California Nails — Local services in Houston

Last night I had the worst pedicure ever at California Nails in the Galleria. It was 8:15 pm and I just wanted a basic pedicure so I could get home. Two men kept trying to upsell me and I had no interest. I said I’d give a good tip instead … the pedicurist (whose name may be Joseph or “Yosef” as I heard it) kept pushing my feet this way and that in an agitated manner and made frustrated sounds. I have not see anyone act like this during a pedicure but I gave it little thought at the time. I was on the phone because another civil rights lawyer I know has been imprisoned in Germany and the situation sounds pretty dire - my mind was elsewhere. He wanted me to pay before he finished so I gave a 40% tip due to the late hour and my appreciation that they were open. After he left I saw the horrible result - some toenails were not even fully painted and the nails were not even at all, but cut sideways. So I said something and a nice lady came to redo the job but it was so late and I was too tired. Then another man came over and spoke in an agitated manner - I could not even understand him fully but I think he was saying that I received a poor pedicure because I was on the phone texting and ignoring the pedicurist. I said I never heard that customers were required to socialize with the pedicurist and most customers focus on other business while getting a pedicure, just as I was focused on texting lawyers about the German lawyer. The way this man seemed to blame me for the poor pedicure because I was texting prompted this review. There was no claim that my texting caused any movement or other issue with the pedicure - the claim was that I was not focused on the pedicurist who in retrospect did seem to want my attention nonstop by the way he kept moving my feet in an agitated manner. These people are deranged. I’ve come here for over 10 years because they are open late but I will probably go somewhere else...

SCAM SCAM SCAM. They use the language barrier to up charge and make a basic manicure / pedicure which is priced at $38 well over $100. I told her I wanted the basic manicure & pedicure MULTIPLE times. I showed a picture of the color I wanted my nails to be and told her the shape, and she had trimmed my nails and started gluing fake nails on me before I even realized. I stopped her and told her I just wanted the basic manicure and reminded her of the $38 price we previously discussed, and she told me my real nails were now too short for what I wanted. I was bugged, but was just going to let it slide and continued to ask her to remove the 2 fake nails she had glued on my first hand and to continue with just the basic manicure. Later I was choosing a color for my toes and they gave me color swatches of colors they didn’t have, which was what I picked & that was annoying. I didn’t love the color options they offered so they kept trying to get me to do gel nails and I reminded them, I just wanted the basic mani pedi. She told me it was only $5 more for the gel and I agreed. I was anticipating the basic mani / pedi to increase in price by a total of $10 because of what she told me, when I went to check out I was charged an additional $60 for all the “upgrades” I didn’t consent to. Ridiculous. I wish I would have made a bigger deal at the beginning about her mistake of cutting my nails too short because even though I was super irritated by that I was trying to be nice and let it slide. They were very unreasonable when I expressed my frustration about the price and claimed they gave me what I wanted. She said the $5 she mentioned was for removing a couple nails of previous gel on my toes, not for the new gel but that is NOT AT ALL what she communicated. Like...

I URGE EVERYONE to Inquire about pricing PRIOR to letting them do your nails. The signs stating $25 full set isn't accurate. I specifically asked for an overlay of powder & I came in with a broken REAL nail. I knew I would need a fake nail to compensate the length of my real nails which was fine. However I was charged $40 for 1 fake nail, an overlay & $5 temoval of my old powder which is supposed to be part of the service. The last time I came it was ONLY $35, apparently the manager picks & choose the pricing per day/per customer. Another woman was upset with her nail pricing & treatment in which the manager called the mall police. The woman was justifiably upset & ONLY wanted an acrylic refill yet was being charged $58! I asked how much a powder overlay is & the manager said $35, never have I heard of that price! I asked how much a powder refill was & the manager said $32! Makes no sense & since there isn't a sign you basically have to take their word for it. My technician was decent when it comes to shaping. However she cut me with the electric nail file on every finger but my index & 1 pinky. I left with rocky nails & bleeding nail beds. The manager was very rude to the other woman & very unprofessional. She was very short with me which I assume is her frustration from her day bc I was kind the entire time although I don't agree with her pricing methods. Also look closely at the reviews the percentage of people whom rated 1 star is ridiculous! You get $5 off your nails if you rate 5 stars, so do not be fooled by these false ratings. I would prefer to be truthful about this business vs getting $5 off & having other ppl leave this place as unhappy as myself. Save yourself the hassle &...