Meet Jay Jay Revlon, the manicurist who's doing it for the boys

You walk into a pub in Peckham expecting to see many things. Craft beer, a posh pizza pop-up and a builder sculling a pint after his shift are among them.

But a 26-year-old male manicurist surrounded by bottles of brightly coloured polish is a surprising addition. More surprising still is the news that the services of Jay Jay Revlon (south London-born DJ and dancer turned nail technician) are made for men.

“My aim is to bring nail care for men to a level where it becomes normal,” says Revlon when we meet in the Prince of Peckham on Clayton Road. His pioneering polish pop-up, Guys That Nail It, has just finished a week-long residence in the function room above, offering a menu spanning a 30-minute “Sort my Handz Out” manicure to an all-singing, all-dancing “Lord of the Luxe” pedicure.

The inspiration, Revlon tells me, first came from his mum, with whom he shares a home just down the street from where we meet. “I did her nails as a birthday present and then my ideas just spiralled,” he says. The decision to dedicate the space to men arose from his own experiences in London’s nail bars. “I feel comfortable getting my nails done now, but I wasn’t at the start,” he confesses. “You walk into this bright-pink place with all these females giving you side-eye and it’s quite intimidating for most men.”

While he acknowledges that most nail salons in the capital are open to all, he admits sometimes feeling less than welcome: “Just because you say we can, doesn’t mean we can.” He recalls one moment in particular. “I remember being in a nail shop and there was a guy who walked in wanting a pedicure. But he stood there looking really lost, like a rabbit in the headlights. They didn’t have an appointment available, and when he left, some of the girls commented, ‘he’s a bit strange’, but I knew he just didn’t know what to do, where to look or who to speak to.”

In an attempt to challenge these perceptions, Revlon plans to take his nail bar to common ground, travelling to one-on-one appointments in office blocks or popping up in pubs. So far, business has been “steady”, with clients ranging from “old and young, gay and straight”. And while his own go-to nail look is “colour with a little bit of zhush or glitter” he’s keen to stress that this is as much about taking pride in your appearance as it is about outlandish nail art. “Let’s be real. We judge people on how they look — on their feet, how they smell, what they’re wearing, whether their hair is done. A big thing for me growing up in black-Caribbean culture was making sure you always looked tip-top. When I shake someone’s hand I always look at their fingernails.” Image is also important in the voguing scene — a style of dance that evolved from the black LGBT and drag subcultures of Eighties Harlem — through which Revlon has made his name, hosting regular club nights in east London and Peckham.

But the light-bulb moment as far as his nails were concerned came when he got his first pedicure last year before a holiday in Ibiza. “It was a real eye-opener for me,” he says. “I’ve got dancers’ feet — rough, calloused, a mess — but I never thought about getting them done before. I just thought that was how feet were supposed to look.” Now he wants to show other men what a big improvement can be made with a little maintenance. As a result, his services focus on care with soaking, scrubs, masks and massage on the menu alongside the standard nail-file and cuticle-tidy. Treatments are finished by buffing nails to a healthy shine, though polish and gel extensions are optional.

Eventually, Revlon hopes to set down permanent roots with a space that encompasses all aspects of male beauty, from massaging and waxing to nail and hair care. A barbershop planning to open in Primrose Hill has already been in touch. But for now, Revlon’s dream is a simple one. “I’m just creating a space for people. For me, this isn’t about masculine or feminine. It’s just for people who want their hands to look healthy. That’s not too much to ask.”

To book, email guyzwhonailit@gmail.com or message on Instagram @guysthatnailit