
WHAT: BEAUTY
WHY: BIRTHDAY, HOLIDAY, BRIDAL/WEDDING, NEW PARENT, JUST BECAUSE, TREAT YOURSELF
WHO: FAMILY, FRIEND
WHERE: MANIME
WOW: WOMAN & BIPOC OWNED
WORTH: $15 +
Quarantine proved to be a real kick in the emotional well-being butt. It’s hard to truly treat yourself in isolation by, say, venturing out for a mood-lifting manicure. Even if you’ve started to emerge above ground you might not want to hold hands with a stranger for the better part of an hour. Enter ManiMe.
Started by Stanford Business school buds David Miro Llopis and Jooyeon Song, these custom-fit, stick-on gel mani kits are a total GELvolution. Offering a vast spectrum of solid gel colors for the light-to-bold minimalist, as well as diverse nail art for the flowery friend or geometric gal pal, ManiMe’s line simplifies the arduous application/removal process. Visit their website to take multi-angle photos of your nails, choose your mani, and their proprietary 3D technology handles it from there.
Even though Mom ignores me when she does her ManiMe, I know she is getting time to treat herself, and her design-forward feelers look stunning as she strokes my fur. Mom is a pattern princess and has tried and loved the very chic Curtain Call, while my Aunt is a sucker for solids having dawned the daring Dusk To Dawn and a more understated Provence Daze. They have merely pawed at the surface of options!
Each kit comes tightly outfitted with a buffer/file emery board, nail cleaning prep pad, and detailed instructions for application – plus there is the option of adding on their manicure-extending base and top coats. Their digital gift cards provide a Covid-friendly gifting advantage as well. For the love language of decked out digits, give the gift of some ManiMe-time.

