First off, I've only had 3 manicures in my life, so I'm kind of a manicure rookie. I do a fair amount of yard work, work around horses mucking stalls, emptying water buckets, tossing around bales of h... Read More
First off, I've only had 3 manicures in my life, so I'm kind of a manicure rookie. I do a fair amount of yard work, work around horses mucking stalls, emptying water buckets, tossing around bales of hay, etc., so frequent manicures would be a waste of time and money. Nevertheless, I was attending a schmancy event a few months back and thought, well - what the heck? So, okay, maybe it was like putting lipstick on a pig, but I thought I'd give it another try after a disastrous experience at another nail salon in town the year before. Not knowing any better, I'd gotten a gel manicure at that place and didn't realize that that meant that I'd have to go back and have the stuff removed. I didn't do that, and after attempting to remove the stuff myself, I ended up with nails that were ruined. They peeled off in layers and wouldn't grow normally for several months. Needless to say, they looked and felt like crap. So, on the recommendation of a friend (who has since changed her mind about this place) I walked in with a song in my heart and asked for an eyebrow wax and a manicure. I very specifically said "I do NOT want a gel manicure." I enunciated this VERY clearly. So I picked out a color and got my manicure. I guess I should've been tipped off when the woman put my hands in the drying machine, but thought that this must be the way to quickly dry the polish. She was kind of sloppy about shaping the nails and applying the polish, and when she told me that I owed $45 my mouth dropped open. Looking at the board that had the prices posted, I thought that the most I would owe would be about $25-$30. (This was a few months ago, so I'm not 100% sure what the exact pricing should've been.) I asked why it was so much money, and she said, "Gel manicure. You got a gel manicure." I reiterated that I had been very clear about NOT wanting this, but she acted like a deer in the headlights. I didn't want to make a scene (now I wish I had) so I just paid the money and bolted. As I wasn't about to go back and pay to have them remove the stuff, I just let it wear off with time and a little sanding with a nail file. (Yes, I realize this cheesy fashion technique could be considered criminally offensive and stupid...) Be that as it may, my nails are now ruined again. Dried out, soft and bendy, peeling, and very, very sad. (I think I actually hear them weeping softly at night.) What's more is that my friend who used to go here says that they once gave her a used paper towel to clean her hands and that making an appointment ahead of time doesn't guarantee that you will not wait a considerable length of time, or get the person you requested - even though they assure you that the person will be available. Maybe not everyone gets this type of service, but at least now you are warned. Read Less