Russian manicure
The dry e-file manicure behind every service we do: what it is, why we use it and why it is safe.
The Russian manicure, also called a dry or e-file manicure, tidies the cuticle without soaking: we remove the dead cuticle with an e-file and fine bits instead of soaking and cutting it. It is the basis of every service we offer, from extensions and gel polish to BIAB and pedicures.
Why no soaking
A nail that absorbs water swells and later shrinks back, so the gel lifts sooner. Skin softens and swells in water too, which makes for a less precise edge. Working dry leaves the nail and skin as they are, and the edge is more precise for it.
What we remove, and what we never touch
We remove only the dead cuticle stuck to the nail plate. The living rim of skin, the eponychium, stays untouched: it is the seal that protects the matrix, the part the nail grows from. So we do not cut it and we do not file it.
The visible nail, made of keratin. Once it grows out from under the skin it is no longer living, which is why gel cannot "suffocate" it.
Why it looks better and lasts longer
With the cuticle tidied right to the edge of the nail, colour goes on close to the skin with no gap. The nails look neater on day one and, more importantly, stay that way: the edge at the cuticle holds longer and the regrowth grows out cleanly. That is what decides how closely the colour bonds and how long it lasts without lifting.
Is it safe?
The Russian manicure has a bad name in places, because of videos with bleeding cuticles or tools that were not clean. Both come from poor work, not from the method. It is safe when three conditions are met:
- A trained hand. The right bit, the right speed and a light touch.
- Living skin is left alone. We remove only the dead cuticle; the eponychium stays intact.
- Clean tools. Sanding bits are single-use, and metal bits go through cleaning, disinfection and sterilisation before every client. The procedure is described under hygiene and sterilisation.
Does it hurt?
No. You feel a light vibration and some warmth, but no pain. If anything ever hurts or stings, say so: that is not normal, and we adjust straight away.
On toes too
Pedicures work the same way: dry, no soaking and no cutting of living skin. What a pedicure includes, and what we do not treat, is on the pedicure page.
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