LUX SF2 — Local services in San Francisco

Sadly I have to stop going to CNC. Changes in staff lately have lowered the quality. I have been cut with the cuticle snippers the last 3 (!) visits, this last one, rather than acknowledging when I yelped in pain, she just rubbed prep powder into the wound so it felt even more irritated. She was so slow that when the 2 sitting next to me getting pedicures (who started at the same time) were done and dry, mine were still wet. Consequently, after being in the chair for over an hour for a basic pedicure I needed them wrapped so I could put my shoes on, as I couldn’t stay any longer. She used very little wrap and bunched it over my big toe. It destroyed the paint on my big toe in the short walk across the street to my car, and the walk into my house to take my shoes off.

The new woman at the desk was unfriendly to boot, and the whole experience, being a third bad one in a row, was too much for me. I have been always warmly greeted and helped in the past, for many years. I have been a customer since they had just a few chairs around the corner on Franklin about a decade ago. I reached out to speak to the owner, who knows me, to let him know my experience, but the woman at the desk wouldn’t respond and then later said he wasn’t there (he’s almost never not there). It’s not ok not to even acknowledge much less pass on customer feedback. As one who has been a customer for so many years and has always promoted their business to others, this is new, but it’s 👎👎👎.

The biggest bummer for me is that I had a ritual of coming with my daughter the last 4 years since they reopened after Covid, and it was special to us. Even she said that she noticed and didn’t like how the woman treated me and my being cut, and how rude woman at the desk was (both women we have never seen before). So, we decided we don’t want to spoil our ritual with this kind of experience and it is time to find a new place.

Photos below taken of my fresh, same-day-of pedicure (entry hall is where I saw how it was ruined by poor Wrap and oil application, and later I noticed a brown strip on the crease and when I held the toe I saw all the dried blood mixed with prep powder along where she cut me). What a waste of time and $ and my toe...

I finally found a consistently good dip powder spot in SF! After many bad dip manicures at other salons, my nails are finally back to full health after a few months of manicures with Creative Nail Care. Goodbye extensions!

Giang is amazing at dip powder and nail art! She layers the powder so the edges are blended well. She also does a great job with shaping the nails. After only doing rectangular nails, I tried almond nails for my first time and am now obsessed with the shape. My nails usually take 2.5 hours with art - quite a commitment, but they are so detailed and don’t skimp on the layers.

Dip powder removal is key to how healthy my nails are. The aggressive drilling at other spots remove too much of my natural nail, and they would break easily. The ladies here are good about not drilling down to the nail, instead taking more time with the acetone on a cotton ball. (I went to a new-ish nail salon nearby that submerged my fingers in a bowl of acetone and that was terrible for my skin. Never again)

Everyone here is also super sweet and friendly! They keep the salon and tools very clean as well. They also use gloves to protect your hands from the UV light. Definitely make an appointment, as they seem to be quite busy.

Prices are much higher than what I’m used to paying, but the quality and not having to worry if my nails will chip within a couple weeks is so worth it. For dip powder, I get a solid four weeks without chips, and they could probably last longer, but my nails have grown out enough that I prefer to get...

I was excited when I found Creative Nails - it’s close to home, does dip, and has lots of options for colors (the latter two are huge problems in SF for some reason). The shop is large, well-taken care of and clean. Eventually, however, I stopped coming because only one tech (at least at that time - Hong), plus the owner were capable of doing dip, and I was always scheduled with Hong. The one or two times the owner did my nails was a pleasure. Hong is always rushing and rough - to the point where she broke one of my nails three times over a period of several months. She never accepted fault or apologized - instead, she would get annoyed when she broke the nail lol. Unreal. In addition to rushing and being careless, it was probably also easier to break them because of the poor removal and shaping techniques she uses - which weakens your nails. I moved here with strong, long natural nails (after years of dip with an excellent tech in another state) and my nails got progressively thinner and weaker due to Hong’s (lack of) technique. Eventually, I had to find a new salon. Overall, two stars for the owner (not her husband; he can make some really out of pocket comments) and the rest of the lovely staff, location, selection of dip powder, and maintenance of the salon - one of the nicest in SF. loss of the other three for failing to do the most basic thing, which is maintain...