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Date: 8/15/2023
NORTHAMPTON — When Alaina Bavelas moved to Western Massachusetts from New York two years ago, she saw a void in the area’s nail industry that she wanted to fill.
“When I moved here, I recognized that there was a lot that wasn’t offered in Western Mass. that is really popular in some of the larger cities like New York and Boston,” she said.
Bavelas, who has been a nail care and beauty professional for more than 15 years, recently opened her new business at 376 Pleasant St. called BAM Nail Studio to offer gel, gel x and structured manicured services.
While gel polish is a ubiquitous offering in the nail industry, Bavelas said structured and gel x manicures were not as common in Western Massachusetts before she decided to open the studio. Those types of manicures are mainly found in the eastern part of the state.
“That’s how this studio started,” she said. “I’ve always done my nails as well as nails for my friends and family, but I couldn’t find these particular pieces in the area, so I started offering them myself.”
According to Bavelas, who spent 14 years in Manhattan and New York, structured manicures are a certain type of manicure that creates strength while allowing the customer to grow their natural nails. Gel x, meanwhile, is a flexible extension that adds length and structure all at once.
“They’re full cover tips, they are reshaped,” Bavelas said of gel x. “They are something you can just put right on top of your nails. It’s something a lot of people can do at home, but if you’re not hand-eye coordinated, it can be really difficult.”
Bavelas said she started her career in the makeup industry in New York City, where she was a resident makeup artist at the Plaza Hotel. She also spent time working for DryBar and Birchbox before officially moving to Western Massachusetts two years ago.
During her time in New York, Bavelas would stay up to date with the latest and most relevant products and techniques in the industry. When she noticed how these techniques were not always being followed in Western Massachusetts, she decided to get her license and provide the products herself.
She said Northampton was the ideal place for a few different reasons, but especially because it was a good place for her daughter – whose initials reflect the studio’s name – to go to school.
“Northampton really spoke to me because the area allows for culture, but you can also get away and go for a hike in the woods,” said Bavelas, who added that she also lived in East Longmeadow for about five years when she was growing up. “You’re close enough to Boston if you need some city, but I can also get to New York easily. There’s a really happy medium in Northampton.”
Aside from the product and technique side of the industry, Bavelas is prioritizing sustainability at BAM.
She features a lot of wood furniture in her studio and almost all of her tools are stainless steel so they can be sterilized and reused again. She said she also uses a plant-based sanitizer to clean products and the majority of her gel products are vegan, cruelty free, 21 free and palm oil free.
“This is really the highest quality product out there in terms of finding something that is going to have low allergic reactions,” Bavelas said. “I really try to use the best type of ingredients as possible.”
Another technique Bavelas is bringing to the table is dry manicures and pedicures, which she says are much healthier avenues to pursue with one’s nails.
“If you’re a regular gel polish user, the majority of the time that that’s being removed, the salon is going to soak your nails and acetone,” Bavelas said. “Well, what that does over time if you’re getting that done every two weeks, is it dries out the nail plate and your skin around it.”
At BAM, however, Bavelas instead uses an electric file to remove product from a nail, which is a must faster and safer process.
“This process is better for the health of your nails,” Bavelas said. “It’s also better for the health of yourself.”
Bavelas said a typical appointment will involve assessing one’s nails, understanding what a customer’s goals are, picking what service they want, and then embarking on that service. Bavelas also added that customers will always receive a hand massage at the end as well as free cuticle oil to take home and take care of their nails.
“I just want to make sure I’m connecting with my client to understand what they want for themselves,” Bavelas said. “I have some clients that want really amazing art and some that want simple nude colors. I love all of that.”
That type of relaxing, versatile service is something Bavelas said she wants to provide to as many folks as possible in the area.
“All are welcome here,” she said. “It’s a safe space.”
Eventually, Bavelas said she would like to open a nail technician school in the area that offers classes on disinfection and sterilization, as well as all of the techniques involved with the job since the industry is always changing. She also hopes to open multiple locations across Western Mass.
“I would really like to be able to be a catalyst that allows a portion of our community to access that as their career,” she said. “It’s fun, there’s art in it, and you’re taking care of people.”
Learn more about BAM and what is offered through the website: https://bamnailstudio.com/.