+1 571 662 8717 info.zerothots@gmail.com 10370 Festival Ln, Suite 109, Manassas, VA 20109
Erothots Beauty SalonNAILS

Nail Services By Erothots, Gel Manicure, Pedicure, Art

Autoclaved tools, single use files, no drills on natural nails and no cuticle cutting. The finish matters, but what happens to your nails underneath it matters more.

Book An Appointment See Prices
Gel ManicureFROM $45

Two to three weeks of chip free color, cured under lamp, removed by soaking rather than scraped or filed off.

Spa PedicureFROM $65

Soak, exfoliation, callus work, extended massage and finish, in a jetless tub with a fresh liner every single time.

Nail ArtFROM $5

Hand painted detail, chrome, French variations and freehand work. Priced per nail so a single accent stays affordable.

Nail treatment station at the Erothots beauty salon
From $25Starting Price
AutoclaveSterilized Tools
Single UseFiles And Buffers
2 To 3 WeeksGel Wear
Please Tell Us Before You Book

Tell us if you have diabetes, poor circulation, a suspected nail infection, an ingrown toenail, or any open cut or broken skin on the hands or feet. Callus work and cuticle work both change or stop entirely in those cases, and for diabetes in particular, foot care is something we will happily do gently while leaving anything clinical to a podiatrist.

If a nail is discolored, thickened, lifting from the bed or painful, we will not polish over it. Covering a possible infection traps it and hides it. We will tell you plainly and suggest you see a doctor first.

On This Page

Hygiene Standards The Three Services More Treatments Nail Shapes Gel Vs Acrylic Your Appointment Prices Questions
Section 01THE PART NOBODY ADVERTISES

How We Keep This Safe

Nail salons are the one beauty service where the hygiene question is genuinely worth asking, and almost nobody publishes their answer. Here is ours, in detail, so you can compare it against anywhere else you have been.

Sterilization equipment and sealed tool pouches at the Erothots salon

Tools Come Out Of A Sealed Pouch In Front Of You

  • Metal tools are autoclaved. Cleaned, bagged and steam sterilized under pressure, then opened in front of you. Wiping a nipper with alcohol between clients is not sterilization and it is what most salons actually do.
  • Files and buffers are single use. They are porous, they cannot be sterilized, and they go in the bin after one client. If you would rather keep your own, we will label them and store them for you.
  • Pedicure tubs have no pipes. Jetted footspas circulate water through internal plumbing that is very difficult to disinfect properly, and that is where the well known infection stories come from. Ours are pipe free with a fresh disposable liner every time.
  • No drill on the natural nail. An e-file is used for product removal and shaping enhancements, never to thin your own nail plate. Rings of fire and paper thin nails are a drill problem, not a gel problem.
  • Cuticles are pushed, not cut. The cuticle is a live seal that keeps bacteria out of the nail matrix. We remove only dead tissue from the plate and leave the seal intact, which is why our clients do not get the recurring hangnails and infections.
  • No MMA, ever. Methyl methacrylate is cheap, extremely hard to remove and can take your natural nail with it. It is restricted or banned across many states and it has no place in a salon. We use EMA based products only.
How to check anywhere else. Ask three questions. Are your files single use, are your tools autoclaved, and are your pedicure tubs pipe free. Any salon doing it properly will answer immediately and be pleased you asked.
Section 02THE CORE THREE

Gel Manicure, Spa Pedicure And Nail Art

Three services that cover almost everything people book. Each has its own page with full timings, aftercare and pricing.

SVC 01 Most Booked

Gel Manicure

Gel manicure being applied at the Erothots beauty salon

Nails shaped to your chosen silhouette, cuticles worked without cutting, then gel color applied in thin coats and cured under lamp. The finish is hard, glossy and genuinely chip free rather than chip resistant.

Two to three weeks of wear, and removal is by soaking rather than scraping. That last detail is what decides whether your natural nail is fine underneath or wrecked.

  • From$45
  • Time50 minutes
  • Wear2 to 3 weeks
  • RemovalSoak off, $20
Gel Manicure Details
SVC 02 Pipe Free Tubs

Spa Pedicure

Spa pedicure treatment at the Erothots beauty salon

A long soak, exfoliation, proper callus reduction, nail and cuticle work, then ten minutes of foot and lower leg massage before the finish. The massage is timed rather than trimmed when the diary runs late.

