Considering I spend my days parked behind a desk bashing away at a keyboard, it’s probably no surprise that my nails aren’t in the best shape.

And I’m that girl who paints her nails and leaves the paint chip away naturally. So, when a friend politely recommended a manicure which gave me a maintenance and chip-free finish for up to three weeks, I was sold.

Gelish nails is a soak-off gel which involves using a UV or LED lamp to set the varnish.

I popped into Blue Lagoon on The Kingsway and was greeted by my manicurist Katy who sat me down and patiently waited as I made the big decision – which colour to choose? I decided on a dark purple and Katy got to work on my nails.

A relatively new product, a little bit of Googling reveals Gelish has a contender ­­­- Shellac. It gives similar results and is just as popular.

My manicurist first buffed my nails before applying a base coat. The process lasted about an hour and Katy preened my nails with a few coats of polish, carefully brushing them and letting the polish set under the UV lamp.

I’ve always found massages the perfect way to relax, but I am now a manicure convert. I left feeling pampered and chilled-out relaxed with perfect nails to match.

If you don’t have the time to paint your nails regularly, I would recommend you try Gelish. A few days later and my nails are still chip free and smooth.

But if you’re more of a DIY kind of girl, Katy’s top tip to make sure you use a base coat to avoid staining, and use a cuticle oil to encourage growth too.

Gelish nails, Blue Lagoon The Kingsway Swansea, £25

Check out the video of a Gelish nails manicure below: