Essie’s signature manicure pedicure at Mint Beauty Solutions – salon review

Essie’s luxury signature Manicure Pedicure is now available in Pakistan

Obsessed by Essie’s gorgeous nail colours? Essie has just upped the ante by launching their signature manicure and pedicure in Pakistan. The state-of-the-art manicure/pedicure is based on their unique hydra-resurfacing system, which is a combination of exfoliation and moisturisation.

The luxe Essie Spa mani/pedi products

The lush exfoliant uses natural sea salts, kaolin clay and milled walnut shells while the super-rich moisturisers use shea butter, precious oils and royal jelly extract. Not only that, Essie’s unique massage regimen has been developed in conjunction with Michelle Rodriguez, the go-to physical therapist for elite dancers.

Thanks Essie for the fab spa mani/pedi and Mint for the lovely goodie bag!

It all adds up to a gloriously indulgent experience, topped off with some of the most delicious nail colours around.

The indulgent mani/pedi station at Mint Beauty Solutions

The luxe mani/pedi is currently only available at Mint Beauty Solutions. Meher Najeeb and Mubashir Khan salons in Karachi but will soon be available at a few more of Pakistan’s high-end salons. In the meantime, the Essie manicure is just another excuse to visit some of the best new salons in town – I went to Mint Beauty Solutions for mine.

The eclectic interior at Mint Beauty Solutions

Salons are a dime-a-dozen in Karachi but Mint Beauty Solutions is one of those few exclusive salons that offer top class services. Perched on top of North Carolina Dental, one of the top Dental and Aesthetic clinics in Karachi, Mint makes the most of its limited space. The interior is simple, cheery and whimsical. It’s a full service salon that uses only top end products, ranging from global brands like Essie and Dermalogica to luxury, specialist brands such as Alteaerah and Lycon. What really makes Mint Beauty Solutions stand out is the incredible level of hygiene.

Fresh Cucumber Mint Water at Mint

In a country where salon implements are often suspect, it’s refreshing to see such a dedicated approach to cleanliness and customer care. For example, they will begin a massage with a hot towel cleanse for your feet. A manicure or pedicure is preceded by an application of anti-bacterial gel. All their tools are sterilized and packed into the sort of sterile packets you see at the dentist. They use disposable sandpaper for their foot files so every client essentially gets their feet scrubbed with a fresh file. They even offer individual pedicure kits (at a reasonable Rs800) for those who want to keep their implements completely separate.

You might think that such attention to hygiene makes for a very clinical environment but nothing could be further from the truth. The salon has plenty of luxury spa touches including flowers tucked into fresh, fluffy towels and coolers of cucumber-mint water. The atmosphere is calming and indulgent.

Mint Beauty Solutions is the brainchild of three friends: Sanya Mooraj, Maliha Bhutto Rahimtola and Somi Namazi. Funnily enough, none of them are beauticians – Mooraj is a dentist, Namazi is a psychotherapist and Rahimtoola is an art curator. Although they have hired professionals, they have also ended up taking vocational courses simply to be able to maintain quality levels.

“We always wanted our salon to be very client centric, and thinking from a client’s perspective we have added lots of little touches to make our customers’ salon experience more pleasant. Nevertheless we have ended up taking professional courses too in order to be able maintain the highest quality standards. You have to understand how to perform a service properly if you want to monitor how well your staff is doing.”

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Must-try treatments at the salon include their unique colour-therapy massage and the Lycon precision wax. The colour therapy massage uses essential oils and Altearah colour therapy parfum. Choose turquoise for Serenity or Emerald for Oxygen and Space.

Essential oils for the colour therapy massage at Mint Beauty Solutions

Mint is also one of the only places to offer Lexli facials. Lexli is an FDA approved range, based on Aloe Vera, which has been developed by a plastic surgeon.

Lexli is an FDA approved range developed by a plastic surgeon

It’s specially designed for very sensitive skin or skin that has undergone procedures. Apart from Essie, Mint also offers Gelish nails, nail art and Inglot nail polish. Mint is also the place to head if you are looking for semi-permanent eyelash extensions by LashPerfect.

Essentials speciality creams available at Mint

Goodies available to buy at Mint

Karachi only has a handful of top-class salons so Mint Beauty Solutions is a welcome addition to the list. Perfect for those who insist on purity and cleanliness as well as an indulgent salon experience.