Photo by Alexandria Living Magazine
Varnish Lane is bringing waterless manicures and pedicures to Alexandria. The DC-based nail salon is opening at 415 King St., which was the home of the Irish Walk for 50 years before it closed in 2020.
Varnish Lane was founded by mother-daughter duo Carrie and Lauren Dunne, who opened their first salon at 5236 44th St. NW DC in 2015. Their signature waterless service is better for nails and the environment. It reduces the risk of nail infections, enhances moisture, lengthens nail polish life and decreases water waste.
The salon prides itself on its standard for providing a healthy and safe beauty experience. “Beauty should not come at the expense of exposing ourselves or others to harmful toxins. At Varnish Lane, we are setting a new standard of wellness for nail service clients and workers. We strive for best-in-class nail salons and services, innovative wellness standards, and endless creative touches. We were the first salon in the country dedicated to waterless services, and our ever-expanding nail polish collection is always free of common toxins,” reads the salon’s website.
The salon only uses quality nail polishes or gels that are 8-free or higher, meaning they don’t have common toxins found in standard nail polish like formaldehyde. Skin care is all natural and nail polish removers are plant based. A full list of the salon’s standards and practices can be found on their website.
In addition to its original location in Friendship Heights, Varnish Lane has opened salons in DC’s Mount Vernon Triangle, Navy Yard and West End neighborhoods as well as locations in Charlotte, Charleston and Atlanta.
An opening date for the Alexandria location has not been announced.
