HER Nails Lounge - Yaletown — Attraction in Vancouver

UPDATE: I’m changing my review from 2 stars to 1 because the follow-up after my visit honestly made me feel even more uncomfortable than the original appointment. They kept contacting me — email, phone call, voicemail, and then text. I finally responded and asked them not to contact me again. They ignored that and still replied, gave me a refund I didn’t ask for, and tried to nudge me into changing my review.

(They didn’t even spell my name right, which made it feel even less genuine.) At this point, it's bordering on harassment. I’ve never had such a weird, uncomfortable experience with a business. Stay away from this place! (Also, the gel started chipping from the cuticle side the next day.)

INITIAL REVIEW: I really expected to like this place because of all the good reviews and how pretty the salon itself looks. Sadly it turned out one of the worst experiences I had in Van and I def won't be coming back :(

The first thing you notice when you come in is a really strong chemical smell – I've been to many salons and never felt anything like that before. I even considered leaving. The receptionist was on the phone and didn't even acknowledge me coming in, then after a minute or two of me awkwardly standing in front of her she waved at me to sit on the bench in a rude way without making eye contact. At some point she asked whether I had an appointment (still without eye contact so I didn't even realize she was talking to me). She found my gel mani appt and waved at me to sit and choose the color in another room.

I was 5 mins early and the appt started 15 min late. Another girl came up to me, didn't mention my name or hers, and asked if I'm there for a pedicure and then whether I want a regular vs gel. (I booked signature gel mani – she clearly wasn't given any details about the appt!) Turns out, the color I chose is regular and not gel, and gel colors are across the room from where I was told to sit and choose the color. So I was told to choose again and I felt rushed because suddenly she is sitting there waiting for me (and they have lots of colors, which normally would be a plus but didn't feel like it atm). I mentioned what I wanted but she didn't care to help me choose or recommend anything. In fact, she hardly said 10 words to me the whole hour and I felt like she didn't care one bit.

Overall I had an internal "ew" feeling the whole appt because everything felt really dirty (see the pics of the table and cuticle thing) and that awful smell. I don't think they clean or sanitize instruments in between appointments, the file/buff def wasn't new and some of the things she used looked like they have been used for a very long time (I have an old makeup brush I use for keyboard dusting that looks way better than their brushes).

Now, the manicure itself. She never asked me which shape I wanted, only the length. Many of the nails shape look uneven (I had to fix at home because it was too many to even point it out), the polish looks uneven and bumpy, though the pics don't quite reflect it (I know matte is hard but it's not that hard). Applying the polish felt like she was a beginner or smth because for each nail she would get polish in the edges and then wipe it around the cuticle with her own fingernail (thankfully it was gloved but come on, use a brush or smth!). The hand massage was probably like 20 seconds, and she was looking away from my hands the whole time like it was a piece of meat and not human hands. She didn't even let me take off my rings so they got a bunch of cream under.

To finalize, the only good thing was that it's cheaper than other places in Downtown area but it wasn't worth it one bit. This is NOT an experience you come to a salon for. (Sorry for being wordy but I hope it helps someone avoid the disappointment!) P.S.: The tip options...

Short version: the “assistant” made me bleed 3 times. Horrible experience can’t believe I paid for.

UPDATE: they refunded me.

Long version: Might be the worst manicure I’ve ever had (classic manicure, no shellac or gel). For the details:

To start, I booked the appointment in person 2 days prior. I got asked for my phone number, which I provided. Upon leaving the salon, I got a text to confirm my appointment. When I opened the link, I was asked to put in a credit card number for $1.55 to secure my appointment. I was a bit baffled. I did not actually “secure” my appointment. But I did get daily texts do to so. I would have preferred to have been told that this was the case prior to giving my phone number

Upon arriving to my appointment, I was guided to a chair and sat. The mail bath they provided was cold, which I needed to soak my nails in. After 45 seconds, the aesthetician then began to push my cuticles back with a wooden stick. This wasn’t painful to start, but did start to become uncomfortable. I did mention it to her, but before I knew it, I was bleeding. Which she put some solution on to fix it. After this cuticle pushing back for 10 minutes, she then began to cut my cuticles off- which obviously I’ve experienced before. However, she was starting to cut my skin and healthy cuticle off, to which I bled 2 more times.

She used 2 types of dremel bits on my fingers, which I have only ever really seen for shellac and gel nails. I was only getting a classic manicure. She made divots in my nail beds.

This aesthetician then promptly got up and left the bench with it speaking a word to me. The other aesthetician from the front door then came over with gloves. I asked her if everything was okay, she then replied yes, that was her assistant, preparing my nails for her to polish. I then questioned in my brain if she had ANY training at all. This aesthetician then base coated, painted 2 coats and a top coat, which looked good.

She went to use a spray on my nails to dry them which I also hadn’t seen before. But she assured me they were dry. Long story short, they weren’t. Trying to get my wallet out of my sweater, I wrecked 4 nails, twice. To which she made me feel was my fault?

I went to pay after this fiasco because I really just wanted to leave. I was quoted 31$ on Monday when I made my appointment. I was then told I would get 25% off because I was a first time customer.

Upon paying, it was $32 with tax and everything to which I asked where the discount was. They told me it was originally 41$ then 25% off which would equal $31. I felt duped. I questioned and argued for a few moments but ended up paying because I just wanted to leave.

Will not...

I’ve been to a lot of nail salons over the years, but Her Nails Lounge truly stands out as one of the best experiences I’ve had in Vancouver. From the moment I walked through the door, I could tell this place was something special. Let me walk you through my experience, because it’s worth every bit of the praise I’m about to give. When you first step into Her Nails Lounge, it’s clear that attention to detail was put into the design. The space feels like a little oasis in the middle of the city—soothing, yet stylish. The lighting is warm and calming, with soft music playing in the background, creating the perfect environment to relax and unwind. It’s not overly crowded or noisy like some other salons I’ve visited; instead, it’s tranquil and spacious. There’s an air of calm that immediately sets you at ease, and you can tell the owners really want their clients to feel pampered.

The service at Her Nails Lounge is impeccable from start to finish. I was warmly greeted as soon as I walked in, and I didn’t have to wait long before I was seated. The staff here is incredibly friendly and professional. They took the time to ask me exactly what I wanted and offered expert advice based on my preferences. I didn’t feel rushed at all, which I really appreciated. Instead, they seemed genuinely interested in making sure I was comfortable and happy with every step of the process.

I’m always a bit cautious when it comes to cleanliness in nail salons, but Her Nails Lounge definitely puts your mind at ease. They use disposable liners for their pedicure tubs, and all their tools were sterilized and sealed in individual packages before use. The salon itself was spotless, with every station being wiped down thoroughly after each client. While some might consider it a bit more on the higher end in terms of pricing, I honestly feel like it’s worth every penny!!🥹

If you’re in Vancouver and want a top-notch nail experience, look no further. I’ll definitely be coming back soon, and I suggest you do too!

10/10—Highly,...