Sophie Chamberlain recommends a student-friendly local salon.

Within my first couple of weeks in Cardiff I went through the usual process of finding my bearings in a new city; the cheapest place to buy food, the best club to go depending on which night of the week, and also, where to get my eyebrows waxed?

There are many advertisements and recommendations as to which restaurant serves up the best hangover breakfast and which pub has the cheapest cider and black, but I found nothing about where to get the best spray-tan or pedicure.

Spending my first year in Talybont South, the only places I used to walk were to lectures or into the city centre. Therefore, every three weeks I used to walk the forty minutes into town to endure the process of getting my eyebrows waxed: which took all of ten minutes. After a month or two I was thinking there must be somewhere nearer which can do the exact same job.

 Tans and Hands is a salon located on Crwys Road in Cathays. They do pretty much any beauty procedure from both female and male waxing to manicures and pedicures. You can also top up your tan there ranging from a full body to a legs-only spray tan. If you want to glam-up your look for a night out, you can also go to Tans and Hands for eyelash tinting, perming and extensions.

You wonÔÇÖt break your student bank account by going there either. Waxing, for example, will cost you just a fiver for eyebrows, eighteen pounds to get a full leg wax and only eight pounds for your bikini line. Plus they accept student cards, so you can get a 10% student discount on any procedure!

I went to Tans and Hands once every four weeks for the whole of my second year and I donÔÇÖt have a bad word to say about them. The girls that work in there are very friendly and always professional. When ringing up the salon for an appointment they have rarely told me they cannot fit me in. They are open until 7pm from Tuesday to Friday so you can always book in an appointment after a late lecture. Plus itÔÇÖs such a shorter walk from the Talybont halls of residence and even closer to anyone living in a student house in the Cathays area.

So girls (and boys!) if youÔÇÖre stuck for somewhere to get your tan on for a night in Tiger Tiger or youÔÇÖre in desperate need of a manicure after an intense exam then pay Tans and Hands a visit. They also have their own Facebook page with new beauty procedures and offers of the week.