QuestionI just came back from the worst Nail Salon experience in my life. I went in wanting a set of gel nails and a pedicure and i literally came out with tears in my eyes. First, the tech used a powder which i suspect was acrylic and then used gel over that and when he was filing my nails with the electric file he made 4 of my fingers bleed. I then was sent over to the pedi spa chairs and the pedi was ok...nothing out of this world, she actually left nail polish on my skin....Anyways, i was hoping you can refer me to a nail tech in Miami, FL(Kendall, West Miami, Doral area) that specializes in Gel nails ( real gel Nails..lol). Ive gone to beautytech.com but still have not found anyone........Your help would really be appreciated.......
AnswerUnfortunately, I don't have a good recommendation in the Miami area. Which is really sad, because I get a LOT of inquiries for that area, so if you do find a salon, I'd love to hear from you so I can pass the info along.
What I CAN help with is:
Try calling beauty supply stores, especially professional only ones, in the area and asking if they can make a recommendation.
Try looking at reviews on Yelp.com-- it looks like Sok and Tuka's have a strong following with good reviews.
Be prepared to make an appointment, possibly well in advance. I know that getting your nails done is an impulse buy for many women (myself included once upon a time! I learned my lesson) and the proliferation of walk-in nail shops has convinced an entire generation of women that nails do not require advance planning-- but if you want to ensure a safe and satisfactory experience, it's best to make the extra effort and schedule ahead. Salons that offer excellent service and customer experience are usually more expensive, and in high demand.
When you call the salon for an appointment, ask them what products they use for the service you want. Write it down, Google it later. That way you can make sure that the products are actually professional products and actual gel. You may want to ask in very simple terms if they do gel nails, are the gels "FULL" gel? With EACH LAYER done in gel? and make sure they do NOT use any powder in their gel application.
Those of us who take our careers as professional nail stylists seriously are used to hearing tragic stories about customers being defrauded by "powder gel" services. So you should be able to tell right away in the conversation when you find the place that's going to do right by you!
In the future: Never be afraid to walk out on a service. We are all human and we occasionally make a mistake, no one can work in this field for a significant length of time without drawing blood-- but it should NEVER be the norm! And it should NEVER be shrugged off like it's no big deal! And it should ALWAYS be treated immediately with the same basic first aid steps you would take to treat a cut at home or on your child-- except for the kiss to make it better, of course. Blood should be wiped away, when the bleeding is stopped, the cut should be cleaned with antiseptic and then the wound should be covered or sealed with liquid bandage (or even a bit of glue) to prevent contamination. Pretty basic stuff. I'm surprised you toughed it out for 3 more cuts AND a pedicure!
And you may consider contacting your state board to report both the salon for mis-representing its services (using powder instead of gel) and for incompetent services-- they should never cut a client 4 times in one service! That's unacceptable!
