St Ives does a lot of things beautifully. If your nails aren't one of them right now, Nails by Ellie Creed in Helston is about half an hour away, across country on the B3302.
Ellie and Cait do BIAB, gel polish, hard gel, acrylic (with Ellie), nail art and gel pedicures, one client at a time, Tuesday to Friday from 9am to 3pm.
The kind of sets St Ives clients book
BIAB nails for St Ives
BIAB is the treatment most people come to us for. It's a builder gel over your natural nails that gives them strength and a smooth shape while they grow, so it's ideal if your nails take a battering. A first BIAB overlay is £45, then infills keep it fresh. Everything about it is on our BIAB and natural nails page.
French tips are a favourite too, from classic white to colour pops: they're a £6 add-on, and the rest of our nail art is on its own page.
Why make the trip from St Ives?
You could get your nails done closer to home. People come from St Ives for the work: hand-painted nail art, French tips in every colour, cat-eye and chrome finishes, and extensions that are shaped and balanced properly. Every appointment is one to one with Ellie or Cait, so nothing is rushed, and the salon is booking only, so there's no queue of walk-ins behind you.
Summer in St Ives is hard on nails: sea, sand, sun cream and a lot of time in flip-flops. A strong set of BIAB on your hands and gel colour on your toes from our pedicure (£40) will see you through the season.
Driving from St Ives to Coinagehall Street
Leave St Ives on the A3074, then pick up the B3302 and follow it through Leedstown, over the top and down into Helston. It's 14.8 miles and about half an hour. Ellie recommends Tyacke Road car park: from there, a shortcut past the registry office on Coinage Ope leads straight onto Coinagehall Street.
In summer, leave a little extra time for holiday traffic on the way out of St Ives.
Book any treatment from St Ives
When you arrive in Helston
Look for the pink. The salon is on Coinagehall Street, Helston's main street, with the Nails by Ellie Creed name in the window. Inside, there's a neon sign, a leopard print sofa to sink into, and The Coffee Hut in Helston delivers to the salon.
Coming from St Ives: FAQs
How long is the drive from St Ives to Helston?
About 30 minutes. It's 14.8 miles from St Ives to 24 Coinagehall Street, via the A3074 and the B3302 through Leedstown. Allow longer in the summer season.
Can I get BIAB nails done near St Ives?
Yes, in Helston, half an hour away. A BIAB overlay on bare nails is £45 with Ellie or Cait, and infills keep it strong from one visit to the next.
Do I need to pay a deposit?
50% deposit to book, non-refundable, comes off your bill. Cancelling on the day is charged at the full price.
Can I get my nails done before a holiday or a wedding?
Of course. Book a week or so ahead of the big day so your set is settled and still looks brand new in the photos. Add a pedicure for gel toes to match.
