I'm extremely disappointed with the experience I had at TT nails today…read more
I've tried a lot of nail salons and I really hoped this one would be different. Sadly, I was apparently used as a guinea pig to train a technician who had absolutely no clue what she was doing. Also, I was charged the full price for a "Gel X" manicure, but they completely skipped TWO WHOLE STEPS in the Gel X process. I know this because my teenager is an expert in doing Gel X, I've researched them and had them done at other salons, I own ALL the products, and I know exactly what goes into a Gel X manicure.
I sat down and this sweet lady (Tech #1) who seemed super competent prepared my cuticles. She did a good job! Suddenly, though, she left and some other lady came over to continue the manicure. Um, okay....
It became pretty obvious pretty fast that Tech #2 had ABSOLUTELY NO CLUE WHAT SHE WAS DOING. She spent forever trying to find the right size tips for my nails, and even I could tell she was picking tips that were way too small or big for my nail plate. The tips she selected either left blank space on my nail bed or covered the skin.
She applied a tip (full fake nail) and it was VISIBLY CROOKED. Then, she tried to take it off even though it was already superglued with UV gel. So, she filed it and wrapped it in acetone, SPILLING ACETONE OVER MY BARE SKIN. She just let the acetone sit there and I had to ask her to wipe the extra acetone off my skin. It's so bad for your skin to leave pure acetone sitting on it for no reason at all!
Then she finished applying the rest of the tips and Tech #3 ("Yan", who was clearly more senior, more competent and more experienced) came over to inspect. At one point, I had THREE TECHS all looking at and consulting about my nails. This was just a standard Gel X manicure. IT'S NOT THAT HARD, which is why it's become so popular for people to do at home.
Tech #3 determined that THREE MORE NAILS NEEDED TO BE REMOVED. So, she set about filing down and applying acetone to those three nails.
DO YOU KNOW HOW BAD IT IS FOR THE NATURAL NAILS TO APPLY AND REMOVE TIPS FOR ABSOLUTELY NO REASON? I was MAD at this point because this was now FOUR nails that had been applied to my bare nails that now had to be removed!!!!!! I tried to leave. I said, "I'm sorry, but this just isn't working for me. I'm leaving." Tech #3 was like, "No, No..." and pressured me to stay. I said fine. Tech #3 finished the tips and shaping, which are fine.
A critical step in the Gel X process is the dehydrator and the primer. They charged me the full price of a Gel X manicure but totally skipped these steps!
THEN TECH #3 TRIED TO PASS ME BACK TO TECH #2 to do the polish, THE ONE WHO HAD ALREADY SO ROYALLY SCREWED EVERYTHING UP!
I said no, that I was leaving, and that I would just have my daughter apply the color. Once again, Tech #3 was like, "No, no..." and pressured me to stay. This put ME in an extremely awkward position because the lady next to me was clearly waiting for Tech #3 (the more senior, experienced one) and I was saying that I did not want the incompetent tech (Tech #2) to do my color, which I guess meant that Tech #3 had to do it. That was why I was trying to leave!
Well, I hate the color, as it's pure coral and I wanted pale pink. However, at this point, I was not going to request a different color after just one nail because the lady next to me was waiting for my tech. I still hate the color and am just going to change it myself or have my daughter change it. I just wanted out of there. Great manicure, when you just want to get out of there because it's been such a frustrating experience.
What was supposed to be a relaxing experience was stressful, made me mad, and I still hate the color. Nonetheless, I was charged full price. I still tipped 15% because I never, ever tip less than 15% anywhere, no matter how bad the experience.
I probably won't go back, which is a huge bummer. I really need a clean, reliable, high quality salon to visit.
It does not speak well about this salon, though, that they would pair a brand new customer (or any customer) with an utterly incompetent tech. That tech needs more training before they put unsuspecting customers with her. I even called 20 minutes in advance to ask if they had space for me, and they assured me they did! Don't use your customers to train your techs. That's really not fair to the customer.
Also, don't claim to be performing a "Gel X" manicure when you skip two critical steps, which are the application of a dehydrator and a primer. I own every single Apres product required to do a proper Gel X manicure and am well educated about the process of a Gel X manicure, which my tween daughter does all the time. The only reason I even went to a salon is because my daughter is busy with school and sports and I wanted it done ASAP.
From now we'll just do our own nails at home or keep looking for a decent salon.