They look pretty on the inside, but please beware - they don't follow DLLR's Division of Occupational and Professional Licensing regulations or expectations.
I received a polish change on my hands and designs on my hands and big toes. I brought my own polish.
I arrived in the evening and was greeted by two people. They both asked me what I wanted at the same time as if they were fighting for my attention. I chose one to answer to and was directed to a seat. I didn't wait at all, which was nice. As she started to do my nails, she asked me if I wanted my eyebrows waxed as well. I asked her who would do my waxing. She said she would. I asked her if she had a license to do waxing. Her response was, "This my shop. We all have license here." I asked her again if she had a license to wax, not just to do nails and she repeated the same thing, clearly frustrated with my question. Another lady recognized me because I came with my mother a few months ago. She asked about my mom and we small talked for a few seconds. My nail lady seemed more comfortable then and admitted that the shop wasn't her's and that she "just worked here".
The place has pretty fixtures and furniture, but it's not well kept. There were used towels on almost every pedicure chair that no one apparently had the time to put away. As she did my polish change, she didn't put a towel down under my hand. She didn't wash her hands and didn't have me wash mine either. Additionally, she didn't use any hand sanitizer. She pulled a used file out of a drawer. This lack of sanitation is against regulations.
There were about 15 different nail techs in the shop working on clients. I counted only two visible Nail Technician licenses on the walls. I saw none at individual stations. Makes you wonder big time. Also, I've been a licensed Nail Tech in the state of Maryland for over 12 years. I don't work in salons anymore, but I do work part-time for a Mobile Nail company that focuses on Natural nail care and strict sanitation and professionalism...so in other words, I know what I'm talking about here. Although I do my own nails, I mainly came here to get designs because they are harder for me to do on my own.
Here's the gist of it all:
* You don't feel like a guest or customer, they talk Vietnamese to each other, knowing you 're not likely to understand and I found it pretty rude to be talked around like I'm not there
* They're not professional. One of the workers was trying on dresses and interrupted my nail service to get her co-workers opinion at least 3 times
* They don't follow Maryland board regulated rules and sanitation. Licenses should be posted within plain view of the customer, either at the front desk or at workstations. They were not. Hands were not washed in addition to other unfortunate issues
* In DC and Maryland, waxing falls under the cosmetologist's and aesthetician's license. IF these people had Nail Technician licenses (and who knows because they were not visible), then they were not licensed to wax and should not be offering services for which they are not trained to provide. Waxing can be dangerous and cause infection if not done properly. Again, I saw only two Nail Licenses for the 15 people working there. Even if they had Nail Licenses, having one does not allow a person to wax in Maryland
* They offer massage services, but I saw no licenses verifying they were qualified and trained to offer such services
* They did a good job of changing my polish and doing the design. Good results and price, but not worth the lack of sanitation, unprofessional atmosphere, lack of apparently non-license folks working there, and messiness of the salon
* They had a good amount of product for sale available, especially lots of nice colors of OPI polish. I would go back to buy polish as gifts and for myself, but I'd be very careful about getting any "services" there read more