I'll start by saying that there was a problem with my pedicure, so I returned the next day to see…read morewhat could be done, and they did offer to fix it for me. The efficacy and appropriateness of their "fix," combined with the experience of the previous day, led to my rating.
I went to this salon because the location was convenient, I was in a hurry, and they didn't look busy. It is NOT my regular salon. I was told I could be taken care of immediately. A young man seated me, adjusted my water, and offered me a bottled water. I waited 10-15 minutes, apparently waiting for the young woman who was in the middle of doing a pedi.
After this lengthy wait with my feet in cool water, the pedicure was unremarkable. I was surprised that it was not nearly as thorough as the pedis I usually get (for many years now) from one particular technician at a different salon that is a much greater distance. Things were missed that are key to a good pedicure: cleaning under the nails, clipping the nails (she just filed), a thorough and vigorous massage (hers was minimal and light) and most importantly, a thorough smoothing scrubbing with the scrubbing block.
The technician used a foot file/rasp to remove dead skin. (I own one of these by Microplane, a high end manufacturer of files for culinary and grooming purposes. I use it weekly on my heels. I also occasionally use a smaller Microplane pedicure file.) She used chemical callous softener. But she never gave my feet more than a light scrub with the smoothing scrubbing block. I have never had a pedicure where this block wasn't used extensively until the skin of the heels, sides of the feet, and all around each toe became silky smooth. This is my expectation. She only used it briefly and with minimal scrubbing or pressure.
After a few hours back home, I noticed how extremely rough my heels were. There was cracked, dry skin actually sticking up, dead skin all around my toes, and nail polish on my skin. I decided to return to see how this could be fixed.
When I returned and was asked why I was there, the first, inexplicable question by the apparent owner was how much I paid for the previous day's pedicure. I guess I gave the right answer, because the same technician was assigned to remedy the situation.
The technician proceeded to apply more chemical softener and to use the rasp once again. I did not think this was a good idea two days in a row, and I was right, as you will learn. She once again did minimal scrubbing with the block. The other woman's advice to me was don't wait so long, and put Vaseline on my feet at night. I explained that I rasp the skin weekly and she told me I "don't know how to do it." I told her I don't use Vaseline because I don't use petroleum products on my skin, yet she was adamant that nothing else in the entire universe would help. Her insistence about my lack of knowledge on two fronts bordered on disrespect for me.
Horrifying development: When the technician washed off my feet in preparation for polishing she reached in a drawer and pulled out a sponge that looked exactly like a cleaning sponge you'd use on a sink. It was yellow with a green scrubbing surface. There was NO apparent sanitation of any type being used with this sponge. I suspect it's the sponge they clean the pedicure bowl with! I don't think a health inspector would like this practice one bit! I'd avoid this salon for this practice alone!
After some trial and error, the technician chose a polish color that she said was close; I didn't know she was going to re-polish (without removing polish first) and she chose a too-bright color and painted one foot then proceeded to try to paint the other AFTER I said I didn't like it. I had to say NO! (There was a very obvious and huge language barrier that I had noticed the day before during payment time.) She tried again and came back with the correct color at last. So now I have seven coats of undercoat, polish, and top coat on my left foot and eight layers on the right one, where the bad color was also painted over.
I thanked the technician and owner and left, curious to see what the results would be a few hours down the road. The skin was a bit smoother than the previous day but my heels were sore - no surprise there! She had taken off too much skin with her poor technique! The use of the rasp and chemicals two days in a row was uncalled for!
I woke this morning with a cracked, bleeding and painful heel. I have been putting liquid bandage on it to try to take down the pain and disinfect the wound.
I will not return to this salon, and if asked, I will recommend against it. Poorly trained technicians who are unable to communicate with customers should not be staffing a salon. Owners or their representatives should smile, make customers feel welcome, and apologize for mistakes their technicians make.
