If you’re interested in the latest trends in nail art, you’ve likely come across the Russian manicure. But even those of us familiar with the term might not have a full understanding of the process—or downsides—of the manicure.

What Are Russian Manicures?

The Russian manicure, also known as a dry manicure or an electric file manicure, involves using an electric drill bit to file down the cuticles and shape the nails without water.

The name “Russian manicure” is believed to come about due to the clean, polished nature of manicures done by Russian nail technicians. Unlike gel manicures or acrylic tips, a Russian manicure is a five to seven-step process that doesn’t require any soaking in water.

The Process Behind a Russian Manicure

Unlike traditional nail styles where your hands are soaked in a bowl of warm water to soften dead skin cells followed by push-back tools to clip cuticles, Russian manicures clean up your cuticle by using electric nail bits. “First, we clean the nail bed with one type of drill bit, then the cuticle is removed with a second type of drill bit, [The] third step is polishing the nail bed and creating the desired shape.

Once your cuticles are cleaned, polishing is the next step. But, before a nail expert applies your colored polish, a limited edition base coast (strictly used only for Russian manicures) is applied. The base coat applied to your tips entirely depends on the strength of your nails. Then comes the gel polish, which is applied with an artist brush and sealed with a topcoat. 

Though the process of a Russian Manicure sounds similar to that of a gel manicure, there’s a core difference—Russian Manicure’s technique specifically caters to the individual client’s needs, hence why your base coat is selected based on the length and strength of your nail. We stock a large selection of limited edition nail products, and we customize individual products to match the unique needs of our customers.

What are the benefits of getting a Russian Manicure?

Besides having a stunning set of ten to show off, a Russian Manicure can benefit your nail health, mainly due to its long-lasting nature. We’re talking three to four weeks depending on how fast your nails grow. And, Russian Pedicures are a popular, long-lasting option too. “After removing the cuticle with the machine, the cuticle does not grow back so quickly and the manicure stays neat longer,” says Kylie. That’s less time in the nail salon chair, less frequent exposure to UV lights, and more moolah in your bank account.