Oops, she did it again! After Miraflores, Nails n’Roll lands in Cascais with a cool 90s and 00s vibe

In a calm, quiet residential neighbourhood of Cascais, a large window revealing purple walls and dozens of yellow smiley faces on the ceiling instantly catches your eye. A neon sign does the introductions – Nails n’Roll – while the music spilling out onto the street, 50 Cent’s In Da Club, practically invites you inside.

The aesthetic gets even kitschier: surrounding three manicure tables, you'll find a tiger rug, a green velvet sofa adorned with flower, rainbow, and heart-shaped cushions, a pink telephone wrapped in pom-poms, a box of Gorila bubblegum, a golden waving lucky cat, and a pink shrine featuring a French bulldog standing in for Jesus.

Anyone who already knows nail artist Marta Machado – who opened the very first Nails n’Roll in Miraflores back in 2024 – knows her aesthetic is always like this: bursting with colour and serving a major "2000s California vibe". "I like creating visually appealing, cool shops with a different energy – almost edible!" she tells Time Out, just a few weeks after opening the brand’s second spot. Why Cascais? "There was nothing like this here yet, so there was huge market potential."

Besides gel polish manicure services (starting at €22) – with a strong focus on nail art (€5-€25) – there’s a dedicated pedicure station (€20-€27) complete with comfy brown armchairs, plus a couch for brow and lash treatments (€11-€55). Surrounding it all are posters of Britney Spears, the Spice Girls, Blink-182, and the films The Karate Kid and American Pie plastered across the walls.

Most clients turn up at Nails n’Roll with an idea or inspiration already in mind – "the craziest thing anyone’s ever asked me for was little willy drawings!" – but for Marta, keeping her team on top of the latest trends and techniques is essential, whether that means applying gems, creating 3D designs, or working with XL nails. The salon works exclusively with the Portuguese nail polish brand Inocos.

Once everything is fine-tuned in Cascais, the plan is to expand. "We’ve got the whole of Portugal to explore. Who knows, maybe a Nails n’Roll in Porto!" Marta Machado concludes.

Avenida Gonçalo Velho Cabral, 112 (Cascais). Mon-Sat 09.00-18.00

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