Carried out in a jetless tub with a fresh disposable liner, which removes the single biggest hygiene risk in the entire treatment.

  • From$65
  • Time60 minutes
  • Massage10 minutes
  • RebookEvery 4 to 6 weeks
Spa Pedicure Details
SVC 03 Priced Per Nail

Nail Art

Hand painted nail art at the Erothots beauty salon

Hand painted detail, chrome and cat eye finishes, French variations, ombre fades and freehand work. Bring a reference photograph and we will tell you honestly whether it will work at your current length.

Priced per nail rather than per set, so a single accent finger costs five dollars instead of forcing you into a full set price you did not want.

  • From$5
  • Per SetFrom $25
  • TimeAdds 10 to 40 min
  • BookingMention when you book
Nail Art Details
Section 03ALSO ON THE MENU

More Nail Treatments

Eight further treatments that pair with the core three. Most are booked as add ons in the same appointment, which is quicker and cheaper than a second visit.

MANI$30

Classic Manicure

Shape, cuticle work, hand massage and regular polish. No lamp and no soak off, so it suits anyone who changes color weekly or is giving their nails a break from gel.

MANI$65

Builder Gel And BIAB

A flexible strengthening layer applied over the natural nail. Not an extension and not acrylic. The right answer for anyone whose nails peel or break before they reach any length.

MANI$20

Gel Removal And Rehab

Proper soak off, gentle surface tidy and a hydrating treatment. Free when you book any manicure with us, and available on its own if you had it done somewhere else.

MANI$8

Nail Repair

A single broken or split nail rebuilt with a silk wrap or builder gel so it can grow out rather than being cut back and taking the rest of your set down with it.

PEDI$45

Classic Pedicure

Soak, shape, cuticle work, light callus attention and polish. Forty minutes rather than sixty, with the extended exfoliation and massage left out.

PEDI$85

Deluxe Spa Pedicure

Everything in the spa pedicure plus a longer callus treatment, a mask, hot towels and a twenty minute massage. Book this one when your feet have had a hard season.

ADD ON$20

Paraffin Treatment

Warm paraffin wrap for hands or feet. Genuinely effective on dry, cracked skin in winter, and the single most comfortable twenty minutes on the entire nail menu.

ADD ON$10

French Finish

Hand painted tips rather than stickers or guides. Classic white, or the softer milky and micro French variations that have taken over from the thick white line.

Gel removal is free with any manicure booked here. Charged separately only when you arrive with gel applied somewhere else. We would rather remove it properly than have you pick it off at home, which is what actually damages nails.
Section 04SIX SILHOUETTES

Choosing Your Nail Shape

Shape is decided before any color goes on, and it changes how long your set survives more than most people realize. The rule underneath all six is simple. The more you narrow the sides, the weaker the nail becomes.

Square

Flat tip, straight sides. The strongest shape there is. Corners catch on things, so it suits shorter lengths best.

Squoval

Square with the corners softened. Nearly as strong, far less snagging. The most requested shape here by a wide margin.

Round

Follows the natural fingertip. Excellent on short nails and on anyone who works with their hands all day.

Oval

An elongated curve that visually lengthens the finger. Needs a little length to read properly and is kind to weaker nails.

Almond

Tapered sides rising to a soft point. Elegant and popular, and structurally weaker because the sides are filed inward.

Coffin

Tapered sides with a flat tip, also called ballerina. Needs real length and builder gel underneath, or it will snap at the taper.

Honest shape advice. If your nails are naturally weak or you type all day, almond and coffin will break and you will be back to fix them. Squoval and round are the shapes that survive real life, and there is no shame in that. If you genuinely want a tapered shape, builder gel underneath makes it viable.
Section 05SIDE BY SIDE

Gel, Builder Gel, Acrylic Or Regular Polish

Four finishes people mix up constantly, compared honestly rather than in favor of whichever one we happen to sell.

