Your nails are a mess. Cuticles are rough, shapes are uneven, and you just want them tidied up and looking presentable without committing to a full gel or BIAB set.
A manicure is the answer. It's the foundation nail service. Professional shaping, e-file cuticle work, and a clean finish that makes your nails look neat and healthy. No lamp, no gel, no extensions. Just well-groomed nails done properly.
At Aesthete Beauty in Dundee, there are three levels of manicure: Express for a quick tidy-up, Regular with OPI polish for classic colour, and Luxury for a full pampering hand treatment. All include dry e-file cuticle preparation, not water soaking and pushing. Every manicure is carried out by Radina Ignatova, a professional nail expert with over 11 years of experience whose work has been featured in Scratch Magazine and Who What Wear UK. Express Manicure starts from £25. Book online any time or call us on 01382 217888.
First-time clients get a digital consultation form by email before their appointment. It covers nail health and any concerns. If you’ve been before, you don’t need to fill it in again unless your health has changed.
Men are welcome too. Manicures aren’t gendered. Plenty of men book in for a cuticle tidy-up and nail shaping, particularly before job interviews, events, or just because they want their hands looking presentable. There’s no judgement and nobody will bat an eye.
A manicure is a professional nail care treatment that covers the basics: nail shaping, cuticle work, buffing, and finishing. It's the service that keeps your nails looking clean, neat, and healthy whether you're wearing polish or not.
At Aesthete Beauty, all manicures use dry e-file preparation rather than the traditional water soaking and manual pushing method. The e-file gives a more precise, cleaner result around the cuticle area and the dry technique means the nail plate stays stable throughout.
A manicure can be finished with regular OPI polish, cuticle oil only, or left natural. It's different from a gel polish manicure, which uses gel formula cured under an LED lamp for weeks of chip-free colour. A regular manicure is simpler, quicker, and doesn't require lamp curing or professional removal afterwards. Regular polish comes off with normal nail polish remover at home.
It's also the foundation that makes every other nail service work better. Healthy cuticles and well-shaped nails are the starting point for gel polish, BIAB, and extensions. If your basic nail health is good, everything else lasts longer and looks better.
There are four manicure options at Aesthete Beauty, depending on how much time you have and what you want from the appointment.
Express Manicure (from £25). The quick tidy-up. E-file cuticle work, nail shaping, buffing, and finished with cuticle oil. No polish, no extras. This is the one for clients who just want their nails neat and presentable in the shortest time possible. Good for a lunch break or a quick maintenance visit between gel sets.
Manicure with OPI Polish (from £35). Same professional preparation as the express, plus regular OPI polish in any colour. Classic manicure with a colour finish. OPI polish goes on smooth, has a great colour range, and comes off easily at home with regular remover when you're ready.
Luxury Manicure without polish (from £40). This is the pampering treatment. Full e-file cuticle work, nail shaping, exfoliating scrub to remove dead skin from the hands, nourishing butter, a hydrating mask, and finished with cuticle oil. Your hands come out soft, moisturised, and your nails look immaculate. No polish, just a natural, groomed finish.
Luxury Manicure with polish (from £55). Everything in the luxury treatment plus OPI polish in your chosen colour. The full experience.
Any manicure can be upgraded with gel polish, BIAB, or Russian manicure preparation if you decide you want something longer-lasting.
Great service and a lovely manicure/hand treatment. Would thoroughly recommend the treatment. Very soft hands and lovely nails.
Healthy cuticles without soreness. The e-file removes dead cuticle skin precisely without cutting or tearing. No metal nippers, no sore fingers, no risk of nicks or bleeding. Your cuticles look clean and neat without any of the discomfort that rough manual work can cause.
Correct nail shape. Whatever shape you want, professionally filed. Almond, oval, square, squoval, round, or whatever suits your hands. Radina will advise if you're not sure, or recreate exactly what you ask for.
Pampered hands. The luxury manicure includes exfoliation, nourishing butter, and a hydrating mask. It's not just about the nails. Your hands come out softer, smoother, and moisturised. If your hands are dry from washing, cleaning, or the Scottish weather, the luxury treatment sorts that out.
Foundation for other services. Good basic nail health makes everything else last longer. Gel polish adheres better to well-prepped nails. BIAB bonds more securely. Extensions sit properly. A manicure is the maintenance that keeps the foundation in good shape.
Radina at work in the salon
No commitment to gel. Sometimes you just want your nails done without the commitment of gel or BIAB. Regular polish looks great, comes off at home with remover, and doesn't need a salon visit to take off. Simple.
