Choosing the right nail salon takes a little research on your part. Before you spend your hard-earned money, you should make sure that it's a reputable salon and that it scores well on some other criteria. Here's what you should look for when you're looking for the right quality nail salon near you.
A Sanitary Environment
Every day, salons host many customers. They use the same equipment on everyone, so ensuring that it is constantly cleaned between every single customer throughout the day is imperative to avoid getting an unwanted bonus with your manicure or pedicure like a bacterial or fungal infection. So go take a look around a place you're considering. Watch the technicians. If you see them cleaning up the equipment after a customer leaves by disinfecting the tools and throwing away any disposable items, they can be trusted to be a safe environment for you and your nails.
Proper Ventilation
The fumes from nail polish, acrylics and other items commonly used at nail salons all have harsh odors. While some odor is normal at even the best nail salons, what you're looking for is a good ventilation system to ensure that the toxic chemicals from these products aren't lingering around while you're there.
Services Available
You can always get a basic manicure or pedicure, but some salons may not offer more upscale services akin to what spas might offer. These places, referred to as nail spa salons, usually provide more pampering and amenities along with the services. You'll find a greater selection of options for your nails such as paraffin treatments, acrylics, gel nails, and more. Choose a nail salon that is able to provide the services you're looking for.
Pricing
There are some nail salons that have all-inclusive prices while other charges per item. Make sure it is clear to you what services you will get for the price you will pay. Always ask what is included before allowing work to be done or you might get a surprise at the end.
Nail Technician Expertise
Getting your nails done these days is so much more than just painting your nails. There have been so many developments with artificial nails, however, you'll still need to take proper care of them once you get home and between visits to the nail salon. If you're considering trying one of these new types of nail advancements, any good nail technician will be happy to sit down with you and explain the differences between each, what the proper maintenance is, and if there are any risks.
Certain medications can cause problems with the application of some nail products so sharing this information with your new nail technician is important for receiving the best results.
Customer service
Walk into the nail salon you're most interested in trying and see how you're treated. Are you greeted in a pleasant manner? Or does no one acknowledge your experience? At a nail salon, you are paying for a service and you shouldn't have to endure poor customer service and pay for it. The atmosphere is everything so once you narrow your search down to safe, sanitary nail salons that offer the services you're looking for, see what it's like inside.
If it's too loud and busy or the nail technicians and the receptionist are rude to you, your money will be better spent at another nail salon. How the nail salon appears is another thing you should look for when you walk in.
Licensed & Insured
In every state except for Alaska, Nebraska, Connecticut, and Utah, all nail technicians must have a license. These licenses are almost always required to be displayed with a photograph where the customer can easily see it.
It is important to make sure the nail salon you visit have technicians who have all completed California's nail technician school and licensing requirements.
Reviews & Worth of Mouth
Where do your friends, family, and coworkers go to get their nails done? If you see someone you know with nice-looking nails, ask them where they go. You could find a great nail salon through someone you know. But even if you do, you'll still want to check it out just to be certain you'll be comfortable there too. Looking online at reviews will also help you narrow down your search. Reputable review sites investigate all reviews, both positive and negative, to make sure that actual customers have left these reviews based on their true experiences.
In this way, you can be sure that the reviews that you read are not made up by the nail salon in order to get more business, or by some bored person with nothing better to do than write negative reviews.
By using these checks, you will have an easier time finding a nail salon that matches your needs. Listen to your gut too. If you walk into a nail salon and have an uneasy feeling, there are plenty more nail salons near you that will make you feel like you're an old dear friend.
We make it even easier to find all the best nail salons in your area with just one click. We scour the reviews and only list licensed and insured nail salons near you so that you can choose a nail salon with absolute confidence. Find the best nail salons close to your home right now!
