Beauty Lounge — Attraction in San Diego

If you want poor quality nails and to be disrespected, this is the salon for you.

I came in asking for a gel polish manicure. I said “gel polish manicure” but I had gel x on previously so my nail tech assumed that’s what I meant by gel which could’ve been cleared up if he didn’t quickly cut my natural nails to nubs. He then asked what shape I wanted after cutting one hand and when I said “whatever shape we can do with this length I guess,” he realized his mistake. I know we are human and things happen but it was so avoidable and with the events that transpired after this, I will not be returning.

The nail tech next to us quickly chimed in and said “you need to say you want to keep your natural nails.” For a regular gel polish manicure? Since when? I’ve had nail techs want me to keep length, not cut my nails without me asking into nubs.

He offered to give me gel x on the one hand to even out the lengths; however, I purposefully asked for gel polish only to give my nails a break from the gel x. I told him no and to just work with the nails I have. I was left with one hand with nubs for nails in a square shape, and my other hand has a round shape. At least make them the same shape? Hello?

I also asked for a simple flower design and brought a picture. Some of the flowers are fine, but he rushed through the design so fast to get to the next client that most of the design looks like blobs. They are inconsistent and really sloppy work. He asked if I liked it after doing one finger and the polish had already gone through the uv light. I said yes cause what the heck else am I supposed to say? Can’t redo them now! I paid full price and tipped but every time I looked at my nails, I was so displeased. Also, they definitely overcharge for designs.

I decided to go in to the salon a couple days later to hopefully chat about the service and ask for a partial refund. I spoke to the receptionist who was fairly nice but the nail tech I had and the other nail tech next to us both started yelling across the salon at each other and myself. Everyone was so defensive and telling me I should’ve said this or I should’ve done that. Sure I could’ve said “hey, please don’t cut my nails to the shortest possible length” but why would I? Why would anyone think they have to say that? I felt berated and completely disrespected. I came in saying I know it was an honest mistake but that just wasn’t good enough for them. They did whatever they could to make me uncomfortable and tried to make me feel bad that his service was terrible. Make it make sense.

The receptionist took my name and number for the owner/manager to call me when they got into the salon since she couldn’t do much in this situation. She told me they would get there in a few hours. It has since been two days and I haven’t been called. No attempt to reach me. I have been to this salon before and usually have an ok experience but the customer service and quality of work is incredibly disappointing. I would recommend going to another salon/nail tech.

The picture uploaded is only of my thumbs because I had started picking the polish off on my other...

Normally don’t go to get my nails done but wanted to for my wedding. I made an appointment with time for 9am. I got 2 email confirmations saying the salon will see me at 9am. I arrived there on time to find out it actually opens at 10am. I waited. When they opened I went in and they seemed to find it humorous I had to wait that long when on their out dated website it allowed me to schedule that time (9am) but I took my seat where they wanted me to. Showed them a reference pic and the lady did her best to make it similar. My nails came out ok but probably won’t come back. I got hurt when she was filing the acrylic nails and basically cut my skin. The glue or substance used to apply my rhinestones can be seen too much on the side of the rhinestones. It looks a bit messy but not noticeable from far away. Since this is for my wedding I imagine all kinds of family to want to see my ring and nails up close witch doesn’t look that great. In the end a person did my nails and not a machine. I think I could have gotten it done better elsewhere. :/

Oh and I got a wax done on my underarms by another lady. I followed her into another room where another employee was laying awake like resting on one bed and I was told to sit on the other bed. The lady asked me to remove my shirt (which I expected) just without someone else being there. I also had to ask her to close the door for privacy. Which wasn’t all that private with another employer there not to help but lay there resting which was a bit weird for me. (First time wax experience for me too)

When it went down to paying I was asked if I had money in cash for the tip and I felt I was pushed to tip both the nail tech (which I planned to) and the lady who waxed me (I didn’t plan to). She straight told me that “two people ‘helped’ me” and pushed me to give her a tip for a service that was 5 mins in a non private setting. I honestly was trying to be nice but I wasn’t happy with the experience. It just reminded me why I don’t do this often. In the end I just didn’t appreciate the pushing of the tip when they gave me a wrong schedule time to see them, not reply to general questions through email, and hurting my skin. The filer machine they used on my nails looked used. Didn’t look like they change the little brown filer that should be replaced on the top of the machine. I’m going to hope that fungus wasn’t transferred to my nails. Don’t think I will come back but I guess it’s always a hit or miss with...

I have been coming here for years, as frequently as every 2 weeks in the past but less frequently in recent years. This place used to be the pinnacle of nail salons in San Diego, but it has severely dropped in customer service and quality. I visited yesterday for Gel-X extensions and a pedicure, and I was in & out within 45 mins and that is not a good thing. The services were rushed and sloppy, skipping several steps that I’ve come to expect as standard based on past experience at this salon. Lucas did my Gel-X extensions, no cuticle work at all, rushed the application, filed my nails crooked and argued with me that it was my finger/nails and not his work, wouldn’t fix them, flooded my cuticles and under my nail with builder gel and didn’t bother cleaning it up during or after, and applied the gel and chrome powder in a sloppy way creating divots and lumps. I didn’t get the name of the gentleman that did my pedicure, and he was better than Lucas, but still skipped some steps like buffing my nail smooth, and applied the nail polish in a sloppy way without any attempt to clean up. It seems like this salon is pushing the techs to turn over clients faster instead of giving quality service. I’m capable of doing a decent job on my nails at home, but go to salons when I want good quality done quickly. When I have to spend time after a salon visit correcting what the nail tech messed up, it makes me regret spending the money in the first place. There are plenty of other salons in San Diego that offer the same services that do a better job. I’m sad that my favorite nail salon has slipped so...