Brighten those talons for a deserved confidence boost

It doesn’t matter what outfit you are wearing, if your nails look good, then so do you. Whether an at-home paint job or a trip to the salon, freshly-coloured nails can make you feel confident even on your lowest days.

Whether you're trying to save a bit of cash, or you still don't feel comfortable being in small spaces, there's never a bad time to master doing your own manicure at home. There's a real satisfaction to painting your own nails and the compliments will flood in. Preps your nails correctly with these top tips.

Step 1: Clean your nails

Start with a good nail polish remover. Even if you don't have polish on, you'll still want to run a cotton ball of remover over each nail to get rid of any oils or dirt. Don't forget to wash your hands with soap and water after.

Step 2: Clip, file, and buff

This is when you're going to want to bust out that manicure set. Clip nails first, if necessary. Then file gently, moving in one direction to get your tips square, round, or somewhere in between. Finally buff, which is like brightening the surface ready for the fresh layers of polish.

Step 3: Exfoliate and moisturise

This step is the difference between feeling like you're in a salon rather than in your kitchen. Use a hand soap mixed with sea salt and rub gently across your hands, and in between your fingers.

Moisturise next to avoid smudging almost-dry nail polish later. Take the opportunity to give yourself a mini hand massage. To finish, swipe each nail with nail polish remover to get rid of residue.

Is Coya Spa Dubai's best kept secret?

Don't fancy doing them yourself? It’s no secret the UAE has options when it comes to spa choices. But if you want to ditch the five-star surroundings of a plush hotel, but don’t want to compromise on quality of treatments, we suggest a trip to Coya Spa in Mirdiff.

With Coya being one of the only spas in the UAE to stock the Monaco-favourite, Margy’s, the bar has already been raised. Spread over 5,000 sq ft and catering to every beauty need, from massages and facials to hair and nails, it’s a ladies-only haven offering wellness and beauty treatments, to a standard to rival even some of the most upmarket hotels in the country.

The Monte Carlo Botolift facial aims to reduce fine lines, wrinkles and smooth and plump the skin, and the experience is one like no other. While the results may be the main objective, the real treat is an hour of soothing creams, steam, circulation-boosting facial massages and even a relaxing arm and shoulder massage. Unlike many other soothing facials, the results are immediately noticeable, and a noticeable glowing and plumper skin will be visible as you head to the luxurious changing rooms or relaxation area. Coya Spa offers three Margy’s facials (from AED 450) Vitamin C, Botalift and StemCell, along with a range of Elemis facials, from AED 650.

The spa and its plush treatment rooms are open until 11pm, making it one of the city’s most accessible facilities to boot.

Coyaspa.comwww.coyaspa.com