Sisters build a bigger vision for nail care with move to Appleton

Lori Kaye Lodes

Contributor

August 24, 2026

APPLETON – A bigger space, a new name and a broader vision are giving two sisters a fresh start for the nail business they have built together over the past two years. 

CeeCe and Nalee Yang said they moved Yangs Allure Beauty Lounge from its small Menasha studio to a larger storefront on West College Avenue in Appleton in early July, rebranding the business as Beaute Couture in the process.

Nalee said the move reflects their plans to grow beyond traditional nail services while creating a more personalized, slower-paced experience for clients. 

Started small

Born and raised in Oshkosh, the Yang sisters said they both began their nail careers in Appleton. 

But, when they were unable to find a suitable space for their business there, Nalee said they opened in a small studio at Sola Salon in Menasha.

That space, she said, was about 300 square feet and offered limited visibility.

The new 900-square-foot Beaute Couture location, Nalee said, gives them room to serve more clients and eventually add nail technicians.

She said the new space also reflects the experience they want customers to have – with a clean, minimalist design and an atmosphere they say differs from a typical nail salon.

“When clients come in, it is so clean and smells good, and clients often comment, ‘I don’t smell nail stuff in here,’” she said.

Nalee said the expansion has allowed the business to grow its team to five people, and plans to add more.

After years working in traditional salons – Nalee five and CeeCe seven – the sisters said they had a clear idea of the type of experience they wanted to offer their own clients.

“We have always worked in a more traditional salon with a quicker pace, and I feel like we didn’t get to grow that bond with our clients,” Nalee said. “[Here], we can grow our bond with clients, learn what they like and don’t like and not have to speed through the process.”

Nalee said that emphasis on time and personal relationships is central to their approach.

“We take our time [when we do a client’s nails] – we don’t see them for three to four weeks instead of the typical two weeks,” she said. “We are saving them money and time because we like to get things done right the first time. We are very thorough with our nail prep, and that’s why they come back.”

More than just a name change

The sisters said the new name is about more than a fresh sign on the storefront.

Yangs Allure Beauty Lounge, Nalee said, was closely connected to their identity, while Beaute Couture is designed to reflect the creativity, customization and self-expression they want clients to experience. 

“The old one was more personal [to] me, and my sister and this Couture is more fashion and custom nails where everybody here can do the designs and do the work,” she said.

Nalee said the salon offers a wide range of nail services, including acrylics, building gel and hard gel, with hard gel becoming increasingly popular among customers.

CeeCe said they also specialize in Russian manicures, a detailed service that uses an electric file to clean the nail and surrounding skin.

“Once clients have one, they don’t tend to go back to [regular manicures],” she said.

CeeCe said the business also sets itself apart through its emphasis on cuticle preparation, which is included with every manicure service.

“Our No. 1 thing is cuticle cleanup,” she said. “We regularly hear, ‘Wow, nobody has cut my cuticles like that. They go straight into the prepping.’ But we do full prep with every set, and not all salons offer that.”

Nalee said appointment times can vary significantly depending on the service.

A short, one-color full set, she said, typically takes one to one and a half hours, while sets involving designs are booked for about two hours.

Russian manicures, Nalee said, take two hours or more.

Allowing additional time for appointments, the sisters said, is intentional, giving technicians time for creativity and proper nail care.

Nalee said Beaute Couture also emphasizes education, with technicians discussing nail health with clients and recommending a break from enhancements when nails become brittle or damaged. 

Clients coming in with existing work from another salon, she said, are typically asked to start fresh.

The sisters said removing the previous work and using Beaute Couture’s products gives technicians a better opportunity to assess the nails and ensure the quality of the finished service. 

Nalee said nail art is becoming more adventurous, while styles, such as almond-shaped nails, remain popular.

She said the shape works well for clients who type, lift or frequently use their hands.

Deep French and other French designs, Nalee said, also continue to be requested. 

The sisters said they have also carved out different specialties within the salon with Nalee focusing on detailed nail art – including hand-drawn designs, 3D flowers, diamond accents and character- or anime-inspired artwork – while CeeCe leans toward simpler styles, giving clients a range of options.

Nalee said clients seeking elaborate nail art are asked to submit inspiration photos when booking, allowing the salon to pair them with the technician best suited to the design.

3D designs, she said, are especially popular for vacations, birthdays and weddings. 

A sisterly balance

The sisters said they also divide the business responsibilities according to their individual strengths.

CeeCe said she manages much of the business’s administrative work, including payroll, licensing and permitting and bill payments. 

Nalee said she oversees technician training, addresses client concerns, responds to customers and helps maintain the business’s social media presence.

The sisters said the business has grown significantly since its launch.

Though most clients come from Appleton, Nalee said Beaute Couture also draws customers from Milwaukee, Wisconsin Dells, Wausau and La Crosse.

Some, she said, have been returning since the business operated as Yangs Allure Beauty Lounge.

“We still have clients from day one,” she said.

CeeCe said word-of-mouth referrals have been an important source of growth, along with social media and online searches.

The move to Appleton, she said, also gives the business something it lacked in Menasha: visibility.

“When we worked at our other place, the most challenging thing was foot traffic, because we were in a studio in a small place, and we didn’t have that exposure in the front,” she said. “Since coming here, we can get more exposure and get more foot traffic now.”

Nalee said the decision to move, expand and rename the business came as demand increased, particularly from groups wanting appointments together.

“We were getting more demand, [including] more groups who wanted to come in together, and we didn’t have the space,” she said. “Now that we have a storefront, we’re able to offer more technicians who can service more people at the same time.”

The sisters said they have additional plans for Beaute Couture, including potentially expanding into services such as facials, eyebrow and eyelash treatments, which customers have already asked about. 

For now, CeeCe said their focus is on building the new location, growing their team and continuing to develop their clientele.

Growing through trust 

CeeCe said the salon also offers military and veteran discounts and has introduced a gentleman manicure specifically for men.

The sisters said they want to challenge the perception that nail care is exclusively for women and create a space where anyone can enjoy the services.

Summer and the holidays are typically Beaute Couture’s busiest seasons, Nalee said, while business tends to slow from January through March.

Still, she said the new Appleton location has brought encouraging results, with many first-time customers becoming repeat clients. 

“Since the grand opening, we’ve been getting a lot of new clients coming in,” she said. “We often hear, ‘Wow, this is very different – no one has ever done this or that before.’”

CeeCe said the business’s growth also reflects the technicians’ developing skill sets and the trust that comes with that experience.

“As you develop skills, clients are more likely to trust that you know what you’re doing and more likely to return,” she said.

The Yang sisters said Beaute Couture is ultimately about creating a personalized experience rather than maximizing the number of appointments in a day.

“We focus on quality over quantity,” Nalee said. “Every appointment is intentional – no rushing you out the door. We want you to come relax, hang out with us and enjoy the experience while receiving luxury nail care.”

Head to Beaute Couture’s Facebook page for more details.