Kuhio Nails & Spa — Local services in Honolulu

This was by far the worst experience I have EVER had at a nail salon. Let me just start off by saying I can barely type this review on my laptop because my fingernails hurt so bad from how damaged they got from the removal process.

Oof y'all...really read these reviews because I agree with what a lot of the people are saying here. No one was over-exaggerating. Everyone was right when they say that it is one person there who is the problem. The two other ladies who were there today were absolutely lovely and kind. I did not get the name of this lady but as the other reviewers describe her similarly, it's very easy to tell who we're all talking about. She is snarky and rude right off the bat so it'll be obvious who we're all talking about.

The other reviewers were right in that she will keep trying to change the price on you so beware. I was given pricing for one thing and then she kept adjusting it and increasing it, and I could tell she was deciding these numbers on the spot as I asked her questions about what my options were.

That wasn't even the worst part...I decided to remove my current gel-x set and get a new set and asked upfront how much it would cost to remove my set. She told me it would be a $10 removal charge and then $45 for the gel nails. As she started removing my gel set, she drilled my nails with a large drill at such high intensity, it hurt and I could just feel from how abrasive it was that this was going to damage my nails. Then --and I TRULY wish I was making this up-- using her fingers she STARTED TRYING TO RIP OFF MY EXISTING GEL STRAIGHT OFF MY NAILS. Note, she has not used ANY acetone at this point, she only drilled the color off of my gel set. She was literally yanking and pulling them off, I couldn't believe this was happening by someone who is supposed to be a professional at a nail salon. It HURT so I had to tell her to immediately stop and soak my nails in acetone instead before she tries to get them off. She then started to soak my nails in a bowl of straight acetone and took turns continuing to drill my nails off -- again, at a much higher speed and drill thickness than anyone has ever used on me before -- definitely an intensity and speed that is NOT safe on natural nails. Honestly at this point I just wanted to leave, and it was pointless to say anything more because any time I tried to say anything she would snap at me immediately. There was no point in arguing with her so I just prayed that it would be over soon and tried to swallow the pain.

At this point I tell her I will no longer be needing the gel nail service. I realized just how damaged my nails are and I knew the gel would make it worse (and probably put me in more pain than I was already in). THEN she tells me now my removal cost is now $20 instead of $10 because I'm no longer getting the new gel set. I seriously could not believe any of this was happening. I was arguing with her that no nail salon charges $20 to remove gel polish but I was with my mom so she told me to just let it go and pay so we could leave since there was no use arguing with her. I’ve attached a photo…the pain was so bad and sadly my final nails look horrible.

I just have to reiterate....do not come here. Yes they are cheaper than some of the other salons in the area and definitely cheaper than my salon back in NYC. But this is not worth it whatsoever. I had to run to CVS to buy some Biotin afterwards in hopes that my nails will recover. I hate that I'm in pain any time I type or anything touches my fingernails. I've never feel this type of sensitivity and pain in my nails, even when I've tried to remove my gel by myself at home. I truly hope that this establishment realizes how this person is not only harmful for their business but they even put their clients in actual harm and pain....I would do anything right now to go back in time and never walk into the...

I am very unhappy with the service that I ended up getting for the price. I paid $150 for a gel mani/pedi. I expected to pay more because of it being a tourist area. However, the service they gave was absolutely horrendous. My nails are naturally long, and I had on gel before. To take it off, they drill filed the entire nail, barely leaving the acetone on to loosen the product, which has severely thinned out the nails, which I will probably now have to completely cut down, yhey are now extremely weak and that's with a base coat, three gel layers and a top coat. Any little bit of heat and they start to bend with how thin they are and it is very painful if they get bent back because they're so weak.

Next, they didn't even bother to shape the nail or try to fix the jagged edges they left with the drill. On top of that they charge for color which I have never seen another salon do. They must have watered down the color because they used the same brand and color that I get at my salon back home, but it was severely thin when applied, I had to do three coats to get a solid color when back home I only need one and then a half of one for touch ups. When I left, I noticed there were like watermarks on the nails, which I had never seen before, and dimpling in the gel, which again has never happened.

By the end, I had nail polish cured along my cuticles, which they took a cuticle trimmer to try to cut off of me, which was painful.

Overall, it is extremely overpriced for a very bad job. I wouldn't go back there and if asked would say no one should go there. When I go back home, I'm going to have to go and pay another $65 to have all of it removed and have my nails fixed to some state that I can actually use them...

I usually don’t write negative reviews on here but I’m only doing this to warn people who care about having a nice nail job. I came here as a last resort to have my nails done on our honeymoon as I didn’t have time to get them done in my hometown before vacationing here, after going a few places beforehand that were all booked out for today I chose to take a chance here. First off, there isn’t many colors to choose from so the color I had hoped for (an icy plain blue) wasn’t an option. I was trying to go for a natural color look since they didn’t have the color blue I wanted. I asked for a manicure and pedicure and got persuaded to pay the extra money for the leg/foot massage and I did want the gel pedicure as it always does best on my toes. The gel polish is $25 EXTRA on top of the $60 “massage” (I know dumb me), but I thought what the heck it’s my honeymoon. My toenails were cut completely crooked and my “dip nails” weren’t done right at all (as someone who’s gotten dip SNS for 10+ years) the dip powder was never properly shaved down so now my nails are very thick and uncomfortable. The massage didn’t last any longer than a regular pedicure and don’t plan on getting lotion applied to your feet like a typical pedicure because they don’t do that. Now after $180 this is what I’m left with. Please do...