Let me tell you about my wild adventure at this so-called "bougie" salon. Buckle up; it's quite a…read moreride!
So, I had a 3:00 p.m. appointment on June 20th. First, they asked for my credit card info just to have on file. Not sure if they do that to everyone or if I looked extra suspicious, but who feels comfortable with their card details floating around some random salon? Not me. Anyway, I arrived, and they shoved a notepad in my face, making me read and sign a waiver at lightning speed. A waiver for a salon visit? This place was already giving me "sign away your firstborn" vibes. The kicker? If I sued them over COVID-19, I'd have to cover their legal fees too! Just a heads-up: read before you sign anything here.
Despite their "Bougie" facade, there was nothing upscale about this joint. The dress code, at least for my tech, was highly questionable. She wore a dirty old bra with a worn-out tank top and shorts so short they constantly migrated to her crotch. I asked for a "professional" tech and was assured mine was top-notch. Professional? Not in this universe.
When we got down to business, I asked for almond-shaped nails, but we settled on round since my nails were too short. The polish removal process was a marathon--30 minutes!--and then she started trimming my nails without looking, slicing into the skin beneath them. Ouch! I yanked my hand back, not keen on sacrificing my fingers today. She just stared blankly at me. Fabulous.
Filing my nails was like watching a toddler color outside the lines. Then, she dropped the bomb: two of my nails would be square-shaped. Excuse me? I said no, but she insisted. So, I borrowed the nail file and demonstrated that round nails were indeed possible. Without a word, she walked off to another tech and complained. Cue the drama! The "master nail tech" stormed over, shouting, "Hey, hey, hey!" (That's not my name, by the way). She launched into a tirade about how clients don't file their own nails. Felt like I was back in kindergarten getting scolded by the teacher.
Finally, I asked her to trim my cuticles. Instead of using a softener or water, she just yanked at them dry. It was like watching someone prune a cactus with their bare hands. I asked if they ever used a softener, and she bluntly replied, "No." Charming. As I complimented her nail art (because why not try to be nice?), my manicure wrapped up, and I was left alone waiting for my pedicure. That's when the salon manager approached me and said my nail tech didn't feel comfortable continuing and that I needed to leave. Shocked but not one to make a scene, I prepared to pay for my crappy manicure. As I took out my credit card, the salon owner suddenly got hostile and threatened to call the police if I didn't leave immediately. WHAT?! I was just trying to pay!
She stormed outside, so I followed, phone in hand, ready to record. They charged me $4 extra for the nail polish remover, likely because I was a "special" white Ukrainian with a heavy accent. As the owner ranted about a "language barrier," I couldn't help but laugh at the absurdity. Outside, as I recorded on my phone, the owner bizarrely wanted me to take some other client's used water bottle and claimed I had a language barrier. Lady, I understood everything perfectly: you overcharged me, refused me service, and acted like I was the problem. Newsflash: it's you and your "bougie" salon with anger issues.
By the way, it turns out I'm not the only one who's had a run-in with this place. According to Google reviews, being booted out seems to be their favorite sport, right up there with charging extra and providing subpar services.
So, to anyone considering a visit to this "Bougie" salon, beware! You might find yourself signing away your legal rights, dealing with a tech in a dirty old bra, and being yelled at by someone who thinks "Hey, hey, hey" is your name. And if you're really lucky, you might even get kicked out and overcharged, just like me. Cheers to finding a new salon where the only surprises are the ones you actually want.