Pink Nail Bar
Pink Nail Bar is a licensed nail salon with a wide range of beauty services for anyone in need of pampering.
Biogel, acrylic and shellac manis are offered along with spa pedicures, lash extensions and waxing inside this boozy, dog-friendly nail bar that strives to be the top spot to unwind on Ossington.
The black, white and pastel pink interior includes a plush couch and a front bar for wine and bubbly. But a cherry blossom tree in the corner grabs the most attention, its long branches reaching the ceiling.
About 10 manicure tables and a similar amount of leather, massage-giving spa chairs lead to the back of the shop while nightfall will see the space entirely pink-lit by the LED lights overhead.
Further marking a visit to the salon as a full-fledged experience than just another standard nail appointment is the Moet champagne or J. Lohr wine available to order and drink.
Coffee or tea is also given complimentary with every service along with a special-made mango or peach French macaron or cookie. Apple or orange juice is on offer for any younger kids in the chair.
With over a hundred regular polishes, a thousand shellac and two thousand dipping powder colours, nail options are nearly endless – even slightly anxiety-inducing for the more indecisive types.
My nails are given a fresh coat of a sparkly lavender colour, which I'm told is part of an exclusive, new gel polish line from Bossy.
You'll be in good hands with any one of the 10 professionally-trained nail techs on staff and high-quality UV nail dryers mean far less of that uncomfortable burning you can feel during gel or acrylic application.
Every manicure ends off with a hot towel wrap and hand massage.
The full set of biogel ($60) is applied evenly for a smooth finish. Even the broken nail on my index finger, once partially cut painfully low into the nail, has been expertly repaired with a bit of nail glue and precision.
A deluxe shellac pedicure ($60) runs $15 more than the standard shellac pedi but includes a full jasmine or lavender soak, exfoliating scrub and mask that leaves your feet feeling silky smooth.
Hana La opened Pink Nail Bar after training in nails at another Toronto nail salon. Before that, she owned a spa for 10 years in Vietnam. It was her husband, an owner of a Toronto moving company, who pushed her to open a nail salon of her own on the Ossington strip.
La is already planning another location in Kensington Market.
Fareen Karim