I don't even know where to begin, so bear with me because this may be a long review…read more
This has to be one of the most unsanitary and unprofessional nail salons I have ever visited. The cleanliness, customer service, and overall quality of work were completely unacceptable.
I hadn't been here in a little over a year, but I decided to come back for a refill and a shape change from square to almond before my trip. The experience went downhill almost immediately.
As soon as I sat down, I noticed that my nail technician's workstation had not been wiped down after the previous client. The technician next to him also began working on another client without cleaning or sanitizing his station. To make matters worse, my technician wiped his nose and never washed or sanitized his hands before touching mine. That alone made me question the salon's hygiene standards.
He then began filing down my existing builder gel with the electric drill. He filed so aggressively around my cuticles that they became extremely thin, as shown in my photos. While some filing is expected during a refill, there was no care taken to protect the natural nail.
The dust collector was another major concern. It was filthy, covered in old nail dust and hardened clumps of dried gel or polish. It looked like it hadn't been properly cleaned in quite some time. At that point, I honestly felt like I needed to wash my hands before the service had even finished.
When it came time for my shape change, things only got worse. I even showed him reference photos of the almond shape I wanted, but he clipped my nails with no precision, care, or attention to symmetry. Multiple times, I could feel the nail clipper slipping between my natural nail and the builder gel, which was both painful and concerning. I kept trying to trust the process, but it became increasingly difficult.
Afterward, he applied builder gel almost exclusively at the base of my nails, leaving the upper portion--which he had just filed down--thin and unprotected. He then instructed me to place my hand under the UV lamp.
At that point, I stopped him.
I asked if he planned to even out the builder gel across the entire nail because it was obvious that the product was concentrated only near the cuticle. He insisted that this was the correct technique for a refill.
I've had fills done by many different technicians using different methods over the years, and I have never seen anyone leave the majority of the nail thin while building up only the base. It made absolutely no sense to me and seemed like it would make my nails much more likely to break before I even left for my trip.
Rather than argue, I politely asked if someone else could finish my nails because it was clear we weren't on the same page. Instead of handling the situation professionally, he rolled his eyes and became visibly irritated. I then asked to speak with the manager.
Unfortunately, the manager wasn't any better. Rather than addressing my concerns, she dismissed them and repeatedly insisted that this was simply how refills are done. I requested that they remove the product because I refused to cure my left hand under the UV lamp in that condition.
In all my years of getting my nails done, I've experienced good salons, mediocre salons, and even disappointing salons--but I have never experienced anything like this. Between the poor sanitation, questionable techniques, dismissive customer service, and overall lack of professionalism, I will never return.
If cleanliness, proper nail care, and professionalism are important to you, I strongly recommend choosing another salon.
