells and banish dryness. To round off the treatment, the therapist will gently massage your hands and the lower half of the arms, releasing tension using natural and organic botanical oil made from Red Clover, Rose-hip and Sea Buckthorn cold-pressed oils full of vitamins and anti-oxidants. 

THE VERDICT

All in all, this was truly relaxing, and guilt-free, treatment, that we wholeheartedly recommend you try out for yourself. For £50 a pop, this 1-hour treatment definitely is a treat, but if you’re just looking for gorgeous nails without the extra pampering, the standard Non-Toxic Gel Polish Manicure comes in at just £34 for a 45-minute file and shape, buff, cuticle work and polish.

STILL also sells crystals, incense as well as other wellness and skincare products within the studio, and offer additional magical, high vibration, holistic therapies by East of Indigo. The treatments focus on low tech, high vibe facials using crystals, energy healing, reflexology, massage and nature’s most beautiful ingredients to make you shine inside and out, performed by free spirit therapist Daisy who is an advocate for holistic wellness and natural medicine.

Book your treatment now at https://still-london.com/

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