Want to look and feel better, inside and out? Then you might want to schedule a mani/pedi with your bestie. That’s what we learned when we partnered with essie and heard from 1,792 YourTango readers in our “Share the Love” survey.

A trip to the nail salon is powerful means to bond with the people who matter most while relaxing and building your confidence. Here’s why:

Getting pampered is a natural means to boost self-esteem and relax.

Everyone knows that when you look your best, it helps you feel your best … and now we’ve got the stats to back it up. 

When we asked why get a manicure and/or pedicure? The number one answer by far was “I want to be pampered and feel more relaxed.”

When asked how receiving a mani/pedi makes them feel, 49 percent of women said, “polished,” followed by 33 percent responding with “confident.”

And speaking of confidence, the nail salon might be your best bet for walking into a first date with bravado: a staggering 78 percent of men say unruly or dirty nails are a major turn-off. The numbers don’t lie...

You get precious downtime to de-stress and talk it out with your girls.

Life is complicated. It’s no simple task to schedule yourself some much-needed R&R AND find enough room in your calendar for all the quality time you’d love to spend with your friends.

So why not kill two birds with one stone? The nail salon allows you the unique opportunity to simultaneously wear your heart on your sleeve and your favorite shade on your toes (pink or red variants are your #1 color choice for sandal season … warm colors for warm weather!). Brooding types: fear not. In fall and winter, purples and blacks are the top color preference.

As one YourTango reader noted, “The relationships in our salon are like ones you see in a movie — we know each other, support each other and thoroughly enjoy the camaraderie that comes from meeting up every other week at the same time and in the same place.”

We were very pleased to see how many of you are, in fact, sharing the love at the nail salon! When asked: “When I go to the salon with friends or family, I feel:” 35% of women said they are excited to spend valuable time together, followed by 24% who said they feel pampered. To the 19% of you who never go to the salon with friends or family: you are missing out!

Surprise! Your man can join in on the fun, too (and make it even better).

The couple that pampers together, stays together?

It’s not the catchiest line, but we found that of those couples that did go to the salon with their partner, an incredible 97 percent enjoyed the experience, whether it’s the extra time to talk and bond or the joy of being doted on together.

And as we all know, shared interests and mutual activities are the building blocks of any strong relationship.

Nailed it!

Not surprisingly, nail color means a LOT to the ladies. Clocking in as the top answer to “My nail color is:” 35% of you said it is “a way to express my personality,” while 27% called it “a way to keep my look clean and polished” and 25% as “a way to express my style.” No wonder essie is such a popular brand given its vast color selection and endlessly entertaining names: Trophy Wife, No Baggage Please, Resort Fling, Truth or Flare, Shake Your $$ Maker, and Jamaica Me Crazy to name a few!

In fact, color may be the new mood ring. Over 40% of women choose their color based on mood. Neutrals and black/purple tie as the leading choices when you’re sad, and pinks and reds come out when you’re happy.

And because we knew you’d want to know, here’s how your gal pals are rocking their nails. Where do you fall on this list?

• I like them short and trimmed, no polish. — 26.93%
• My nail style changes constantly! I always have something different. — 17.15%
• I tend to go with my signature color, but I'm not afraid to branch out. — 12.53%
• I love a neutral, nude nail. — 9.50%
• I love bold colors, depending on my mood. — 8.61%
• I love my French manicure, merci! — 8.54%
• I like short, dark and sultry nails. — 6.13%
• I’m all about nail art. — 3.79%
• I love my acrylics! Long, long, long! — 2.69%
• I love my nails fire red and keep them long. — 2.27%
• I tend to hide my nails in public. — 1.86%

So what did we learn? It seems we hit the nail on the head after all — getting pampered at the nail salon is a great way to share the love by bonding with the people who mean the most … and you may never get another date again if you don’t keep those nails under control!

Visit StyleSeat.com to choose your preferred salon and stylist for your next essie manicure and pedicure! Shop for your favorite essie products from your favorite salon! And while you're at it, check out our super-shareable infographic and see Why You Need To Drop Everything And Get Your Nails Done, Stat.