Lea C.
Yelp
To my knowledge (and I have admittedly little knowledge of the beauty market in Toledo since I haven't lived there in over a decade) this was the most "modern" (read: trendy, young, current, etc.) day spa-type place in the area. I've taken my Mom here for a haircut for xmas one yr and wasn't displeased. This time, I was in town for a wedding, needed a last-minute mani-pedi, and from what I could gather this was the only place with OPI gelcolor (which cures with LED not UV--just say no to skin cancer, kids!). Since I am notorious for ruining my mani before even leaving the salon and it was going to be a busy weekend, I figured gel was a better option.
I like the retail portion of the salon for the most part, but the rest of the salon is sort of unprofessionally cheap. Like, Ikea furniture (the nail tech caddies are the discontinued Ikea office caddy I have from 2003), a giant (admitted) fake Dale Chihuly sculpture, worn pleather chairs, etc., but I suppose this is what I should expect for Toledo. The color selection they had on hand for gelcolor was way limited, which was really disappointing, as they had none of the colors I had pre-planned as options.
The manicure and pedicure options begin at a level that is somehow below what is typically considered "basic" (I was asked to specify that I actually wanted foot filing/exfoliation during my pedicure, which apparently costs extra...ummm, is that not included in the definition of a "pedicure?").
The value was bad. There was no mani-pedi special to be had, which is damned near unheard of. The manicurist did not file or trim the cuticles on my toes and I typically have pretty rough feet. The exfoliating scrub used on my feet/calves was oily, left a thick residue, and was not completely washed off, which I actually attempted to do myself when the manicurist left the room but it left my hands so oily I had to capitulate in an attempt to save my impending manicure and wash my hands. The tools used were not individually-wrapped/new, which is a level of professional cleanliness I have grown accustomed to in a big city particularly because nail establishment-acquired ailments can be life-threatening, so that bugged me.
The manicure was a joke. My hands were not soaked, cleansed, lotioned, waxed, or exfoliated in any way before the manicure began. I have pretty wicked cuticles, and they were not trimmed completely, oiled, or softened (I had to retrim them at home). I asked for a round manicure and got a squircle. After filing my nails, the filing residue wasn't removed from underneath them. I asked things like this to be corrected repeatedly, to very little positive effect. The coats of polish applied were visibly uneven and did not cover the nails completely at the sides. The polish on 1 nail was so rough it came to a point, snagged my clothes on the way out of the salon, and I had to file it down myself in the car. The polish discolored on all the nails (as if it had a patina to black, and it was a pastel to begin with) at the edges within 24 hrs (and no, I don't smoke). It also began to peel at the sides after 48 hrs. To OPI's credit, the gel cures solid very quickly, is rugged, and mostly lasted about 1 month (except for the aforementioned uneven sides and new growth). I didn't bother having it soaked off, as it peeled easily.
For this I paid almost $100 with tip. The manicure itself cost $60 in Toledo, OH, a market where every other retail establishment is a thrift or Dollar Store and there is basically no economy. I can get this same service $20 cheaper in NYC, DC, or Boston, which is pretty outrageous. I have never paid over $75 for a mani-pedi IN MY LIFE (including those with complimentary beverages like champagne). Given that there are no jobs, who is their target market at this price point???
So, in summation, the nail services are overpriced and not very good. Luckily, I won't ever have to come back.