TLDR: Very unclear communication. Very high prices for gel, stickers, etc. compared to other salons. Tech kept using drill despite asking her not to. Bad vibe overall.
Came in with 3 kids - they wanted gel polish change as a treat, as regular polish peels off in a day or two. I asked (repeatedly) for the nail tech to confirm the price for gel for kids, as the sign said $18 extra for gel for all manicures. She was a non-native English speaker, so she pointed 3X to the kid's polish price and kept asking their ages. Enter miscommunication ...
Because I'd specified kids polish, and not manicure/pedicure...I foolishly assumed her pointing meant kid's polish WAS gel polish (which makes sense, since the drying time is instant and kids (at least mine) tend to pick at their nails).
When I made the appointment, I asked if my acrylics could be soaked off, because at a previous salon the drill damaged my nails and cut my skin. I also asked for dip powder. When we arrived, I again stated this explicitly, and the tech said it would be an extra half hour to soak, and five dollars more - which I agreed to.
After they took the kids back, I sat for about 15 min. when I approached the owner and asked if I could start soaking my nails since we knew it would take longer. She ignored me and 10 min later I asked another tech who listened. But as soon as my service started, the same tech whips out the drill. I explained (again) no drill, and she kept saying "just a little." I said NO. She walks away in a huff and says it's gonna take a long time. I said I understand, I can sit somewhere else so I'm not holding you up. (meanwhile literally no one is waiting). She ignores me. Comes back with the drill AGAIN.
Meanwhile, another tech comes up and asks, "You sure about gel for the kids? $2 extra!" I said $2 was fine, please do the gel.
Later, another worker brings me a slip and informs me it's $18 extra PER SERVICE for each girl just for the gel polish. This was after the feet were already done and they were about to start hands. They said the two dollars was ON TOP of that, because my youngest wanted a second color on one nail! I felt crazy since I thought we'd confirmed the price a bunch of times. Silly me. I told them to do plain polish on their hands, which we didn't even want because it's such a waste since it peels , but I'd also promised the kids I would treat them so I felt terrible.
On to me. Finally, the old acrylic is off. She starts soaking my fingers in water and cleaning the cuticles. I look over I see gel polish bottles in the same colors I selected out of her book....FOR DIP. I reminded her my service was for dip, not for gel, and at that point she gets really huffy, and walks away to get the dip powder. Meanwhile it was now pretty obvious by tone and body language a couple are talking about us which made me feel incredibly uncomfortable. Never returning. Two stars instead of one because in fairness she did an ok job on the dip.
If you go there, warning to clearly communicate and get verbal confirmation in return BEFORE they start your service. read more