A nail care guide for the Hanoi summer
Seven small habits between appointments that keep your gel looking fresh until you fly home.
Hanoi in May means 32-degree afternoons, the kind of humidity that fogs your sunglasses on the way out of the studio, and three months of monsoon to follow. Your hands are about to do a lot — gripping scooter handlebars, holding cold coffee, washing themselves four times a day. Here's how to keep your gel looking fresh until you fly home.
Pick a finish that forgives the weather.
Glossy gel hides nothing. Every smudge of moisturiser, every faint scratch from a tote-bag strap will show in the right light. If you're spending the next two weeks outside, ask us for a soft-matte topcoat or a satin finish — both wear in more kindly, and both look better the longer they're worn. We keep three matte topcoats on the shelf; tell us how matte you want and we'll mix it on the spot.
If you're set on a high-shine finish (and we get it — there's nothing like a wet-look red), book a quick top-up at day eight or nine. It takes 20 minutes and we'll have you back on Yên Ninh with a fresh seal before lunch.
Seven things to do between appointments.
- Cuticle oil, twice a day. Once in the morning, once before bed. Skip it on travel days and your edges will look two weeks older than they are.
- Wear gloves for washing up. Hot water + dish soap is the fastest way to lift a gel manicure off the nail plate.
- Carry a small bottle of hand cream in the bag you actually open. The one in the suitcase doesn't count.
- Don't pick. We know — but if a corner lifts, come back in, don't tug. Two minutes with a file beats a chipped tip.
- Sun cream goes on top of the nail, not around it. Your gel is UV-resistant; your skin is not.
- If you swim in the lake, dry your hands fully before bed. Wet gel for hours softens the bond.
- Book the next appointment before you leave. Hanoi summer is busy and we'd rather hold a chair for you than turn you away.
When to come back in.
For most guests, a regular gel manicure looks great for 14 to 18 days. Past three weeks, the regrowth at the cuticle starts to read on its own and a refill is the right move. If you're on a longer trip — three months in Southeast Asia, six weeks teaching English up north — schedule a soak-off and re-do at the four-week mark. The plate underneath needs the air.
And if you're flying out tomorrow: drop in for a 10-minute top-coat refresh. It's on us if you booked the original set with us.
— Lyah
