Elan Organic Nail Boutique — Attraction in Atlanta

i really must be missing what other people get. this was one of my worst experiences getting my nails done. i came in with fragile nails under builder gel and asked for some TLC. i scheduled with natalie because of all the good reviews. shortly before my appointment, i was called asking to come in 30 minutes later which would give me an hour before their closing time. i hesitantly agreed because what else can i do? i showed up, and after waiting a while, had my gel filed down by the woman who checked me in (sorry i can’t remember her name). she was nice, tried to make conversation, but the filing was very uneven. some nails still have a thick layer on, and others were filed down to my natural nail. my nails are more unhealthy now than when i went in. after the filing, (i think her name was kim) came over to shape my nails. they looked good without my glasses on. at this point, i still had lots of dust from my nail filing on my hands. it was never brushed off and i had to do that myself. never had that before. i had no idea cocktails were offered and just had a water. i thought i might’ve gotten a menu or something. meanwhile, natalie is behind me giving someone an extremely long pedicure. kim shaped my nails and some were oval, others had a slant that i later filed away myself. after that, i said i wanted a nice nude color and she came back with a purpleish-grey color. okay sure. while she painted my nails, she was on the phone with her sister. now, i’m not into super long conversations with strangers, but having ear buds in while on the phone during the entire appointment was a bit much. i felt very awkward and uncomfortable like i was listening in on something. my appointment was with natalie, but i never interacted with her. after painting my first coat, she went to the back of the store and packed up her bags as it was about 6:45-6:50 at that point. okay.. she came back after a few minutes and put on a second coat without even checking if they were dry. second coat goes on and she leaves to finish packing up. she brings her bag to the front, touches my nail slightly, and barely applies a dot of cuticle oil. i had scheduled a manicure that included a massage with lotion. kim had been told that, but stopped after dabbing cuticle oil on me. it was about 6:57 at that point, and she said okay thank you bye. i sat there for a second, then went to pay. it was 6:59. whoever checked me out asked if i got the manicure with the massage and i said i had wanted that but whatever. i could tell kim was trying to get me out of there. i thought they would apologize and immediately offer to give me a hand massage like i wanted. nope. i begrudgingly paid for the rushed manicure, and went home to my bubbly nail polish. i filed some nails into the shape i wanted and looked at the noticeable gap between my nails and the polish. after a couple days, the hard gel started lifting from my nails. i had the gel done at another bad nail salon that was rated highly, so i know that’s not elan’s fault. so much gel was left on, though, that over the next few days, it separated from my nails and was painful when it finally snapped off. it’s been a couple weeks now and my polish is lifting off in layers now. i’m really disappointed that i paid for an experience that sounded wonderful- drinks, a friendly environment, and a relaxing massage- but i got a rushed manicure by two people when i was scheduled to see someone else rated highly in reviews. i’m struggling to find a place where i feel comfortable and my nails...

I gave this salon a try due to their exceptionally high rating on Google and their use of organic polishes.

The salon is very clean. The aesthetic is beautiful.

The issues I had at this salon are the following: 1. It seems the online booking system is not in sync with the artists schedules and can place them in an overbooked status, leading to large wait times even with an appointment. When I arrived, my artist wasn't aware of my booking and had to be told by another artist that I was there for her although I booked a day in advance. 2. There was no receptionist on the day that I was serviced. My artist continually interrupted my service to answer the phone. None of the other artists pitched in to assist with this responsibility. 3. I like nail designs. Overall, there is a deficit in technical ability in this salon to do more than very basic nail art. I was told flat out "I dont know anyone who can do that design." 4. My service was interrupted so my artist could work in a "regular." I was sent to the pedicure bowl with mani unfinished so the regular could have her service performed (i.e. the overbooking I mentioned earlier) . 5. Lastly, this one is a little tedious but worth it to mention, for me. When I upgraded to gel-x I was told it may take longer than the regular polish and that I'd likely have to forfeit my hand massage due to time constraints. The regular client was finished after my pedi and the client after both myself and the regular client canceled. We never did circle back to the hand massage.

In the end, I did tip well. I appreciate my nail artist for trying my design. It was an attempt at customer satifaction and the best part of my visit. I appreciate the time I was given for whatever it was worth. I likely will not return. Reading the reviews now, I see folks who had similar experiences but are leaving 4 star ratings. That is confusing and misleading to me so take this and do what you will with it. After all, it was just...

I wanted to love working here, but the experience was not a healthy one. I worked here for 8 months and brought a fresh energy and feel to the salon. The owner Tina often mentioned she looked forward to coming to work because of my energy and top-tier customer service, and my name has been mentioned over 20 times in 5-star reviews.

At one point, the owner even advised me not to do such a thorough prep so clients’ nails wouldn’t last as long , their goal being for clients to return sooner but I continued providing perfect preparation. I had the best client retention in the salon, and my clients truly loved me.

It was also disappointing to witness the owner misrepresenting the manager (Jenn) something I have proof of and am not afraid to share if needed.

The pay structure (40% to the technician, 60% to the salon) is the lowest I’ve ever seen in the industry, and despite being hardworking and dedicated, I often felt overworked and undervalued.

When I finally expressed that I could no longer take on duties outside of my role, I was let go unprofessionally via Text message. I wish there had been more respect for boundaries and fair compensation. I hope the salon considers improving conditions for future nail techs, because the beauty industry thrives when everyone feels valued.

Although this was an internal issue, I felt led to speak up because this isn’t the first time it’s happened, and I’m not the first tech to experience it. Too often these situations go unspoken, but future techs deserve to know. The owner has a pattern of shifting blame, making false allegations, and even choosing which reviews to respond to. Pay close attention to how she responds it often reveals more than what’s being said. (Whether it's through text , review or handling an unhappy...