I had a great experience the first time I came to this salon — the nails turned out beautifully, and as a bonus, they’re close to my work. That’s why I came back. Unfortunately, my second visit was awful. I had a different nail tech this time (I didn’t get names either visit), and the service and result were completely different from what I asked for or expected. Both times, I booked a regular shellac manicure.
I came in with a photo of long, soft, pearly chrome nails as inspiration (attached), and I selected the “Platinum” chrome swatch from their display (circled in my photo), expecting that sheer, iridescent look. I knew my natural nails weren’t as long as the inspo pic, so I even asked several times if the more tapered shape would still look good — they assured me it would.
However, I was surprised when they started applying an opaque white base polish without asking me. When I gently asked if it would still give that soft, jelly-like look like the photo, I was told, “No, it has to be white,” and that I could “do that next time.” This made me feel shut down — especially because the polish hadn’t even been cured yet, and chrome powders can be applied over any base color. From that point on, I felt too uncomfortable to speak up again.
Instead of a pearly finish, the result was a thick, metallic white-silver that didn’t resemble the chrome swatch I chose or the inspiration photo. On top of that, the nail tech filed my nails down extremely aggressively. I had asked for a more pointed, tapered shape — but as someone who’s really into nails and understands proper nail care, I know that you’re not supposed to file beyond the free edge, where the skin begins. My nails were filed far past that point, and now one of my fingers feels like it’s developing an ingrown nail because the sidewalls were taken down too deep.
I left saying I liked it — mostly because I’m a people-pleaser and I hate confrontation. But as soon as I walked out, I knew I had to get them redone somewhere else. I just couldn’t walk around with nails that looked and felt this bad.
Edit: very last pic is of my nails one week later. Infected and extremely uncomfortable.
1 year ago