For those of you who are interested in La Mer Nail Institute as a SCHOOL, I'm the comment that you've been scrolling to find.I am a former student and graduate of La Mer Nail Institute. When I first became interested in acquiring my Nail Technician License, my largest goal in the beginning was to find a school that truly cared about my growth as a student, and the success of my future. I read many scary stories over the internet as well as yelp about many institutes with poor quality teachers, and very little passion to teach. I checked out a few cosmetology schools to acquire ALL of the certifications, but my passion was in nails... and nails only. The other institutes made an emphasis in teaching the art of hair, but very little time was spent teaching the artistry of nails.I happened to come across La Mer Nail Institute online, almost a year after I was looking at nail schools... I hadn't even visited the school yet, as I was visiting family on the mainland, and noticed they were about to begin a new session. I did as much research as I could on the school and I couldn't dig up ANYTHING! But I took a leap of faith and decided that the day I turn in my enrollment papers, is the day I will see it and truly decide. So I did just that.From the moment I walked in to the day I graduated, it has been a tremendous experience. The Principal of the school and the teachers are incredibly dedicated individuals. Before you begin working in the salon, everyday you study out of the book, and then practice everything you learn. The teachers are VERY patient and encouraging of all the students. Whether your only language is English (like me) or you're stronger in another language and have a difficult time reading the book or understanding certain things (like the students that graduated with me), you will get every ounce of help that you could imagine. Anything that I wanted to learn, they taught me not only as a teacher but a true professional and expertise in the field. Safety and sanitation in the salon are HUGE! Satisfying the client with a feedback rate of 5 stars is easy to do when you've got teachers like these. It was a true pleasure to work with their dedicated and growing clientele! I'll never forget my experience at La Mer Nail Institute. Because of them, I was able to better fulfill my passion in nail artistry and have grown an incredible appreciation for nail professionals as well as the nail industry.I really hope my review helps! Thanks again La Mer Nail Institute! You're the best!! Read Less

I stumbled upon this place by accident about a year ago and I haven't gone anywhere else since. The student salon is very clean with spa like decor. All students and instructors are knowledgeable, professional and highly accommodating to ones schedule.They carry the best products with very reasonable prices. I can highly recommend this salon to everyone who values quality and doesn't mind spending a little longer time on a mani or pedi, as students tend to be naturally slower, but more detailed in their work. Read Less

I have been to La Mer a few times now and every experience has been better than before. The school is so clean and filled with the most updated instruments.   The teachers are incredibly gracious and accommodating to your every need. And each student that has worked on me has shown the utmost professional services and care.  I cannot express enough how much i enjoyed my time there and the best part is the cost! The prices are so reasonable. THANK YOU LA MER NAIL INSTITUTE for the BEST experience ever. You have a customer for Life Read Less

My wife went to school here and she loved it. She didn't know much about nails before going here; just that she liked getting her nails done.She told me she wanted to go here for three reasons.Friendly staff - answered all her questions and were very accommodating because there were many.Clean - she wished she could get me to keep the house as clean as this school is. Being the great husband that I am, I modeled for her a few times and have to agree that it is very clean there. Owners might have slight OCD.Nail Products - all different brands of nail products to practice with. Not sure the exact brands, but they have em displayed on the walls.Now this isn't the cheapest school, but I think it was worth it. My wife learned a lot and they even helped find her a job. Read Less

