Urban Nail Box - Ballard — Local services in Seattle

tl;dr All around fantastic. Highly, highly recommend.

(Fair warning, this is a long review. These are the details I always comb reviews for, so hopefully they'll be useful to someone.)

I've been here three times now and have been thrilled each time. Consistency is so important, and all three people I've seen have had that.

So far, I've seen: -Oanh for an ultimate gel manicure and pedicure -Kaylee for a gel touch up on that manicure (two small chips a week later, which I think was my fault) -Mia for an essential gel manicure, with ombre and dot design

The two huge factors for nail salons are the experience and the end result, and I was super happy with both, each time.

Experience: -They do pedicures in free standing tubs, yay (waaay more hygienic than the ones built into the chair with jets and something I very rarely see anymore) -From what I saw, it looked like everyone takes hygiene super seriously -They do the pedicure then the manicure, rather than both simultaneously (I'd guess that they would do them together if you asked ahead of time if you don't have time for the more relaxing pace, they seem super accommodating) -Everyone I interacted with was very friendly I can book myself online (either with first available or with a specific person) -If your gel chips in the first week, they will redo that nail for you -Overall pleasant environment, definitely feels nicer and more upscale than anywhere else I've been with a remotely similar price point -Speaking of price, the value is awesome - the cost is comparable to several other places I've been in the city, and this blows them away.

Results: -Literally, the best polish I've ever had -All three were very meticulous, double checking for any clean up needed on each nail, as they, rather than a cursory once over at the end -The full nail was covered fully and evenly, but not extending at all to the cuticles or skin around the nail -My gel pedicure was five weeks ago and other than my nails growing out, it still looks flawless (don't judge, I'm a little lazy with removing toe nail polish, especially when it still looks good) -My first gel manicure (solid polish, no design) had two fingers chip a bit on day 6, but I'm pretty sure that was my fault -They all still looked perfect when I removed it three weeks later, which I only did because my nails had grown enough it was bugging me -For the gel manicure I did last week, I booked extra time for nail art (ombre + a dot design), something that I don't think I've ever done, and I am absolutely thrilled with the results. I had a reference picture, but wanted a few tweaks, and Mia did an excellent job doing exactly what I wanted, but better. It's been 8 days and they still look perfect.

The only other manicure I've had that even came close to comparing was twice the cost, and I think I still like Urban Nail Box better.

So,...

I got my nails done on 1/22, and after almost a week of trying to sit with my experience, I have to be honest—I don’t think I’ll be returning to this salon.

I booked a Gel Pedicure and Manicure with nail art, specifically choosing this place because their Instagram showcased impressive designs. I’ve always loved intricate nail art, but since moving back to WA, I’ve struggled to find the same level of quality and skill I was used to. Unfortunately, this visit was no exception.

Pedicure: I opted for the Gel Milky Silk Pedicure to soften my skin, but the water was lukewarm at best and only got colder over time. From my understanding, warm water is necessary to properly exfoliate, yet I sat in cool water for over 15 minutes. The result? My feet are now rougher, drier, and peeling more than before I came in.

Manicure & Nail Art: Before my appointment, I sent in an inspiration board for my nails, hoping to achieve a specific look. Since I wanted to keep my natural nails, I understood that certain designs might need to be adjusted. However, past nail techs have always been able to modify a design to accommodate shorter lengths—this wasn’t the case here.

Not only did I have to scrap my original design due to my nail length, but I also had to find a new reference photo because I wanted gold details instead of silver. (Why not just swap the silver for gold?) On top of that, they didn’t have or couldn’t create the purple-green chameleon effect I requested. At that point, I was ready to settle for a simple purple cat-eye. Still, my tech insisted on trying. They layered multiple polishes in an attempt to replicate it. The result wasn’t even close.

With all the layers applied, the final product was apparently thick enough that I was told I’d need to go to another nail salon for removal since this salon doesn’t do drill-offs. That was shocking. By then, the whole experience felt so frustrating and deflating that I just nodded along, desperate to leave.

Now, not even seven days later, the tips of my nails are already worn down, exposing the layers underneath. The one redeeming quality is that the guarantee their nails for 10 days and if something happens I was told they would invite you back to fix it. Unfortunately, with my experience, I don't think I will take them up on that offer.

Overall, I wanted to love this place, but the experience—from the cold pedicure to the overly complicated nail art process—left me...

Edit: (added 2 stars for great customer service) Manager Kaylee contacted me after the review was posted to let me know that this (see review below) is their process for a French manicure. She graciously offered me the opportunity to return and get a gel French mani but I declined since I’m not able to wear gels at work. Though I wish I had known that this was their standard process before deciding to do an French mani here, I do appreciate them contacting me immediately after seeing the review and trying to fix it. I would come back to this establishment to get regular polish, and their nail art using gel looks lovely.

— Original review: (2 stars) I am so disappointed because I thought that I had found a good place in Seattle for nail art.

Went in for my very first French manicure, a splurge because I usually do my own nails, I’m pretty good at it but don’t have the steady hands for the nail tips. Can’t do gels at work so regular paint. I had an awful tech. Firstly, she cut me with the cuticle nippers, so hard that I gasped. After the bleeding stopped, she went straight to paint the tip. She painted about 1/3 of my BARE nails with two layers of thick paint, then went in with acetone to create the half moon shape. When I asked her why no base coat or nude base, she said “we don’t do that for normal polish, just gel.” Okayyyy… after that I got one layer of top coat and was sent out the door.

I paid for my friend as well and didn’t want to deprive her seemingly competent and nice technician her tip, so I tipped 20% on both services. But I had to know. Was I lied to? Was everything I thought I knew about French manicures wrong? The internet, thankfully, validated me - French manicures should have a base coat and a nude base. So yes, I was lied to, because this particular tech apparently doesn’t know how to do a French manicure but “did” one anyway.

Stay clear if you want regular polish and any sort of nail art, I guess? They seem to be fine for gels. One star for the nice lady at reception and one star for the mani being okay looking, but I’m not expecting staying power for nail polish with no base coat. Definitely not worth the $50 this ended up costing. Generally annoyed that i wasted time and money on something i probably could have done...