Amidst the hustle and bustle of the capital’s banking area, an oasis of relaxation and peace can be found. Since January, its customers, which are mainly career women, go there for Swedish massages, pedicures, waxing, manicures, facials, make-up and the like. If you’re a man, stop reading here, the Nail and Beauty Bar is for women only.

“Women want to feel beautiful. Our facials, which last an hour, are the most popular service”, explains soft-spoken Mahoko Sato, beauty therapist. Mahoko studied cosmetology in Denver, Colorado and has been in Mauritius for nine years. She hails from the town of Nigata, two-hours from the Tokyo megapolis. According to her, beauty treatment is a lot more widespread in Mauritius than in her native Japan, despite it being a more prosperous place than here. “Mauritian woman are becoming more and more conscious of the need to look after their skin. In Japan, a visit to a beauty salon is seen as something of a luxury and young women don’t usually visit them. It’s very casual here.”

Making women feel beautiful is something of a philosophy at the Nail and Beauty Bar. Upon entering you’ll be greeted by sweet Ansha Mungreh whose mantra is self-explanatory, “Our priority and pride is to give a nice welcome”. To ensure this, customers are given a perfumed towel to refresh themselves with. They are then treated to one of the myriad treatments that are proffered with great care and skill by either Mahoko or the Nail and Beauty Bar’s owner, Sharon Seebaluck, who is also a beauty therapist. What better than to lie down for an Indian head massage or an aromatic facial massage after a long day buzzing around Port-Louis like a little bee. To polish off this royal interlude, a steaming cup of natural infusion is offered.

The Nail and Beauty Bar also sells the Thalgo range of skin care products from France. “The products are made from algae and other natural sources that are full of minerals. They’re very good for even the most delicate of skins”, says Mahoko. Beauty care needn’t be restricted to salons. Instead, it should be treated like a way of life, as Mahoko explains. “Women need to have a healthy diet so they should stay away from oily food and meat. Daily exercise is very important as it reduces stress. When you go home you must wash your face with the right products. Also, your hair must always be very clean as dirty hair can cause acne. A lot of sleep is also essential”

In her opinion, the perfect beauty treatment requires excellent people and products. Hygiene is also a very highly held prerogative. “I want people to feel good with themselves and relaxed when they leave the salon. If they’re not happy they can come back free of charge”, she affirms. That’s an offer even the banking sector’s high-flyers will find difficult to find fault with.

The Nail and Beauty Bar is open from 09h00 to 17h00 on weekdays and for half days on Saturdays.