ProfessioNail at The Palms is the Shirley, Christchurch branch of an international nail salon brand that began in New Orleans in 1992 with a simple goal: making high-end nail care accessible to everyone, without the premium price tag. Today ProfessioNail (also known as Nail Studio) spans hundreds of locations across the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Northern Europe and Asia, with more than 140 stores in Australia alone since the brand launched there in 2000. The Palms salon brings that same promise to shoppers on Marshland Road, from inside one of Christchurch's busiest shopping centres.
The service menu covers the full range of nail care: manicures with cuticle care and a relaxing hand massage, longer-lasting dipping powder nails, spa pedicures with a rejuvenating foot massage, UV- or LED-cured gel nails, and custom-blended acrylics for flawless length and shape. Beauty extras include waxing and eye enhancements such as lash extensions, lifts and tints. The team treats every set of nails as a canvas for creativity, from precision nail art to classic finishes. As the brand notes, not every service is available at every location, so clients are encouraged to get in touch to confirm availability, pricing and bookings.
Three commitments sit at the heart of the ProfessioNail promise: affordable prices, strict hygiene and safety practices, and a focus on customer care. Sterilisation and cleanliness protocols are treated as a priority rather than an afterthought, so clients can sit back and relax knowing they'll leave with nothing but stunning, healthy nails. The salon trades seven days a week at Shop 62, The Palms Shopping Centre.
Step inside The Palms Shopping Centre in Shirley, Christchurch, and you'll find a salon that has built its name on something deceptively simple: delivering high-quality nail care at prices people can actually afford. ProfessioNail The Palms — Shop 62, just off Marshland Road — is the local branch of an international brand whose motto, "Our reputation is on your hands", sits behind every manicure, pedicure and set of nails the team creates.
The story began a long way from Christchurch. ProfessioNail was founded in 1992 in New Orleans — the jazz capital of the world — by a founder who believed luxury nail care shouldn't be the preserve of the few. At a time when high-quality nail services were either overpriced or hard to find, the brand became one of the first to offer full-service, high-end nail treatments at affordable prices. What started as a single salon grew into a global movement: today ProfessioNail, also known as Nail Studio, operates hundreds of locations across the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Northern Europe and Asia, with more than 140 stores in Australia alone. The brand launched in Australia in 2000 and has since crossed the Tasman, with The Palms salon serving the Shirley community from one of Christchurch's busiest shopping centres.
The menu covers the full spread of nail and beauty care. A classic manicure includes cutting, filing and shaping, cuticle care and a relaxing hand massage, finished with polish in the colour of your choice. Dipping powder nails offer a stronger, lighter and longer-lasting alternative that enhances the natural nail, with a base coat followed by a dip into vibrant colour. For length, acrylics are shaped from a custom blend of acrylic powder and liquid monomer, while gel nails use a hard gel product that closely resembles the natural nail, cured under UV or LED light for a smooth, durable finish.
Feet get their own moment with the spa pedicure, which cleanses and removes dead skin from the feet and toenails before a rejuvenating foot massage. Beyond nails, the salon offers waxing treatments that remove hair from the root using premium wax, plus eye enhancements — extensions, lifts and tints designed to create dark, voluminous lashes that frame the eyes.
One practical note from the brand itself: not every service is available at every location, so it's worth getting in touch with the salon to confirm availability, pricing and booking.
Three commitments headline the ProfessioNail promise: affordable prices, strict hygiene and safety practices, and a focus on customer care. Hygiene is treated as a priority rather than an afterthought — the brand describes strict sterilisation and cleanliness protocols designed so clients can sit back and relax, knowing they'll leave with nothing but stunning, healthy nails. The team frames its work as a craft: from precision nail art to flawless acrylics and manicures, every client's nails are treated as a canvas for creativity.
The salon sits at Shop 62 in The Palms Shopping Centre on Marshland Road, making it easy to pair an appointment with a shop, a coffee or the weekly grocery run. Doors are open 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday, with extended weekend trading — 9am to 6pm on Saturday and 10am to 6pm on Sunday. The salon can be reached on (03) 385 3067.
ProfessioNail offers gift cards, a straightforward option for anyone stuck for a present, and the brand publishes aftercare guidance to help clients keep their nails looking their best between visits. Whether it's a regular manicure, a pre-event set of gel or acrylics, a restorative pedicure or a lash lift, the idea is the same one the founder had in New Orleans more than three decades ago: exceptional beauty and expert care, from a team that truly loves what it does — without the premium price tag.