Quick option available. The express manicure is fast. In and out with neat, tidy nails. No fuss.
Express Manicure from £25. Manicure with OPI Polish from £35. Luxury Manicure (no polish) from £40. Luxury Manicure (with polish) from £55.
Russian Manicure (dry, no polish) from £40. Russian Manicure with Gel Polish from £65.
Upgrades available: gel polish, BIAB, Russian manicure preparation.
All current pricing is in the online booking system. Pick your service, choose your time, done. You can also call us on 01382 217888 or message on WhatsApp.
Lovely salon, it is so clean! Had a beautiful manicure done by Radina, the customer service was great.
Here's exactly what happens at each level.
The hygiene standard is the same whether you book a 25 minute express or a two hour extension appointment. Vodex dust extraction runs during all e-file work. Every client gets fresh disposable files and buffers used once and thrown away. All reusable metal tools are cleaned and sterilised between appointments. Radina wears gloves throughout. Clients mention it in reviews constantly. “Friendly, clean boutique salon.” “A huge selection of colours and a very clean place.”
First-time clients get a short digital consultation form by email before their appointment covering nail health, skin conditions, and any concerns. Radina reads it before you arrive so no time gets wasted going over the basics when you sit down.
Tools prepared for your appointment
Your nails get filed to whatever shape you prefer. Square, round, almond, oval, squoval. Radina will check what you want and shape each nail consistently.
Dry e-file work to clean up the cuticle area and remove dead skin. This is precise, controlled work. No water soaking, no manual pushing with metal tools.
The nail surface is buffed smooth. This brings out a natural shine and creates a clean surface for polish if you're having it applied.
Exfoliating hand scrub to remove dead skin. Nourishing butter to hydrate. A mask treatment for deeper moisturisation. This is the pampering part.
OPI polish in your chosen colour (if booked), or cuticle oil for a natural finish. Regular polish air dries during the appointment.
If any of these sound familiar, a manicure is what you need:
A manicure isn't the right choice if you want colour that lasts weeks without chipping. For that, gel polish manicure is the better option. And if your nails are weak or breaking, BIAB provides structural support that a regular manicure doesn't.
Had my nails done for a special occasion. Very pleased with them. A lovely salon, immaculate! Definitely recommend.
All manicures at Aesthete Beauty include e-file cuticle preparation, nail shaping, and buffing. The express finishes with cuticle oil. The regular adds OPI polish. The luxury adds exfoliation, nourishing butter, hydrating mask, and cuticle oil.
Express is the quick tidy-up: cuticle work, shaping, buffing, cuticle oil. Luxury adds a full hand treatment with exfoliating scrub, nourishing butter, and hydrating mask. It's the difference between maintenance and pampering.
Express from £25. With OPI polish from £35. Luxury (no polish) from £40. Luxury (with polish) from £55. All pricing is in the online booking system.
Express takes around 25 minutes. Regular with polish around 35-40 minutes. Luxury takes longer because of the hand treatment. Radina will give you a time estimate when you book.
Yes. Gel polish can be added as an upgrade to any manicure. This turns it into a gel polish manicure with LED curing for longer-lasting colour. Gel Polish Manicure is also available as a standalone service from £43.
A regular manicure uses standard OPI polish that air dries and comes off with remover at home. A gel manicure uses gel polish cured under an LED lamp that lasts two to three weeks without chipping. Different products, different longevity.
Both are available. Regular OPI polish is included in the standard manicure. Gel polish is a separate service or available as an upgrade.
Yes. Russian Manicure dry starts from £40. It uses specialist cuticle powder and diamond e-file bits for the most precise cuticle work possible. It's the ultimate upgrade for cuticle preparation.
Yes. A manicure is nail care, not nail art. Cuticle work, shaping, buffing. Plenty of men book in regularly and it’s a completely standard part of the service list. You don’t need to specify “men’s manicure” when booking. Just book a manicure.
Yes. A standard manicure with regular OPI polish involves no chemicals that are a concern during pregnancy. The dry e-file preparation means you’re not soaking in any solutions. If you want to avoid gel polish during pregnancy, a regular manicure with standard polish is the safest option. The salon also has good ventilation with Vodex dust extraction.
Love love love coming here to get my nails done. Never disappointed.
Whether you want a quick tidy-up or a full luxury hand treatment, your nails are in good hands. E-file preparation, OPI products, and expert care.
We serve clients from across Dundee and the surrounding areas including the West End, Broughty Ferry, Newport-on-Tay, Monifieth, Carnoustie, and further afield.