How The Four Compare
Point Of DifferenceGel PolishBuilder GelAcrylicRegular Polish
What It IsColor cured under lampFlexible strengthening layerPowder and liquid hard overlayAir dried lacquer
Adds StrengthA littleYes, significantlyYes, very rigidNone
Adds LengthNoA little, with a tipYes, considerableNo
Wear2 to 3 weeks3 to 4 weeks3 to 4 weeks, needs infills3 to 7 days
RemovalSoak off, 15 minutesSoak off or filed backLong soak or filingWipes off
FeelsNatural, thinNatural, slightly thickerNoticeably thick and rigidLike nothing
Best ForChip free color on healthy nailsNails that peel or break earlyReal length and strengthChanging color often
From$45$65Not offered here$30
We do not offer acrylic. Doing it safely means the right products, strong extraction ventilation and a technician doing it all day every day rather than occasionally. Builder gel covers most of what people actually want from acrylic, with far gentler removal. If you genuinely need acrylic length, we will say so rather than talk you into something else.
Section 06ON THE DAY

How Your Appointment Works

Eight stages. The first and the last are the two that decide whether your nails are healthy in six months.

01

Nail Health Check

Nails and skin looked at before anything begins. Lifting, discoloration, thickening or soreness all change the plan, and we will not polish over a nail that needs a doctor.

02

Tools Opened In Front Of You

Sealed autoclave pouch broken at the table, fresh file and buffer from the packet. You should see this happen at every salon and you usually do not.

03

Shape Agreed First

Length and silhouette decided before filing starts, with honest advice about what will actually survive your week rather than what looks best in a photograph.

04

Cuticle Work, No Cutting

Softened, pushed back, and only dead tissue removed from the nail plate. The living seal at the base is left completely intact.

05

Prep Without Over Buffing

The surface is dehydrated and lightly refined, never sanded down. Aggressive buffing before gel is the reason so many people believe gel ruins nails.

06

Thin Coats, Fully Cured

Several thin layers rather than two thick ones. Thick coats cure unevenly on the surface while staying soft underneath, which is what causes early lifting.

07

Art, If Booked

Applied before the top coat and sealed under it, so detail sits protected inside the finish rather than wearing off the surface within days.

08

Oil And Aftercare

Cuticle oil worked in at the table and written aftercare handed to you. The single habit that keeps a set looking new is oil twice a day, and it costs almost nothing.

Section 07WHY IT WORKS

Benefits And Advantages Of Booking Here

What separates a nail appointment that leaves your nails better from one that quietly wears them down.

01

Your Nails Survive The Habit

No drill on the natural plate, no cuticle cutting, no over buffing and proper soak off removal. Four decisions that decide whether monthly gel is sustainable or slowly destructive.

02

Sterilization You Can Watch

Pouches opened at the table, files from a fresh packet. You should not have to trust a claim on a website when you can see it happen.

03

Pipe Free Pedicure Tubs

No internal plumbing to harbor anything, plus a disposable liner every time. This removes the single most reported hygiene risk in the whole industry.

04

Art Priced Per Nail

One accent finger costs five dollars. You are not pushed into a full set price because you wanted detail on two nails.

05

Removal Included

Soak off is free with any manicure booked here, so there is never a reason to pick gel off at home, which is what actually strips layers from the nail.

06

Honest Shape Advice

If almond will break on your nails in a week, we say so before we file. Sending you out with a shape that fails is not a favor.

Also Available Here

All Beauty Services Brows And Lashes Facial And Skincare Makeup Services Massage And Body Hair Services
Section 08COMMON COMPLAINTS

What Usually Goes Wrong Elsewhere

Six things clients describe about their last nail appointment. Most of them are invisible on the day and only show up weeks later.

Gel Filed Off With A Drill

Faster than soaking, so it is what busy salons do. It takes layers of natural nail with it, and after a few rounds the plate is paper thin and the client blames the gel.

Here InsteadSoak off every time, and it is free with any manicure booked with us.

Cuticles Cut Back Hard

It looks tidy for three days. Then hangnails, ragged regrowth and a broken seal that lets bacteria straight into the nail matrix. Recurring infections start here.

Here InsteadPushed back and only dead tissue removed. The live seal is never cut.

