The Sims 4 Spa Day has received a refresh in a game update today. Players who already own the Spa Day game pack will receive all of the new features and content in a free game patch. Players who do not own Spa Day will still be getting some features of today’s refresh, like the ability to select fingernails and toenails in CAS.
This brings us to possibly one of the most exciting new features of the Spa Day refresh: NAILS! Sims can now go to the spa and have their nails and toes painted a variety of different colours and patterns. They can also give manicures and pedicures to other Sims both for fun and profit if they have high enough Wellness skill!
Getting Your Nails Done
Sims can ask another qualified Sim for a manicure or pedicure by clicking on any spa chair. At a spa, there will be nail techs on site to offer these services but spa chairs can be placed and used on any lot. Sims can hire a professional to come do their nails or ask a skilled Sim on the lot.
When your Sim sits down in the chair to have their nails done, a menu will pop up with a wide selection of colours and patterns to choose from, as well as different shapes. You can choose from coffin, round, stiletto, almond, short, and curated shaped nails. The curated section features nails of differing shapes made by CC creator, Ebonix. Each nail shape offers different sets of colours and patterns. There are both glossy and matte varieties of many colours as well. The glossy nails have a sheen on the corner of the nail polish bottle icon while the matte nails do not.
Once you’ve chosen your shape and colour, sit back and relax while a nail tech pampers your Sim! When finished, your Sim will be sporting a brand new set of nails which they will spend a few moments admiring. Getting your nails done also gives Sims a happy moodlet!
If you want your Sims’ toes to match their nails, your Sims can get a pedicure, too! The pedicure selection screen does not have differing shapes and only offers solid colours. As any nail enthusiast knows, it’s not so easy to get intricate patterns and designs on toenails and long toenails are just… ew. Toes are usually more simple than fingernails for these reasons and it’s no different in The Sims. There is a nice variety of solid colours to choose from so you can pick a colour for your toes that’s similar to the main colour on your fingernails if you want a matching look.
When getting a pedicure, your Sims will spend a few minutes letting their feet soak in warm soapy water, first. This is my favourite part of getting a pedicure and I’m really happy to see The Sims didn’t forget about this important first step! After your Sim’s feet have gotten a nice good soak, your nail tech will come over and start filing and painting the toenails for you.
Nails are not permanent if you get them done via a spa chair! They do degrade after roughly one in-game day and your Sims will need to go back to the spa to get a touch up.
Becoming a Nail Tech
While there is no official nail tech career in this Spa Day refresh, your Sims can definitely make a living as a nail tech. Your Sims have a lot of freedom to choose when and where they want to work. Spa chairs can be placed on any lot but the refresh also adds a portable version of the spa chair (and massage table) that can be dragged in and out of your Sim’s inventory anywhere they are. Go to a spa venue to work, work from home, or take your portable spa chair to the park! With other packs like Get To Work, your Sims could even own a retail business that does nails, although the funds made from doing nails may not be counted by the game as business profits.
To launch your own nail business, your Sim will need to spend some time building the Wellness skill. You won’t be able to offer nail services until your Sim has level 6 Wellness skill. Once your Sim is at level 6 of the Wellness skill, they can click on a spa chair and select Tend Spa Chair, much the same way your Sims can tend a bar.
While tending a spa chair, your Sim will wait near the chair until nearby Sims wander over to request spa services. Your Sims will automatically offer manicures, pedicures, hand massages, and foot massages while tending a spa chair but if you only want your Sim to do nails or massages, you can disable any services you don’t want your Sim to offer via the spa chair as well.
If your Sim completes the new Self-Care Specialist aspiration, they will earn the Self-Care Expertise reward trait which will allow them to make a lot more money from offering all spa services, including nails! This can be a very lucrative option for your Sims!
If your Sim is having trouble drumming up enough business, they can promote their services on Simstagram! Click on a spa chair to promote yourself and your Sim will pull out their phone to make a quick Simstagram post. Results aren’t guaranteed; social media can be hit or miss, after all, but in most cases, promoting yourself on Simstagram will encourage more Sims to show up to receive spa services from your Sim. If the Get Famous expansion pack is installed, your Sims can gain fame from doing this, too!
Your Sims can of course still offer nail services to specific Sims for free, just like they always could with the hand and foot massages.
Nails in CAS
Players who don’t own Spa Day will still be able to customize their Sims’ nails directly in CAS, but having Spa Day offers a much wider variety of nails to choose from.
There are now two new sub-categories in the accessories section of CAS; fingernails and toenails. You can select any nail set you like for your Sims. Children have short and medium-length nails to choose from in a variety of colour sets, as well as options for toenails. Toddlers do not have a toenail category in CAS but can choose short fingernails in a few different colours. Unfortunately, children and toddlers cannot get their nails done in game via a spa chair; their nail options are only available in CAS.
CAS nails differ from nails your Sims get done in-game. Unlike nails from the spa chair in-game, CAS nails do not degrade over time. Your Sims’ nails will stay beautiful forever if you select them in CAS.
