A combo classic mani and pedi, no special things, here at my favorite full-service salon would set me back $80. You can see why I don’t do my nails often. 
My nail lady co-owns a business and is a pleasure to chat with. She works at the salon part time - just to socialize with folks.
(The actual reason I don’t do nails at all is because it is futile - lab solvents would destroy the polish in no time).
I got shellac manicure and regular pedicure this past weekend for $64 plus tip.
The one I go to (infrequently) is very professionally run. I tried gel nail polish last time and could get addicted to gel french manicures. Our nail salons tend to be on the high side.
I did go to another one in our small town for an eyebrow wax since they couldn’t fit me in at my hair salon. The girl talked on the phone the whole time in Chinese while she was doing my brows. I had to stop her for a minute to tell her that I just wanted them cleaned up. If I hadn’t spoke up I probably would have had those creepy pencil thin brows.
Never will go there again. I was actually shocked at myself after I got in the car that I hadn’t walked out it was so unprofessional. And the room they did it in didn’t seem very clean. I got the feeling that someone might be sleeping there on the bed at night. EW!!!
Jimmy McGill maybe?
I couldn’t be bothered getting and keeping up a manicure, and H thinks nail polish on fingernails is gross anyway. The couple of times in my life I’ve had a manicure in a salon, I’ve found it very uncomfortable and boring sitting there in silence while the manicurists chattered away to each other in Korean. I couldn’t wait to flee.
LOL!!!
I still can’t believe we have to wait until next January for season 2!
I pay $80 for a traditional mani/pedi in New England - that seems to be the going rate for a full service salon, and not one of those nails only places. I’ve paid way more for a “spa” mani/pedi at various hotels. I once had one at the Ritz in Paris - very expensive and not as good as my regular person.
Used to go to one salon where the manicurists didn’t speak English. They used to chatter to each other constantly. BI went there a few times, but felt very uncomfortable most of the time. Got a pedicure done there once and got toe nail fungus after. Don’t know if it was related at all, but just decided that it was time to quit. Don’t do my nails on a regular basis - do them only for special occasions. Get a pedicure once in a while - at my regular salon, this costs about 50$, Ouch! Just bought a groupon for a shellac manicure/pedicure for 35$. Salon doesn’t appear to be one that uses Asian workers - but I sure hope I don’t regret this purchase !
Stop going? No!
You’re supposed to interview your manicurist to determine if they are being abused or exploited, and then educate them as to their rights.
Nail fungus might be a reason to stop going. lol!
Fungus is peanuts compared to other stuff you can pick up at those places:
From the article liked above:
My mani/pedi woman has us purchase our own tools to bring every time. This way only my own tools are being used on me.
I just started getting pedicures about a year or so ago. Only get them in the summer when I wear open toed shoes or sandals. Happened to go today and discovered my regular lady was off on Wednesdays. My place seems legit, and I pay $26 plus cash top for a pedi. What is considered a decent tip? I want to be sure I am not being chintzy.
Well, my fill and pedi today was $45; I tipped $10. I’m also usually in and out in about an hour, to an hour and 15 minutes.
My nail salon isn’t top of the line, but not like those in the articles. They are very clean. I have watched them spray bleach cleaner in the tubs after each pedicure and put instruments in the autoclave. Of course, one never knows…
Everyone in the salon originally came from Vietnam. The woman who does my nails (and has the last chair, #9) is the single mother of a five year old. She looks like a model and has an older boyfriend who seems, quite smitten. He brings her lunch almost daily and takes her with him on business travel abroad whenever she is able to take the time off. He gives her fancy handbags for gifts. She has a gucci, a vuitton, a chanel, etc. She is my favorite because I don’t have to talk with her and she lets me just doze off while she paints my toes.
In chair #8 there is a very popular, older woman. That is, probably my age. She is a chatter box but very fun and has a whole lot of regular male clients. She has two sons. One just finished at an in-state college this year. The older one graduated some time ago and works in CA. She has a home some distance away in the country and a considerable commute but likes living on some land, owning some acreage. I don’t know how much. Her husband seems to spend a whole lot of time back in their home country. She isn’t interested in going back very often.
In the next two chairs (#7 & 6) are two women, with elementary school aged children who live in the same neighborhood and one of their husbands usually picks the kids up from school and sometimes brings them to the salon, where they do homework or play games on their laptops in the back room. They are very sweet children and everyone oohs and aahs over them. These husbands sometimes get sidetracked and there are a flurry of phone calls until everyone is sure the children have been picked up. The whole salon breathes a sigh of relief some days.
There is a very young woman whose husband is a graduate student at the local university. She is trying to go to community college while she works. No children yet. Chair #5.
The woman who owns the shop has chair #1. She isn’t too talkative, but always smiling
That leaves three chairs. I think maybe people are filling in there. Sometimes young men come and go. A manicure is $13 and a mani/pedi $48. I tip $10 for a manicure and $20 for a mani/pedi and give those tips in cash.
With all the people who seem to be considering giving up their manicure/pedicure habit, I think the best move for a salon owner would be to post a large sign in the window: “Our employees make $15/hour and our prices reflect that cost. We have installed special ventilation for the safety of our customers and employees. Our prices reflect that cost, too. We welcome your business.”
I would not go to a typical nail salon in NYC. Horribly treated, underpaid workers performing an intimate service in poor working conditions. Big turn off.
There is someone who does nails in the hair salon the corner. I know the owner and her (only) employee, and I know that the owner treats her employee well. If I was into this sort of thing, I would go to her, and I would tip her well.
But honestly, I do my own nails. I really have no interest in having someone do my nails for me.