Files Reused Between Clients

Files are porous and cannot be disinfected. A file that has been on somebody else's nails an hour ago is a genuine cross contamination route.

Here InsteadFresh from the packet, binned afterwards, or kept and labeled for you if you prefer.

Jetted Footspas

Water circulates through internal pipes that are very hard to disinfect, and that is exactly where the infection stories in the news come from.

Here InsteadPipe free tubs with a fresh disposable liner for every single client.

Polished Over A Problem

A discolored or lifting nail covered up rather than mentioned. It hides the problem, traps it, and the client finds out months later how long it had been there.

Here InsteadWe say something and suggest a doctor. It costs us the booking and it is the right call.

Thick Coats, Rushed Cure

Two heavy coats instead of several thin ones. The surface sets while the layer underneath stays soft, so it lifts within days and takes nail with it when it peels.

Here InsteadThin coats, full cure time on each, which is why sets here last the full two to three weeks.
Section 09PRICE GUIDE

Nail Service Prices

Starting prices including the nail health check, sterile tools, cuticle work and cuticle oil. Art and add ons are quoted before we start, never added at the desk.

Nail Services Price Guide
ServiceFromTimeWear
Nail Art, Per Nail$5Adds 3 to 8 minWith your finish
Nail Repair, Per Nail$815 minutesGrows out
French Finish$10Adds 15 minutesWith your finish
Gel Removal And Rehab$2020 minutesFree with a manicure
Paraffin Treatment$2020 minutesAdd on
Nail Art, Full Set$25Adds 20 to 40 minWith your finish
Classic Manicure$3035 minutes3 to 7 days
Classic Pedicure$4540 minutes1 to 2 weeks
Gel Manicure$4550 minutes2 to 3 weeks
Builder Gel And BIAB$6570 minutes3 to 4 weeks
Spa Pedicure$6560 minutes2 to 3 weeks with gel
Deluxe Spa Pedicure$8580 minutes2 to 3 weeks with gel
Gel Manicure And Spa Pedicure$100110 minutesSaves $10
Book An Appointment All Beauty Services
Section 10BEFORE AND AFTER

Preparation And Aftercare

Nail appointments need very little preparation. The aftercare, on the other hand, is most of the difference between two weeks of wear and five days.

Builder gel being applied over a natural nail at Erothots
Before
  • Do not cut your own cuticles. Not the night before and ideally not ever. It is the fastest route to hangnails and infection, and it makes our work harder rather than easier.
  • Skip hand cream that morning. Oil and residue on the nail plate stop gel adhering properly, and it is a common reason a set lifts within days.
  • Bring reference photographs for art. Screenshots are perfect. We will tell you honestly whether the design works at your current length or needs building up first.
  • Mention gel from another salon. So we allow removal time in the slot rather than running late for everyone after you.
  • Wear open shoes for a pedicure. Or bring a pair. Closing toes into shoes over fresh polish is how people undo an hour of work in the car park.
  • Tell us about health conditions. Diabetes, circulation issues, ingrown nails or any broken skin. Callus and cuticle work both change, and we want to know before we start.
Afterwards
  • Cuticle oil twice a day. The single highest impact habit on this list. Oiled nails flex instead of snapping and the gel stays bonded considerably longer.
  • Never pick or peel gel off. It takes layers of natural nail with it every time. If it starts lifting, come in and we will remove it properly, free with any manicure.
  • Wear gloves for cleaning. Detergents and hot water break the seal at the free edge faster than anything else you do in a normal week.
  • Do not use your nails as tools. Opening cans, scratching labels, prising lids. This is the cause of most mid set breakages and it is entirely avoidable.
  • Book removal before it lifts. Two to three weeks for gel, three to four for builder gel. Leaving it longer is what turns a simple soak off into a repair job.
Section 11THE TEAM

Who Will Do Your Nails

You can request anyone by name when you book. If they are unavailable on your date we will tell you rather than quietly reassign you.

Joslyn Reyes, nail technician at the Erothots beauty salon
Nail Technician

Joslyn Reyes

Joslyn runs the nail side of the salon and does all the freehand art. She is unusually strict about prep, which sounds dull until you have had a set from someone who is not, and she will tell you plainly when a shape is going to break on your nails rather than filing it anyway and rebooking you in a week.

