Nail Review: Spa 101

Had my nails done today out of spontaneity. I usually plan ahead when I go to my trusted university salon, Vina’s, but recently I found myself not wanting to get anything done from them. It might be the ambience or the fact that they are usually full and I don't lik waiting or getting turned down. Sob.

My friend and I were walking along Maginhawa St, when I spotted Spa 101. I felt like I really needed to get my nails done so we tried it. My friend had a foot spa while I got a manicure and pedicure.

To cut to the chase, ambience aside, there was nothing special about it. Everything was just overpriced. Why?

#1 They use the same nail polish brand as my trusted old salon, and they charge 10x more

#2 Foot spa procedure was the same anywhere you went, just a few meters away you had a spa offering the same service with manicure and pedicure for 190 php while theirs cost P300.

#3 attendants were nice but I felt like the lady who did my nails at my trusted salon was more meticulous. The lady here was really fast and she didn’t ask how I wanted my nails, round, square, short? One has to be assertive in here.

#4 Space is small. Although the general ambience was nice, it was only the lighting really that made everything nicer. If you had your nails done in stark daylight, it would have been like any other small salons.

So what was the good thing about it?

#1 Nice attendants. The ladies were very nice, nothing forced, they were all just sincerely good natured and having someone “light” around you helps you feel less troubled. (I guess that’s one thing about my old salon. The one who did my nails always seemed to have something on her mind) and oh they even returned our takehome pizza!

#2 Color choices. They had lots of colorful choices ranging from neutral tones to funkier greens  and blues. My old salon didn’t have this electric blue color. This brand lasts pretty long too J

#3 Good music choice. 

I do feel like the rates were a little too steep. We spent more than what we ate for dinner which was two pastas and a pizza good for three.  But hey, this is what reviews are for. So now, I guess I’m on the prowl for other nail salons that offer  better services for a reasonable amount. Or maybe I should just go back to my trusted old salon and bring along an eyemask and my ipod.