Koel Mallick. Picture: B.Halder

Koel Mallick

She’s got: Gel nails with sparkles.

Why she loves gel nails: I have a habit of biting my nails and to stop that I got gel nails. I went for sparkles so that they don’t turn yellowish easily. Besides, they look beautiful and dramatic, and also suit the characters I play on screen.

Where she gets her nails done: Kaara on Allenby Road.

How often: Every month because my nails tend to grow quickly.

Nail care: Gel nails are easier to maintain and I make sure that I eat with my hands and not use a spoon, specially when I am eating fish. All you need to do after eating is add a coat of sparkle.

Her wish list: I want to try nail art. Maybe get my nails painted with beautiful flower motifs. But it seems difficult, given my schedule. Nail art may not go with all kinds of roles I play. So I have to stick to gel nails.

rachana banerjee

She’s got: White gel nails. I like to keep it simple, so I go for these.

Why she loves gel nails: I have been getting a French manicure done for the last one year. This is the first time I tried gel nails. I had a habit of biting nails, so I thought of getting my nails manicured... I would not have the heart to chew them that way! Besides, it’s a great way to lose weight. You can’t eat with your hands, and with a spoon and fork you tend to eat less!

Where she gets her nails done: Bridgette Jones Fashion Salon near Maddox Square and Perfect 10 The Nail Spa on Lord Sinha Road.

How often: I go for a manicure every 25 days.

Nail care: You need to pay attention to gel nails all the time and maintenance is pretty expensive. Visit your salon every month. Get your nails trimmed, wash and keep them clean.

Her wish list: I want to do nail art and make my nails a lot more colourful.

shrabanti

She’s got: White gel nails.

Why she loves gel nails: This is the first time I got gel nails and I’m loving it. The long nails make your hands look pretty and I am getting a lot of compliments!

Where she gets her nails done: Juice Salon & Spa in Alipore.

Nail care: It’s difficult to maintain long nails. I am a foodie and the saddest part is that I can’t eat with my hands. I love fish and the other day I attacked a fish tail with fork and spoon! After a while, I gave up. Seriously, I can’t take so much pain to remove fish bones with a fork! So I used my hands but regretted it minutes later because my nails got a yellow stain. Also, I love cooking but after getting gel nails I can’t cook as much because of (the fear of) getting yellow stains. But now I have discovered ways to combat nail stains — rub your gel nails lightly with a nail polish remover!

Her wish list: I don’t want my gel nails to be too long. I want to go for a simple manicure where I can apply any nail polish I want. Besides, getting gel nails is a little painful too... I mean the process.

shayantika

She’s got: White gel nails.

Why she loves gel nails: I prefer gel nails to French manicure because it’s very smart and trendy and goes with both western and Indian outfits.

Where she gets her nails done: Perfect 10 The Nail Spa.

How often: I visit the salon every two weeks.

Nail care: Gel nails require a little care. I eat with my hands so the nails tend to get yellow, but that can be taken care of by using a nail polish remover. My nails grow fast, so I go for regular trimming and also to get the top coat done.

Her wish list: For a song sequence for my upcoming film Bindaas, I had got black-and-gold nails. Next on my must-do list is trying neon colours.

subhashree

She’s got: White gel nails with gold glitter.

Why she loves gel nails: I like gel nails because I don’t have to worry about putting nail polish over and over again. Besides, they look stylish.

Where she gets her nails done: Perfect 10 The Nail Spa.

How often: I go for a refilling every two weeks.

Nail care: You need to look after your gel nails as they tend to break easily. And typing on my iPhone is a bit of a problem because the nails are thick and long. But slowly you get used to it.

Her wish list: I want to go for a simple French manicure because it goes with all the looks that I portray on screen.

Ridhima

She’s got: White gel nails.

Why she loves gel nails: I love it because my fingers look long and slender. This is the first time I tried it and I am very happy. It’s great because gel nails go very well with all my outfits and I don’t have to worry about applying nail polish. The best part is that my nails don’t get chipped.

Where she gets her nails done: I got mine just a few weeks back at Glam Nails Studio, Salt Lake. I had gone to inaugurate the studio and they offered to get me gel nails.

How often: I have to visit the salon every 45 days to get a refill.

Nail care: I haven’t got used to it, so typing on my touch phone is a bit of a problem.

Her wish list: I am happy with these simple gel nails. I don’t like glitter or too much colour on my nails.

Text: Kushali Nag