JY Hair Story

I had a hankering for Mexican food, so I hit Bergenline in search of tacos. After I satisfied my craving, I was walking back to my car and passed a hair salon with an advertisement in the window for a $ 13 mani/​pedi Monday through Friday. #winning! I made a mental note of the address and cross street and went on home.
A few days later, I took a day off from work and decided to go back to that salon on Bergenline. I arrived at around 10:04 AM and told one of the women (middle-​aged Asian woman) that I wanted a mani-​pedi. The nice lady smiled and told me to have a seat as it would be a moment before I was serviced. There was one other woman waiting and 2 women already being serviced. I chose my nail colors and patiently wanted for about 15 minutes. No problem there.
A young (very early 20s) Spanish woman with dark hair then motioned to me at the pedi chair and I took my seat. She started the pedi and, as I was a bit crunched up, I asked her if the seat moved back, so as to give me more leg room. She motioned to the older Asian woman to come and adjust my chair. Great, thanks. I then put my feet into the foot basin and PROBLEM #1, the water was almost cold. Definitely lower than body temp, tepid at best. The hot foot bath is damn near the best part of the pedicure, 2^nd only to the lotion-​application foot massage. I pulled my feet out, telling her that the water was a bit chilly, and asked her to add hot. She did. Thanks.
She then started the pedicure, and more PROBLEMS ensued: she asked if I wanted my toenails cut and I replied Yes. She filed them (quite abrasively, might I add) instead. I asked her to NOT cut my cuticles, and just to push them back. She CUT them, and in the process, cut me. To the point of bloodshed. I actually had to lift my feet from the padded footrest, damn near jamming my toes up her nose, and said NO CUT!!! Then she got the hint.
The rest of the pedi went from BLAH to WTF??? As earlier stated, everybody LOVES the lotion massage you get before painting. Not only did I NOT get that massage, this chick didn’t even put lotion on my feet/​legs before painting my toenails! And I’m BLACK so you know I was fit to be tied!!!
On to the mani. But not so fast.
After painting my toenails, she had me sit down to dry, and went and painted another woman’s fingernails. After sitting at the toe dryer for a good 20mins, I asked the older Asian woman who was going to do my mani. She motioned to the same girl who had dome my pedi. I issued a loud sigh; just couldn’t help myself. Maybe 10 minutes after that, the lady who was having her nails painted by my pedicurist came and sat down next to me for her nails to dry. I took that as my cue, got up and sat down in the manicurists chair. Enter MO PROBLEMS: again, I told her I wanted her to just file my nails– do not cut them. She attempted to go to town with the rough side of the nail file so I pulled back and said DO NOT SHORTEN MY NAILS. JUST SHAPE THEM. (not yelling, but definitely talking loud). She looked confused, but said ok, and picked up the same doggone file and repeated her actions. This time, I did yell. This girl looked at me with the Scooby Doo face (head cocked to the side and everything), then said to the Asian lady «que dice ella??» Oh ok. I get it now. She doesn’t speak english. So the Asian (hell, maybe she was spanish bc she surely understood chickee) told her to just shape my nails, in spanish. This time, chickee complied fully. And before she picked up the cuticle cutter, she gave me a look. I shook my head no, and she got to pushin instead. YESS!!! That’s what I call progress. lol
She polished me (first forgetting the CHEAP AND THIN LOTION, then remembering and applying), then sat me under the nail dryer. I sat there for only 10 minutes because the parking meters have a 2-​hour limit and I was pushing the expired-​meter limit. BTW: 2 hours for a stinking mani-​pedi and where were only 3 patrons in the place (and 3 nail techs) is absolutely ridic. Luckily, my nails were dry enough to quickly and carefully use the restroom (zippers and buttons involved) with no nicking or smudging. When I exited the restroom, she was already back at the pedicure station with another customer. I paid her, thanked her, and left. NO ticket on my car, thank you Jesus.
When I got home and looked down at my nails, I was completely appalled at the paint job she had done (see pics). And what pissed me off even more was the fact that I tipped her $ 4! Based on all of this, Im convinced she was an apprentice and not fully licensed. Because of the price ($ 13), I am going to give them another try. Just one more try. And I will demand to be serviced by one of the older techs this time. Ga-​Ron-​Teed!!!

I went there as a whim since I didn’t have a chance to go to my usual salon in Queens, and I was desperately in need of a haircut (I was starting to play tug of war with my hair in the mornings). To my surprise, they did an amazing job, and the haircut was only $ 16!
I’m kissing my old salon in Queens goodbye — this place is not only up the block from where I live, no appointments are needed, costs WAY less than my Queens salon, and they did an amazing job with my Asian hair.
Thank you, JY Hair Story!