  • Gel
  • Builder Gel
  • Freehand Art
  • Pedicures
Tia McNamara, founder and CEO of Erothots
Founder And CEO

Tia McNamara

Tia founded Erothots seven years ago and is fully qualified and insured. She does not do nails herself, but she set the standards on this page: autoclaved tools opened at the table, single use files, no drill on the natural nail, no cuticle cutting and no MMA in the building. If something is not right, she wants to hear it directly.

  • 7 Years In Business
  • Fully Qualified
  • Fully Insured
Section 12COMMON QUESTIONS

Nail Service Questions

How Long Does A Gel Manicure Last

Two to three weeks before regrowth makes it worth redoing, and it should not chip in that time. If yours lifts within a few days, the cause is almost always prep, coats applied too thickly, or oil on the nail plate before application.

How Much Do Nail Services Cost

Classic manicure from $30, gel manicure from $45, builder gel from $65, classic pedicure from $45, spa pedicure from $65 and deluxe spa pedicure from $85. Nail art is $5 per nail or $25 for a full set. A gel manicure with a spa pedicure together is $100.

Do You Use A Drill On Natural Nails

No. An electric file is used for removing product and shaping enhancements, never on the natural nail plate. Thinning natural nails with a drill is what causes the rings of fire and paper thin nails people blame on gel, and it is entirely avoidable.

How Do You Sterilize Your Tools

Metal tools are cleaned, bagged and steam sterilized under pressure in an autoclave, then opened in front of you at the table. Files and buffers are porous and cannot be sterilized, so they are single use and binned after your appointment.

Do You Cut Cuticles

No. The cuticle is a living seal protecting the nail matrix from bacteria, and cutting it is what causes hangnails, ragged regrowth and recurring infections. We soften and push it back, and remove only dead tissue stuck to the nail plate.

Gel Or Acrylic, Which Is Better

They do different jobs. Gel polish is color with a hard glossy finish and no real added strength. Acrylic adds significant length and rigidity. If you want strength without acrylic, builder gel sits between the two and removes far more gently. We do not offer acrylic and will say so honestly if it is what you actually need.

What Is Builder Gel Or BIAB

A thicker, flexible gel applied over your natural nail as a strengthening layer, with an apex built at the stress point so the nail flexes rather than snapping. It is the right answer if your nails peel or break before reaching any length, and it lasts three to four weeks.

Will Gel Damage My Nails

Not on its own. Damage comes from over buffing before application, drilling gel off instead of soaking it, and clients picking it off at home. Remove all three of those and gel every few weeks is perfectly sustainable. Cuticle oil twice a day does the rest.

Can I Remove Gel At Home

You can soak it off with acetone and patience, but most people run out of both and start picking, which strips layers of nail. Removal is free with any manicure booked here and $20 on its own, so there is rarely a good reason to do it yourself.

Are Your Pedicure Tubs Safe

They are pipe free, which is the important part. Jetted footspas circulate water through internal plumbing that is very difficult to disinfect, and that is the source of the infection cases that appear in the news. Ours have no pipes and get a fresh disposable liner for every client.

Do You Use MMA

No. Methyl methacrylate is cheap, bonds far too aggressively, is extremely difficult to remove and can take the natural nail with it. It is restricted or banned in many states. Everything we use is EMA based, and if a salon cannot answer this question clearly, that itself is an answer.

How Far Ahead Should I Book For A Wedding

Two to three days before the day for gel, so it is fresh with no regrowth showing. Book a trial a month ahead if you want art, and start builder gel three months out if you are growing your nails to a length you do not currently have.

Get In Touch

Book Your Nail Appointment

Tell us what you are after, whether you have gel on from elsewhere, and whether you want art. We will book the right length of slot so nobody is rushed, including you.

Request An Appointment Call +1 571 662 8717
  • Monday9:00 AM to 6:00 PM
  • TuesdayClosed
  • WednesdayClosed
  • Thursday9:00 AM to 6:00 PM
  • Friday8:00 AM to 6:00 PM
  • Saturday7:00 AM to 2:00 PM
  • Sunday1:30 PM to 6:00 PM

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