Salon menus are full of terms that sound like they mean something specific but are rarely explained. This page translates the ones that come up most often in Irish salons, and — more usefully — tells you when each is actually the right choice.
Nails
Gel polish, Shellac and “two-week polish”
These are broadly the same thing: a polish cured under a UV or LED lamp so it sets hard rather than air-drying. Shellac is a brand name (CND) that became a generic term, the way Hoover did for vacuum cleaners. Expect ten days to three weeks of wear. It adds no length and no real strength — it is colour that does not chip.
BIAB
Builder In A Bottle, again originally a brand name (The Gel Bottle) now used generically. It is a thicker gel applied over the natural nail to create a reinforced layer, usually with an “apex” built at the stress point where nails break. The point of BIAB is to let your own nails grow without snapping. It is not an extension system, though a small amount of length can be added. Infills every three to four weeks rather than full removal is the normal cycle, which is gentler on the nail plate than repeated soak-offs.
Choose BIAB if your nails break before they get long. Skip it if you just want colour for a weekend.
Gel extensions vs acrylic
Both add length using a tip or a form. Acrylic is a powder-and-liquid mix that air-cures and is very hard; gel is cured under a lamp and is slightly more flexible with a more natural finish. Acrylic tends to be more durable for very long or heavily shaped nails and is often cheaper. Gel usually looks better up close and smells far less during application. Neither damages nails when applied and removed properly — the damage almost always comes from picking them off.
What actually causes nail damage
Over-filing during preparation, and removal by force. If a technician is drilling aggressively at your natural nail or levering product off, that is the problem, not the product. Proper soak-off takes fifteen to twenty minutes and should not hurt.
Hair removal
Bikini, Californian, Brazilian, Hollywood
These describe how much is removed, and salons are surprisingly consistent about it. Standard bikini takes hair outside the underwear line. Californian (sometimes “extended bikini”) goes further in. Brazilian removes nearly everything, leaving a strip or triangle. Hollywood removes everything. Prices step up accordingly, and the difference between Brazilian and Hollywood is often only a few euro.
Hot wax vs strip wax
Strip wax is spread thin and pulled off with a fabric strip — fast, good for large areas like legs. Hot wax is applied thicker, sets, and is removed without a strip. It grips hair rather than skin, so it is markedly less painful on sensitive areas and is what any decent salon will use for intimate and facial waxing. If a salon is using strip wax for a Hollywood, that is a reason to go elsewhere.
Waxing vs threading vs sugaring
Threading uses twisted cotton to lift hair out and is exceptionally precise, which is why it dominates brow work. It suits sensitive skin and anyone on retinoids, where waxing risks lifting skin. Sugaring uses a sugar-lemon-water paste, is applied against the growth and removed with it, and tends to break fewer hairs. It is less widely available in Ireland but worth seeking out if waxing consistently leaves you with ingrown hairs.
Laser vs IPL
This is the distinction most worth understanding, because it affects both results and price. Laser emits a single wavelength targeted at the pigment in the hair follicle. IPL (intense pulsed light, including systems like Ellipse) emits a broad spectrum and is filtered towards the useful range. Laser is generally more effective on coarse dark hair and can be safer on darker skin tones with the right machine; IPL covers larger areas faster and is usually cheaper per session.
Neither is permanent in the absolute sense. The honest description is permanent reduction: expect six to eight sessions spaced four to six weeks apart to remove most hair, then occasional maintenance. Neither works on white, grey or genuinely blonde hair, because there is no pigment to target. Any clinic promising otherwise is overselling.
Skin
What a “prescriptive” facial means
It means the therapist assesses your skin and selects products rather than following a fixed protocol. Dermalogica calls its version Face Mapping. It is generally better value than a named facial if your skin changes seasonally or you are not sure what you need.
The main professional skincare lines in Ireland
Dermalogica is the most widely stocked and strongest on everyday skin health, acne and barrier repair. Guinot is a French line built around its Hydradermie machine treatments, common in longer-established salons. Yon-Ka is plant-based and aromatherapy-led. pHformula is a resurfacing line used for pigmentation, acne scarring and rosacea, and sits closer to clinical than spa. Which line a salon carries tells you a lot about what it is good at.
Microneedling
Fine needles create controlled micro-injuries that trigger collagen production. Used for scarring, texture and fine lines. Expect redness for a day or two and a course of three to six sessions. Not a lunchtime treatment, whatever the marketing says.
HydraFacial and similar
A machine-based treatment that cleanses, exfoliates and infuses serum in one pass using a vortex tip. Genuinely no downtime, results are immediate but temporary. Good before an event; not a fix for a long-standing skin concern.
HIFU
High Intensity Focused Ultrasound, used for skin tightening on the face and neck. Delivers energy below the surface to stimulate collagen. Results build over three to six months. It is the treatment most often oversold as a “non-surgical facelift” — it firms, it does not lift substantially.
Endermologie
A mechanical roller-and-suction treatment, usually for cellulite appearance, lymphatic drainage and body contouring. Requires a course to show anything, and effects fade without maintenance.
Lashes and brows
Lash lift vs extensions
A lash lift perms your own lashes upward, often with a tint. It lasts six to eight weeks, needs no maintenance, and suits anyone who has decent lash length but no curl. Extensions attach individual synthetic lashes to your own and need infills every two to three weeks. Extensions look more dramatic; a lift is far less commitment and cannot damage lashes if done correctly.
Brow lamination
The brow equivalent of a lash lift — hairs are chemically relaxed and set in an upward direction to look fuller. Lasts around six weeks. Works well on unruly or sparse brows, less so on very fine ones.
Two things worth insisting on
A patch test. Tints, lash adhesive, lamination and laser all require one 24 to 48 hours before treatment. A salon that skips it to fit you in is cutting a corner that occasionally causes serious reactions.
A consultation for anything advanced. Microneedling, peels, laser and HIFU all have contraindications — pregnancy, certain medications, recent sun exposure, some skin conditions. If nobody asks you any questions before starting, that is a warning sign.
This guide is general information, not medical advice. For skin conditions such as persistent acne, rosacea or pigmentation changes, speak to a GP or dermatologist as well as a therapist.