I just graduated from La Mer Nail Institute. It is a brand new school and I was in the 2nd group of students. In the end I was incredibly disappointed with my experience at La Mer. So here is my review to help others researching schooling options. First, the pros. Moana (the owner) is very professional. Her and Mark keep the school Incredibly clean and organized. The space is beautiful. There is a classroom and a salon room. Both are laid out well- everything is nice and new. I appreciated the atmosphere and beautiful space. They also played great music! The location is easy and convenient, and walking distance to a couple beauty supply stores which was great. Because it is a new school, there were only 2 students in my class, me and one other girl. This could be a pro and a con, but I personally liked that it was a small class.The cons. First and foremost, the Teacher. Mrs. Rina was the worst teacher I've ever had. First of all, the language barrier. English is her 2nd language. She is incredibly difficult to understand! She constantly struggles with finding the right words- it's obvious that her English vocabulary is very limited. This was frustrating & confusing every day,  trying to figure out what she was trying to say. One day, as she was zipping through the chapter, she told us to underline these 2 words from the book. Two words that I had never heard before. When I asked her what they meant she started fumbling through the book trying to come up with an answer and ended up getting out her phone and "googling" the definitions. This is one example of many. Whenever I asked a question about something, I ended up 10 times more confused by her response.  Do not expect any class discussions. She zooms through the chapters way too fast reading a line here and a line there, skipping 90% of the book. She does not help you understand anything. Be prepared to teach yourself the material, she is really no help at all. Also, she keeps Moana and Mark out of the classroom, so if you don't go tell them whats going on, they will have no idea.The school seems to be aimed towards Japanese people.  Even though it is supposed to be an English class, the teacher spoke Japanese to the other student daily, even though the students first language was English. This was rude and made me feel left out and uncomfortable. I talked to Rina about it more than once, and she continued to do it. So if you go to this school, and you're not Japanese, be prepared for this.Rina never encouraged me and she never once said "good job." She was highly critical. When I would show her my nail art, she would just nod her head and say nothing. It became a struggle for me to keep going day after day. Ultimately, what goes on inside the classroom does not match up to the professional outward appearance of the school. She made me feel like my whole schooling experience was a joke. The schooling experience that I paid almost $5000 for! I realized towards the end that the reason they rush through the program so fast is because they start the next class before the previous one has ended. The classes overlap. I was really upset when I realized that this was the reason they rushed me through and rushed me out. When the next class starts, almost a month before yours ends, you will be on the salon side only. Practicing on your own and hoping for clients. Unfortunately the student salon is not busy because it's a new school. Moana and mark do their best to bring their friends and family in, but other than that there are very few actual clients.The only thing you practice on real models are manicures and pedicures. 90% of the gel polish and acrylics are done on plastic nail tips, not live models. So when you finish school do not expect to feel confident with those. Acrylics especially. When you practice on a tip, you skip the majority of the steps you would do on a real client. So that's a lot of practice you miss out on. You will not learn how to use the drill. They will tell you that most salons don't do acrylics or use the drill anymore. This isn't true. And I was really disappointed I didn't get to learn those skills.I felt confident enough in Moana and her school image to take the chance on investing in the brand new school. Unfortunately, the teacher did not match up to the professional appearance of La Mer Nail Institute. After the first week of school, when I realized things were not going well, I decided to check out the other school, Honolulu Nail Academy. I was able to sit in on a class. The teacher spoke perfect English. She was calm and nice, and explained things clearly. The atmosphere of the school and the cleanliness of the classroom space wasn't nearly as nice as La Mer, but the teacher at HNA won hands down! It ended up being too expensive for me to transfer, so I stuck it out at La Mer. But I wanted to write this for future students who are trying to pick the best school for themselves. Read Less

When I heard about this new school & student salon, I thought I might try having some work done because it was much cheaper than a regular salon.  I was hesitant at first, because let's face it, "how good could students be?"   Well, from my first visit there, to my 6th visit (yes, I've been there 6 times), they were all friendly, professional and very concerned about the comfort of their clients.  The student salon makes you feel like you're at a high-end resort, with soothing sounds and its' clean & relaxing atmosphere. The students seem to have a great relationship with their instructor, which is demonstrated in the way they interact, as she quietly gives them some pointers during your salon service.  And vice versa, as they do not hesitate to ask her questions.  It feels good to know that these students are receiving high quality instruction to start them on their way to a new career.  I took a peek into the classroom area, and it has the same high quality look and feel as the student salon. I would highly recommend making your next appointment here! Read Less

This establishment is awesome! First and foremost, the place is impeccably clean & beautifully decorated to make it feel more like a spa than a student operated facility. The staff and students are friendly... They even offered a blanket in case I wad cooks!  The students and instructors are very helpful in explaining the different services and helping you to decide on color or design for your nails. I like that they take their time in honing their skill, so if your looking for something quick and on the go then maybe this isn't the place for you. I left feeling very pampered and well tended to. My nails look great and I helped someone get a little closer to starting their career. Read Less

I had obtained a manicure and pedicure certificate from a fundraising auction that I had won.  It was my friend's birthday so we decided to get our nails done at the student salon.  I personally don't get manicures too often but thought that this was the perfect opportunity to treat ourselves.  I made an appointment online through their website and it was so easy.  They also have ample parking because they share the same customer parking lot as Supercuts on Ward.It's a bit hidden in the back, in-between Supercuts and a few other companies but if you follow the walkway, then it's the salon at the very end of the building.  When we first walked in, we were pleasantly surprised.  It was so clean and all of their equipment was so new and nice!  This was unexpected for my friend and I, only because it is a nail school and a student salon which in our minds wasn't anything close to this!  We weren't expecting anything this luxurious!  The staff was very professional and nice and although I could tell that the students were a bit nervous, the end result was awesome!  My friend and I were amazed that the work was done by two students!  We are definitely coming back here in the future for more services!  If their salon services are great, then I could only imagine what their classes must be like... Read Less

