Walk into most nail salons and you’ll know the routine. The base service is the base service — and everything that makes it feel special is an upgrade. A few extra minutes of hand massage? That’s a few dollars more. A nicer finish, a little extra care? Another add-on. The experience is built to be upsold.
The Shade is built on the opposite idea: luxury is the baseline. There are no upgrades to buy, because everything that makes a visit feel elevated is already included.
The upsell culture, and why we left it behind
That quick hand massage other salons offer at the end? It’s usually a prompt to spend more. We didn’t want our guests choosing between the “basic” version of their service and the good one. So we removed the menu of add-ons entirely and made the elevated experience the standard. What you book is the full experience — every time.
What “included” actually means at The Shade
Every Shade treatment is finished with more than polish. Included on every visit, at no extra charge:
A red light finish, delivered by our own patented red light machine — which captures nail dust at the source to keep the air cleaner for you and our technicians. A lymphatic finishing treatment for your hands, arms, and (during pedicures) your legs — a considered ritual, not a rushed add-on. And our signature face mask, because at The Shade, skin care and nail care belong together.
The same modalities as The Tox
Our lymphatic finishing treatment draws on the same modalities as our sister studio, The Tox — the lymphatic body specialists. It’s part of what makes a visit to The Shade feel less like a nail appointment and more like a reset for your hands and arms.
Why we do it this way
Because the best version of a service shouldn’t be the expensive one — it should be the only one. When luxury is the baseline, you never have to wonder whether you’re getting the full experience. You always are.
The Shade’s red light and lymphatic finishes are a relaxing part of our experience and are not a medical treatment.
