ExceptioNails — Local services in Universal City

I had a mixed experience here. There was plenty of parking, which was definitely a plus, especially for a Monday evening. Inside though, the salon felt stuffy and uncomfortable. It was around 79°F and raining outside, but the air inside wasn’t circulating well at all, and the chemical smell was really strong and overwhelming.

The color books were confusing and didn’t make it clear which shades were available in gel or shellac. When I asked, the woman at the front told me that gel and shellac are the same thing, which they aren’t. It made picking a color harder than it needed to be. During the manicure, I noticed that they reused bits and files, which was concerning. On the positive side, they did open a sanitized pack of tools, which I appreciated.

Communication was a little difficult too. The nail tech and another employee both had strong accents, and while I hate to even mention it, it was genuinely hard to understand what they were saying over the salon noise.

We paid $80 before tip for two people, covering two gel removals and 2 gel applications, and after looking into it, that’s actually a good price for San Antonio. My nails turned out nice overall, smooth and glossy, and the polish looks good.

That said, between the uncomfortable atmosphere, the confusing color options, the strong chemical smell, and the reused equipment, I don’t think I’d return. It wasn’t terrible, but it definitely wasn’t somewhere I’d go out of my way to...

Bad bad horrible place new owner is very unprofessional! Me & my sister came to get our nails done & we told the first lady that we were going to be charged for a regular set 17$ then she started doing her work but I wasn't to familraized with what she was doing so I told her I wanted a regular set & she got all hurt with an attitude & I was in shock like shouldn't I be the one with attitude? So then she changed us seats to get the Full set we asked for so then she starts putting on my nails & her work is so so freaking sloppy like the nail wasn't properly glued right, so after a man came to finish my nails & he saw that they were not glued right so he unclipped all of them one by one & re-did them. I was so irritated already. & so the owner comes & tells us your going to have to pay for the manicure she started I was like he'll no why should I have to pay a person who obviously doesn't know how to listen this is ridiculous so I refused service & hell no I will not be coming...

What a gem of a place; reminds me of a small town. Everyone is friendly and they get to know you. Not just as a customer but as a friend. Every single person who came and went during my appointment were all greeted by name. Jenny assisted with the design part of my nails but my memory fails me for my tech’s name. She did such an amazing job. My nails feel so light and look amazing. I actually learned a little bit about the different types of nails and what was best for my nail shape. I’ve never been to a nail salon that was so thorough and ensured I got the best care. I absolutely enjoyed my time here and will definitely return. I got my nails done with a design and my eyebrows waxed for less than $100 with tip. Great service with...