Most girls LOVE getting their nails done.  However, in my case, I can count on one hand how many times I got a mani/pedi, one of which was for my wedding and the other time was for my sister's wedding.  I don't normally pamper myself and while I do enjoy mani/pedis, I always thought of them as a "special occasion" only luxury since it's expensive.     Since I work in the publishing industry, we are always on the lookout to feature new businesses in Hawaii. Our magazine featured La Mer Nail Institute, which opened in March 2014 and has a unique business philosophy of incorporating a nail school with a salon.  Students fulfill their hours by working in the salon and since it is a student salon, prices are very reasonable.  You may be wary about getting your nails done by students, but I have to say they were very professional, friendly and provided the same exact quality results and service that I would receive in any other salon.  I was very satisfied.     Not to mention, the salon is impeccably clean.  The soft sound of music playing in the background, the calming interior colors and comfortable seats make for a very inviting and extremely relaxing time.  They have 3 pedicure chairs so I highly recommend going with your girlfriend or even as a couple!  Men deserve to be pampered too; I made my husband accompany me and he enjoyed the services just as much as I did!     At these affordable prices, mani/pedis are now not only for "special occasions" but ANY occasion!  I can't wait to go back! Read Less

I don't normally get a manicure or pedicure, but I decided to have one for the second time of my life because I planned to propose to my girlfriend.  I wanted to make sure that I have super-duper smooth hands, so it will be super presentable when I pullout the diamond ring to her.My female colleague recommended me this place because of their friendly students/instructors, new/clean facilities, and affordable price.  I walked into La Mer Nail Institute, and was wowed by the high-end salon feeling.  Just like she mentioned, it was very spacious, clean, and comfortable environment.I was acknowledged by the staffs right away when I stepped in the door.  I'm not familiar with the procedures of having service at nail salon, but La Mer seems very professional because a staff sat down with me, explained to me what's going to happen, asked me to fill out an one-page form, asked questions about my hands (for health and safety reason) and if I have any concerns or questions.  After all of the preparation, one of the students started to perform manicure on my hands.  She was very friendly, but was slightly nervous.  It is understandable to me because she is there to learn cosmetology to become a professional in this industry one day.  I was not worried at all due to the instructor was around her to help her and assist her to ensure the quality of work.  The result was awesome!  My nails were nicely polished and cleaned.  Best of all, my girlfriend said "YES!"  and she complimented about my smooth hands.  Overall experience with La Mer Nail Institute was magnificent - great Atmosphere, knowledgeable instructor/staffs, comfortable seats, reasonable price, and professional services with personable approach. Read Less

My mom went to their student salon for a manicure. She was very happy with the quality of the work done. The salon's very clean and has an ambiance of a high-end salon. The students / instructors were very nice and professional. Best of all, it's very affordable. That's something this Chinese appreciates. Read Less

I had the opportunity to visit this school and cannot say enough good things about it!The staff is very knowledgeable, approachable and helpful, they answered all my questions (and I had many) about signing up for classes and made me feel so at ease! They have a wide range of courses available (in English and Japanese) ranging from a beginning nail tech through advanced instructor courses. They also have payment plans if you want to take advantage of that, too.The facilities are clean and bright, it is very roomy and aesthetically very well laid out ... there's even a cute student salon that is open to the public to get nail services done! As far as the location, it is very convenient because it's right by Ward Warehouse/Wahoo's area ... free & ample parking and so many good places to buy lunch within walking distance. This is definitely the spot to start a career as a nail tech. I would not hesitate to recommend this school to anyone who is interested in pursuing this as a career, you can be sure that you will graduate with the knowledge to do well in this industry. Read Less

I had the opportunity to visit this school and cannot say enough good things about it!The staff is very knowledgeable, approachable and helpful, they answered all my questions (and I had many) about signing up for classes and made me feel so at ease! They have a wide range of courses available (in English and Japanese) ranging from a beginning nail tech through advanced instructor courses. They also have payment plans if you want to take advantage of that, too.The facilities are clean and bright, it is very roomy and aesthetically very well laid out ... there's even a cute student salon that is open to the public to get nail services done! As far as the location, it is very convenient because it's right by Ward Warehouse/Wahoo's area ... free & ample parking and so many good places to buy lunch within walking distance. This is definitely the spot to start a career as a nail tech. I would not hesitate to recommend this school to anyone who is interested in pursuing this as a career, you can be sure that you will graduate with the knowledge to do well in this industry. Read Less