Builder-gel overlay, new
90 minPrep, a thin overlay built over each natural nail, a short shape and a sheer or soft color. Add a simple line or a French edge.
New clients start hereDeposit to book
Book: Builder-gel overlay, newBuilder gel and natural nail care · Boise, Idaho
Short, natural nails, with a layer of builder gel
A one-chair suite on North 13th Street. Stefanie builds a thin overlay on your own nails, one client at a time, and removal is always booked first. Taking new clients.
What builder gel is
A layer over your own nails, not an extension
Builder gel is a thick gel that is built in a thin layer over the natural nail and cured under a lamp.
It follows the shape you already have. It does not add length, and it is not acrylic or a tip. If you want your nails short and neat, with a little structure, it is a good fit; if you want length, this is not the studio for that.
A thin layer
Built over each natural nail in two coats, then cured.
Your own length
Shaped short, to the nail you came in with.
Not an extension
No tips, forms or added length, and no acrylic.
Taken off, not pulled
Soaked and lifted off at a removal visit.
The menu
A time on every line
Overlays and natural manicures, with how long each takes. Prices show when you book.
Builder-gel overlays
A thin layer of builder gel over your own nails, shaped short and cured under a lamp. It is not an extension.
Overlay fill
75 minRebalances the overlay as your nail grows out: the new growth is prepped and built, then recolored if you like.
Every 3 to 4 weeksDeposit to bookBook: Overlay fillRemoval and new overlay
120 minTakes off your old overlay or gel, then builds a new one. Choose this when you are changing shape or color.
Removal firstDeposit to bookBook: Removal and new overlay
Natural manicures
For nails that stay as they are.
Short natural manicure
40 minShape, cuticle care, a buff and polish in a color from the shelf. Add cuticle oil and a hand massage.
Deposit to bookBook: Short natural manicureGel manicure
50 minGel polish cured under the lamp, so it is dry when you leave. Add a simple line.
Deposit to bookBook: Gel manicureStructured manicure
60 minCareful cuticle work and a thin builder-gel base only where your nail needs it, finished in gel color.
Deposit to bookBook: Structured manicure
Prices depend on the service and its length, and show on the booking page when you choose a time. Times are for a typical visit.
A new overlay
A visit, from the first look to the finish
About an hour and a half in the chair. Each step has its own time.
- 0110 min
Step 1: Talk and look
We talk about the shape and length you want, then look at your natural nails together.
- 0225 min
Step 2: Prep
Cuticle care, a gentle buff and a dry wipe, so the gel has a clean nail to sit on.
- 0340 min
Step 3: Build the overlay
A thin layer of builder gel goes over each nail and is cured under the lamp, in two coats.
- 0415 min
Step 4: Shape and finish
A short shape, your color, a top coat and cuticle oil. Then we book your fill.
Your technician
One chair, one technician
You see the same person at every visit, and nobody is waiting behind you.
Stefanie runs Almond as a one-chair suite: one client at a time, with no one waiting behind you. She builds thin builder-gel overlays and does short natural manicures, and she looks at your natural nails before she picks a product.
Clients
What clients say
“Stefanie looked at my natural nails before she picked anything. It is the first nail visit that has not felt rushed.”
Kasey T.Overlay client
“I wanted something short that still looks like my own nails. She showed me what builder gel can do and what it cannot.”
Nilda R.New client
“Booking removal first meant nothing was hurried, and the times on the menu were right to the minute.”
Gaye M.Regular
Sample reviews.
Book a visit
Choose a time
Pick a service, and the booking page shows its time and its price. A deposit holds your visit.
Questions
What people ask first
Are walk-ins welcome?
No. Almond is a one-chair suite, so every visit is booked ahead and your time is yours.
Do I need to book removal first?
If your nails were done somewhere else, yes. Book removal first, so there is time to take it off gently. Please don't pull gel off yourself.
Will builder gel make my nails longer?
No. It is a layer over your natural nail, shaped short. It is not an extension, a tip or acrylic.
What if a nail lifts?
Tell us within a week and we will look at it with you.
How does pricing work?
Prices depend on the service and its length, and show on the booking page. A deposit holds your visit and goes toward your service.