ROAD TEST

This week I try… a long overdue manicure.

THE LOWDOWN I’m finally back in the beauty saddle for my first manicure in months. I recline on the body-moulding bed in the sun- filled treatment room and close my eyes as Serena works her magic on my jaded hands. This is sheer bliss! She applies a customised cuticle softener which has aloe vera for nail and cuticle nourishment, then my fingertips are soaked. Next, she shapes my nails into the perfect soft square, having pushed back my cuticles and tidied up around the edges. My nail plate is buffed and then two coats of polish are applied with meticulous precision, followed by a topcoat. Serena then massages my hands. I don’t want it to stop.

DOWNTIME Forty-five minutes, and the polish lasts for a week.Results My nails are shining beacons! They are perfectly polished and my hands are supple and soft.

WHERE TO GET IT Sydney: Jocelyn Petroni, jocelynpetroni.com.
Cost: $80 for the Chanel manicure. Melbourne: Missy Lui (for a similar treatment), missylui.com.au. Cost: $90.

AT HOME Try my new favourite colour, the super-flattering Chanel Washed Denim (1300 242 635).

Words by Stephanie Darling for Sunday Life