First, here'sβ a little background. I'm a 30s-something male and this was my first (and later second) hoorah at the whole mani-pedi shebang. I want to say that I was dragged kicking and screaming by m... Read More
First, here'sβ a little background. I'm a 30s-something male and this was my first (and later second) hoorah at the whole mani-pedi shebang. I want to say that I was dragged kicking and screaming by my girlfriend... But that would be a horse faced lie gosh darnit! I was actually quite excited to see what all the fuss was about. And honestly, being able to claim that I got my "nails did" was high on the agenda. So off my virgin self went into the den of housewives, highschoolers, and all the fancy grandma's from the other side of town.My first impression was: holy snap! This salon is classy as 'eff in terms of design and presentation. Granite table tops, plush seating, a full wine bar, big screens with the Pac-12 channel on in 4K (huge plus), 90's hip-hop playing subtlety in the background. Heck, even my favorite throwback jam was on! Needless to say: Kyle likey. Kyle likey'ed a lot.Service was prompt and friendly. The owner was hustling the front counter and was super personable. Within a couple minutes of meeting him I found myself kicking back in a leather chair receiving both a foot AND a back massage! What kind of wizardry is this I asked!? All the while, my girlfriend was gleefully picking through polish colors, planning the arrival of my soon to be exquisite nails.It was at about this time that I was offered a refreshment by the staff to accompany me on my journey into toe and finger glam. How has the female gender alluded us from this magic world of posh and relaxation so effectively? I pondered this question almost as deeply as my own existence during my experience.By the time things were wrapping up I had already begun to go through the shock of withdrawal. Like a love affair freshly broke, I looked down to my newly "did" orange and black nails hoping for solace. I wasn't yet ready to leave this extravagant level of pamper.Nails Uncorked plays to many different elements, and to a large extent, aspects of that concept work out nicely. It's very well kept in terms of cleanliness, aesthetically it's very pleasing on the eyes, and the staff is polite, humourous, & sociable.It wasn't until later on in the week that I came across some criticisms worth mentioning. Although being sold on the initial face value of the services provided, the longevity of the product didn't hold up quite as expected. Unfortunately the polish on my fingers began to naturally peel & chip on the sides in only a matter of days. I'm told by my girlfriend that is big time no bueno, as it happened to hers just as quickly. And while my toenails held their form well, that quick deterioration of the finger polish turned ugly enough to warrant death and removal by acetone. I wish I could say that this was an isolated incident... but it happened just as fast after my second visit.So all in all, my opinion of Nails Uncorked is somewhat of a mixed bag. While mind-blowingly pleasurable to the uninitiated, the "afterwards" leaves a lot to be desired (I'm assured of this by my girlfriend...). Excellent service, subpar product. If they can just fine tune the latter, it would give them that extra push into a couple more stars. Read Less