Your Personal Nail Doctor - Beautiful Beer

Phanganist went to visit our beautiful friend Beer at her ‘Beer’s Nail Spa’ in Ban Tai.

Rather than offering many services like other salons, Beer just focuses on one element, nails of course, so you can expect the highest quality service with a lot of time dedicated to each single customer.

Before we sit down for our own personal treatment, we find out more about how Beer has come to be on Koh Phangan and the inspiration behind her successful business...

Hi Beer so what is your Koh Phangan story?

It will be a long story but I’ll cut it short, in the beginning I came here to work in a hotel and of course I did not know what or how to be here but I thought why not, I love islands, let’s try as it’s a good place to try if I don’t like it then I can just move.

As long as I spend time on the island I feel more and more like I should stay on this island until I could settle my life here after travelling around.

I have been to many islands and have not got this feeling of wanting to be somewhere long term like this complex island so this is the place for me and I decided to open my own business.

Why did you decide to open this kind of business?

Good creation!

I think a lot of people try to put many businesses on the island and try to improve it and be like how it is on the mainland and one thing that I miss as a customer is the quality of nail service.

You see these local businesses around and sometimes unfortunately it is not what you expect and many girls will love this quality and this is why I opened to meet the demand for the people.

What’s your history in the industry?

Good question, as I’ve been in the hospitality industry for over ten years so I have perception of Farang and this is a business we don’t have much of on the island.

I decided to go to Bangkok to study to see if I would like to do this for all of my life or maybe not! I have to be happy in what I do because that can spread to my customer to get quality work from me so I went to my first school Nail Studio Academy nail art specialist trainer No.1 of Thailand to learn all basics about nails.

When I do this I feel like I’m an artist drawing my painting on paper and this makes me calm and helps my concentration on an object.

I graduated and I took more courses with TAT Thailand to get more confident of doing this job and products and I am glad that I did because in the beginning I had a bit of struggle with technique and products but anytime I called they always help me out.

I’m lucky to have my own business, not to have many customers but to do more, to focus on taking care of customers and their nails while they are with me, have fun, chatting, a good atmosphere and it is more than just a normal shop

What uniqueness do you offer?

The product, when you choose to use cream on your face or body you are concerned with the quality, I like to treat my customers as how I would treat myself.

Most of my products are from the USA, firstly the supplier is important as they guarantee every product I buy from them so If something is wrong then I can claim with them and we have more variety of products, I have over 150 colours of nail polish from OPI and Zoya and over 70 colours of gel polish from Gelish

We also use brands that don't have chemicals in so that it does not damage the nails, even pregnant women or children can use my product.

I also use quality tools as many numbers of files so it doesn’t damage the nail plate much.

Do you have many regulars?

It’s funny that my main customers should be local thais but it’s mostly Farang customers. One lady who lives here came and she was very satisfied with my work and she told her friends and more friends.

I also put it on Facebook so other customers who live here can see my work too so most of my customers are regulars now and they still tell people and tell their friends.

Do you think Koh Phangan is becoming more known for quality services?
I think slowly many businesses will have to do that otherwise there’s not many ways to improve on the island as there are many competitors so they will have to improve themselves and the way they can improve is the quality. And that is good for the customers isn’t it?!

People are becoming more concerned of all the healthy things, the way that they eat and take care of their bodies so what I provide is more suitable.

Not many people know about gel polish here, not like in big thai cities but now it’s slowly becoming more well known. When they see the price they think it’s expensive but this gel polish can stay up to three weeks.

I have to say that at present it’s quite expensive for Thais but even so, I do have residence price as well. However I have a variety of services so I hope they can see me and get something for themselves in my shop.

What do you enjoy about Koh Phangan?

It’s terrific, I love this island. I have been to too many islands in this country, some islands I even go back many times to but they never make me feel like Koh Phangan, It’s more than just a party island.

Many people call Koh Phangan as Fullmoon island, it’s true it’s caught the attention from tourists so that here has many parties, I like the music from some parties but I also enjoy many beaches here. It’s so nice and quiet and stores have food where the varieties and price are not too different from the mainland especially the seafood and fruit here which are so fresh.

I don’t like cities but I like convenience so Koh Phangan is the best answer for me..

I could spend my day, when I have finished my appointments, I can drive off and go to the beach or for a ride and go back to customers after.

And leave us with your life philosophy?

For me I think that life is so short so just do or enjoy what you think is right for you and do it.

At least I try and fail which is better than never to try but regret, you just have only one life to live and for no one else but it’s for YOU!  

Respect and never crossed other people’s line as well, whatever you don’t like to get, then don’t do to other people.

We spent a good two hours with Beer at her nail spa, she really means it when she says she likes to take time with each customer.

She explains that all of her tools have been sterilized and that basically it is the same sort of set up as if you were to visit the dentist, a different tool for a different function.

Now everyone has their own individual problems with their nails, whether it be biting or chewing or from your family genes, each person's nails vary a lot and Beer knows how to treat each one, just like a doctor would for your body.

She starts with your cuticles, cleaning them which feels like a finger massage and gets rid of dead skin to make the natural nail feel and look much healthier already on its own.

Beer offers many different products but the most popular is gel, it does not matter whether you have short or long nails, this is a treatment and product that lasts nearly one month and makes all nails look wonderful.

She begins the process with an always delicate touch and pays a lot of attention to the work she is doing whilst still being able to have a friendly chat and always explaining the next process.

There is a rainbow of colours to chose from including natural shades, sparkly ones and even some full moon neon colours! Beers starts with the base then two coats of colour and a finish, each one is dried by led light so that the process of varnish does not take as long but you know that everything has been done to a really high standard.

Our nails look healthier immediately! And of course more attractive! Beer talks about how to take care of your nails and that if something does happen then to just go and visit her and she will fix it for you but we can see and feel that this wonderful piece of art is going to stay put.

We’ve tested them, we’ve done the washing up, cooked food, typed this article, driven a scooter, stroked dogs and taken showers and still our nails look fabulous.

A great thing to do to make you feel and look good on this little tropical island of Koh Phangan!