Salon in the Spotlight: Buff Bar Bristol
By Kat Hill | 21 August 2019 | Feature, Salon & Spas
“Buff Bar has grown from my own experiences with beauty, adornment and queerness,” explains Nathan Taylor, owner of Buff Bar Bristol. “I would often colour my nails as a kid, but because I was worried about being teased, I would use a marker pen so I could quickly remove the scribbles of black pigment from my nails.
“After a few jobs, lots of life experience and an art degree, I moved to Bristol not really knowing what I’d do with my life. By this time, I felt way more comfortable in my identity; I was going to nail salons and getting long, pointed black acrylics. I loved them, but I often didn’t feel comfortable in the salon environment.
“It got me thinking about the kind of space that I would feel comfortable to visit: somewhere calm, with nice smells and music I liked. A place that wasn’t too visually overwhelming or busy. Somewhere I could actually relax and feel pampered.
“After a year spent studying and gaining experience working at other salons, I launched Buff Bar from the front room of my home in Bristol. It’s been in full swing since April this year and things are moving pretty quickly! I feel able to express my creativity, while giving clients the treatments they deserve, and am able to offer them a beautiful environment that also nourishes me.”
Working with only client at a time, Nathan has the time to focus fully on the client sat at his nail desk. “Seeing one client at a time and leaving plenty of time between appointments, I never have to rush my work – or the client!” Nathan smiles. “This is very important for me to provide this space so the salon can be a genuinely therapeutic space.
“As a queer person of colour, I am aware of the ways in which spaces can subtly discriminate against LGBTQIA+ people and those from marginalised backgrounds. This can be as simple as asking someone’s pronouns, and not making assumptions about the people who walk through my front door. Buff Bar fulfils a need for queer spaces that are calm and restorative.
“I also like to swap with other local businesses – so far I’ve swapped for tattoos at Cloud 9 and flower arrangements by Its All Pretty Wild. I am also working on a pay-it-forward scheme where clients can sponsor nails for people who can’t afford them.
“The care aspect of what I do is very important to me: I talk openly about mental health with my clients, share plenty of information about maintaining nails and skin, and talk clients through my process before I do anything new!
“Buff Bar also has its own mascot: my adorable Chinese Crested dog Colin, who is usually on hand to answer the door and supervise my work.”
Currently focusing on hand and foot treatments, the salon space offers a variety of nail services. “At the moment, I offer gel polish manicures and pedicures, including working with builder gels to repair and extend nails,” explains Nathan. “Soon I’ll be introducing luxury pedicure treatments, using my own products and hopefully reflexology.
“I exclusively use The Gel Bottle Inc. I have recently started collaborating on my own natural skincare products with my friend Mimo Cha, and we have so far produced custom scrubs and cuticle oil featuring organic, ethically sourced ingredients.
“I have really honed my approach to nail art, and love to experiment with transparency, natural forms and patterns. My art background helps me discover and apply all kinds of influences, and I am able to work to sources that my clients bring me – everything from dress patterns to cartoon characters!
To be able to offer the environment he idealised, décor was an important element for Nathan. “My salon’s decor is something I have invested lots of time in – it’s important to me personally and for Buff Bar as a brand,” Nathan explains. “I wanted to make sure that the space is as neutral, ungendered and accessible as possible. I have also taken care to make the space clean, tidy and spacious, to create a calming and welcoming effect.
“I built my own manicure table, pedicure station and shelves using recycled wood from Bristol Wood Project. They are a social enterprise that collects and transforms Bristol’s wood waste into affordable timber through an inclusive volunteering program. It’s important for me to support local organisations like this that are working towards making Bristol a more sustainable city.
“By using natural materials like wood and fabric, Buff Bar has a homely feel – it’s situated in the front room of my home after all! The space is serene and comfy, which I hope creates a gentle, calm environment. Somewhere you can leave your daily worries, stress and drama at the door even for an hour or so.
“I have made a point of having images of queer people on my walls, as it can be rare to find role models and images for marginalised people to aspire to. I also take plenty of inspiration from Toiletpaper magazine, for its eerie editorial style and bright kitsch flavour, as well as issues of Scratch magazine and the Nailed It! book.”
