New at BLVD Place

Salon owner has style nailed

Maryam Naderi isn’t one to have a closet filled with trendy clothes. She’s too practical for that. Manis and pedis are her thing.

In November, the 32-year-old Dallas native opened Paloma, a nontoxic nail salon in BLVD Place, neighboring Luxington boutique. Naderi, a Trinity University graduate with degrees in international business and Mandarin Chinese, has been a management consultant for 10 years. She recently noticed a gap in the nail-salon market.

“It was hard to find a place that was nice, clean, didn’t use all the toxic chemicals and at a price point that women could make it part of their monthly routine,” she said.

At Paloma, manicures are $30, pedicures are $45. All the nail polishes are free of toxic chemicals. A bit more about Maryam Naderi: DAY JOB: Management consultant PASSION: Owner of Paloma nail salon

When did you have your first manicure?

I was 25, and a colleague took me to get a manicure as a treat. I realized it’s a quick way for me to feel confident. I got addicted to them.

Why the name Paloma?

Paloma evoked the feeling I wanted — grapefruit, fresh and citrus and the concept of vacation. (It also means “dove” in Spanish.)

How does the salon’s design fit its name?

It was designed by Content Architecture to make every client feel that they were leaving the rigors of daily life and enjoy a bit of affordable luxury. Everything is removable, and there are no jets or pipes that can trap debris.

Why was toxic-free so important?

I was getting the budget manicures twice a month, and I noticed how bad many of the places smelled and how gross the tubs were. I was so suspicious, but I couldn’t afford the expensive, super-clean places. Then I read a story in the New York Times in 2015 that affirmed my suspicions. I thought there must be a better way to do this.

Got any nail tips?

I get color changed once a week and let my nails breathe one week every month. I think if you’re going on vacation, it’s the best time to let your nails breathe.