BISOU: Soho, Manhattan

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Waves

Hands: Nabi
Technician: Mia
Price: $$$

Studios are rated in a 1-3 star system. To learn more see our studio list.

Overall:★★★

Coolest Thing: The studio uses price brackets to book services, so you know what you’ll be paying even before you step into the studio. To get a better idea of what you can get within a certain bracket, check out their Instagram.

I had a co-worker that swore by BISOU, and after visiting the studio I’m a believer. During my appointment, I was surrounded by regulars who were booking their next month’s visit while they were seated at their current appointment. It’s no surprise that it’s almost impossible to get an appointment that’s not one month away. So if you want to check BISOU out, I would suggest booking right now.

The total for this design was $180 without tip.

STUDIO: ★★★

The studio is tiny, only four guests can be seated at once, providing an ultra boutique experience, and making it even harder to get an appointment. The decor is black and white with hints of a peach pink, it’s sparkling clean, and they have Aesop products in the bathroom which made me feel a bit like Ilana from Broad City when she steals the Kiehl’s lotion from the Soulstice bathroom. When I arrived I had a small wait. Once I was seated, I was offered water or tea, I got the tea and it came with a cute mug cover. If you’re going to be stuck in a space for three hours, it might as well be this one. If it wasn’t so hard to get an appointment, and quite pricy, I would forward more of my novice-nail friends to BISOU to get the best taste of nail art. Price however, is absolutely matched with quality and the service I was about to get was worth every penny.

NAIL CARE: ★★★

BISOU is known for nail care. Those loyal to the studio will tell you that their nails have gotten stronger since they started attending. My tech Mia filed the gel I had on from Sailor Moon Nail & Spa very gently, almost to the point where I thought it was not enough. I was surprised to see how easily the gel was coming off once she took off the foil and acetone wraps. Mia then used a very blunt tool to break off the already flaking gel. She repeated the process multiple times and hardly re-filed in between soaks. The removal also did not take longer than removals I’ve had at other studios, which I surmise is due to a higher quality of acetone. Don’t quote me on that though.

Mia also did wonders to my cuticle area. My nail beds have never looked fresher. When I took pictures of the set, which was two weeks later because I’m lazy, they still looked amazing. It’s difficult to dispute with the other BISOUites when they say that this studio has the best nail care in NYC.

ART: ★★★

My favorite part of Mia’s work is how she used to clear top coat to round the surface of my nail, a technique I asked her about as she finished the set. The design that I asked for was rather simple, and being a skilled tech at a studio celebrated for their hand painting, it didn’t take Mia long to complete the waves. The original design had a single gold stone at the top of each finger, which I found boring, and it was Mia who suggested alternating between one, two and three dots. I almost wish that I didn’t come in with a design at all, because I feel like this is a studio where they would be more than happy to do custom. BISOU is also most know for doing sets based on famous fine artists, i.e. Magritte, Matisse, and Van Gogh, so if you recently went to MoMA and are feeling inspired, this is the place for you.

Anyway, at the end when all the gems were placed, Mia began applying the clear top coat. As she did, I noticed that she would take her brush (a standard flat-tip nail art brush) and lightly push the surface of coat back and forth from nil tip to nail bed. It’s hard to explain, but it was something I’ve never seen before so I asked her about it. She told me, very simply, that she was making sure the nail was round. I didn’t totally understand what she meant at the time, but once the gel was baked and I could finally feel it I immediately noticed the difference. Sometimes, if the tech is not careful, the gel on areas of the nail will be more raised than others. this makes for and uneven shine and feel, which is not the worst thing in the world. When the gel is perfectly round, the gel feels more like it is your nail, and the shine much more stunning. My nails felt amazingly strong and durable. They felt like my real nails, but looked a lot better.

LONGEVITY: ★★★

My BISOU nails never chipped, never lifted, never cracked. The quality was stunning. I wore them to death. Probably more than five weeks. They lasted a whole vacation in Greece. I would absolutely go back to BISOU, and if you have the time and the ability to plan in advance, I would make it a must visit.