There’s nothing superficial about Mshael Alessa and Hind Alajlan’s enthusiasm for a show-stopping set of nails. And why would there be? Founders of the cool, quirky Base & Boon nail salon in Riyadh, these two Saudi cousins know just what a great manicure, and expertly applied nail art, can do for a person.
“I think it really is a form of self-expression,” explains Alessa, who conceptualised the Base & Boon nail salon brand with Alajlan in 2019, before opening in mid-2020.
Base & Boon is, in the pair’s view, at the front of a new wave of grooming brands in the Saudi capital, ditching the hushed, “zen-like” setting and broad service offering of more established locations in favour of specialising exclusively in nails, in an environment that their clients can feel comfortable chatting in.
“It’s a very chilled, laid-back environment,” Alessa explains. “People come to socialise. You can talk to someone across the room and it’s totally okay. People come in and they’ll have a conversation with the person next to them who’s a total stranger, which is not something you find often in Riyadh.”
The salon even has its own eclectic playlists (give them a listen on Spotify), featuring artists ranging from Edith Piaf to The Weeknd, Barry Manilow to Robbie Williams.
But mainly, it’s about the nails at Base & Boon nail salon. And specifically, the nail art – a subject that both are enormously enthusiastic about.
“What gives us an edge is that we are really passionate about nails, and interested in nails, and we put the hard work in,” explains Alajlan, herself a trained aesthetician and nail technician – experience both describe as complementary to Alessa’s marketing background, which powered the development of Base & Boon nail salon’s brand identity.
It’s a passion that’s not gone unnoticed – and not just by its legion of both regular and new customers. Earlier this year, Base & Boon was invited to collaborate with Fendi, creating a three-day pop-up at the luxury brand’s flagship Riyadh store as part of the launch of a new collection.
Just two years ago, Alajlan says, nail art was still far from mainstream in Riyadh.
“When first opened, nobody was really doing it. It was just ombré, or faded French – baby boomer, as some people call it. But now, you see people going all the way.
“They’re creative, and they’re doing it on all ten fingers, whereas before they would just do one,” she explains. “The need and demand is actually more than we expected. It’s really fun, and it’s really encouraging.”
And for those customers who aren’t quite sure what their style is yet, the pair are often on-hand in store to offer expert guidance.
“Hind and I, we have very different tastes. Sometimes when a customer does something, she will say to me ‘This is your design! You asked her to do this’,” Alessa laughs. But plenty of clients come in knowing exactly what they want, says Alessa, who believes “you can really get a sense of one’s personality by the design they choose on their nails”.
Right now, both are banging the drum for BIAB – aka Builder In A Bottle – a gel polish designed to restore and strengthen weak, brittle, over-groomed nails, and currently one of their top-selling services. “It’s one of the best things I’ve ever used,” Alessa enthuses.
As for 2022, the future is – perhaps not surprisingly – colourful. “For me, I see swirls continuing,” says Alajlan. “I see traditional French coming back, either in white or with different colours.”
Alessa agrees. “One of the other things that’s going to last, is different designs. Something different on every nail, but in the same theme – say, different shades of blues, or neons.”
And if that level of nail know-how hasn’t sold you on a visit to Base & Boon nail salon yet, maybe the salon experience that awaits will. Round up the gang – you’ll find plenty to talk about inside.
From SAR320 for a mani-pedi. Base & Boon, Alaqiq Plaza, 2162 Prince Muhammad Ibn Abdulaziz Road, Riyadh 13411, baseandboon.com (011 202085).
For more brilliant pampering experiences in Riyadh, click here.
