Updated 9/20/2011
Went back again this past weekend. This time they gave me a card where after 10 visits you get a free manicure or brow wax. The manicure was 8.50. They give me a shoulder/back massage while drying. Its been 4 days and still no chipping.
They didn't have the exact Essie color I was looking for, but I found a very nice OPI alternative. I know I am a bit anal about nail polish colors and have this sick love of Essie. But for normal people, they have a good variety of colors.
I'll be back in 2 weeks for a manicure and to try out their parrafin pedicure.
9/2/2011
I visited here this salon on 9/1/11 on whim. While walking down the street with my down the street with my nephew and 12 year old niece whom had been asking if she could get her nails done all day, I spotted a bit white and red sign that said "Nails". I figured we'd trudge it over there and check out the prices. I was very pleased when the woman told me that the a basic manicure was only 8 dollars.
It was a Thursday afternoon, the place was quiet with only one customer and very clean. All nail stations are in the front with a row of pedicure stations in the back. My niece was ecstactic that she got a mini hand massage, hot towel treatment, and perfectly painted nails. It was all for 8 bucks.
I picked up a card and brochure of all their services. The prices are very reasonable. Paraffin manicure only 13 and paraffin pedicure 25. The bonus is that the employees were very nice and kept smiles on their faces. I will go back and try the services out for myself.
9/1/2011
A standard nail salon in NYC. Reasonable prices and clean place. Krystal (sp?) was very nice, spoke excellent English, and after seeing my credit card called me by name. Got a card for 10 manicures and you get one free. Since I'm getting them anyway, I would definitely go back.
7/14/2011
First time trying this nail salon and I think it was definitely good. If you show your student ID you get a mani/pedi for $25. The lady that did my mani/pedi was thorough and she didn't talk much. If I had an issue with something she was willing and friendly about doing it over. All in all, a solid mani/pedi spot, I am happy with the outcome.
5/6/2009
It was towards the end of April, the day before I left for a mini vacation, that I popped in with a friend for a splash of bright pink. We arrived at around 6p Wednesday evening to find the place very quiet. We plunked down in the massage chairs and began tinkering with the remote to find the perfect muscle-loosening massage rotation. Those chairs, however ugly they may be, are more than welcome to make their way into my living room. Moving along, my pedi was beyond relaxing, so much so that I had trouble leaving the massage chair that was already perfectly imprinted with the shape of my butt. Sadly, the ladies there will assist you from the massage chairs used for pedis to the regular chairs at the mani tables. Now we all know a pedi is, essentially, the beautification of the toes with just a quick, half-assed massage that most nail spas throw in to garner extra tips. But the ladies here, or at least my esthetician, used a gentle scrub that left my feet extra soft and an awesome leg/foot massage that will leave you all wobbly when trying to stand up... see! I knew I should have just stayed put! Who knew a salt scrub and an actual massage could make all the difference? Feet aren't always pleasant to look at however Gigi Nails will not only pretty them up, but they'll throw in that extra somethin' somethin' that will have you coming back. As for my mani, she filed, shaped, and pink-ed my nails away, while giving my neglected cuticles all the love and cleaning they deserve. Two and a half hours later, I walked out feeling super pink and super happy that my $23 lasted as long as it did.
PS: A pedicure will last me days, even weeks; however my manicures usually last no more than 5 days without getting ruined - and even that's a stretch. My vacation came and went and 2 weeks later, I still have on my manicure. Besides a single chip on one nail, my manicure is completely intact that you'd think they were those press-on, packaged nail sets from Duade Reade. But nope, all real. Miracle? Luck? Perhaps. I have decided to make another trip to truly find out if this was a one-time fluke or maybe they just really know what they're doing - an excuse I'm sticking to, to justify another two and a half hours of ignorant bliss.
1/15/2009
$23 for a mani/pedi... I used to think polished nails were a luxury... no longer!
Pick a color: I would go for the OPI colors, the others tend to be older I feel and chip after a day...
The chairs are great fabulous massage chairs so sit back and relax... the clean the tubs after each person so everything is sanitary...
When all is done and they take you over to dry they ask you if you want a massage...
Yes of course....
I enjoy unwinding here after a crap day... worth the $23
1/24/2011
One of the longest lasting manicures/pedicures I've ever gotten - they do a great job, and have a great color selection. Cost is $23.00, which is great for any location, let alone Manhattan. A little rough during the pedicure, but I'll put up with it for the price.
9/12/2010
I came to this place because it's cheap and because they were the first one in the area that didn't give me blank stares when I said I needed french tips removed. I'm glad I was picky. I didn't realize until today that everywhere I'd been before does it wrong - they simply clip them off after a quick hot water soak, then charge you $15 for the privilege of being butchered. This place uses a strong chemical and lets them soak for quite a while. The result is that instead of half your nail coming off, you still have enough to do a manicure. I paid $7 for the removal and $8 for the manicure, but at least had the option of just the removal (unlike most places).
Cindy, the lady that did my nails, was very professional. I usually dread nail appointments the way most people dread dentists because I have sensitive skin. She was very gentle, yet quick, and didn't nip me once. Then after it's all done you get a nice little massage. It's certainly not trendy or high-end stuff, but the people are nice (no divas), the place is clean, and I ended up with more than I expected, especially for the price.
The only issue is that the skin/pink nail polish they used took forever to dry. I'll probably choose an OPI color in the future and be more patient at the drier.
7/7/2009
I used to live down the street, and started coming here because my (male) roommate came for the massages and recommended it. I would have never noticed the place - you have to walk upstairs, and when I bring friends here, I think they're a little sketched out at first.
Now, even though I work in Midtown and no longer live in the area, I keep coming back to this place. Friendly staff, never too crowded, very reasonable, and they don't try to upsell you add-ons like they do sometimes at the places around my office in Midtown. The basic $8 manicure lasts longer than you'd think (especially if you get the OPI colors) and I love how they throw in a little shoulder massage while your nails dry. I'd recommend being generous with the tip - I think it goes a longer way than usual in the kind of service you get.
