Shining Star Nails

If I could give this place 0 stars I would! Don’t go to this nail salon!!! Now I’ve been to a number of nail salons all over queens. I only went to this place because I was desperate to get my nails done before the weekend and I live in the neighborhood. Never again will I make this mistake.
I walked in on Thursday evening around 6pm asking for a gel manicure and reg pedicure. There was about 3 other people in there so it wasn’t busy I sat down right away. The lady who did my nails was very sweet but clearly she didn’t know what she was doing. I guess the owner who is a man was the one who told her what to do. I was fine with that being that he was with another customer and couldn’t do my nails himself. The lady looked at my nails and asked what I had before and I told her it was a gel manicure. She stared at my nails for a while not knowing what she was looking at and then I figured it out later on. It was because she didn’t know how to shape my nails!!!
So I got my pedicure done first. She did a nice job, massage was nice too. The problem I had was with my gel manicure. Maybe I’m spoiled because I usually go to nail salons that specialize in nail designs because she didn’t know what I was asking for. All I was asking for was a French gel manicure using the color black for the tips. I also told her I wanted my nails cut but she insisted I keep it long because it won’t look nice with the French (as what she told me). Now I know, stiletto nails have been around for a while maybe a few years but she didn’t know how to trim my stiletto nails. So she began cutting and cutting some more and they became shorter and shorter and I wasn’t happy. The guy (I guess owner or manager) came over as if he was mad at her and then started to shape my nails after she already butchered them. After he was done… MY NAILS WERE NO LONGER STILETTO SHAPE!!! They were crooked and all different lengths and shapes. I was so unhappy I wanted to cry.
So instead, I just told the lady I won’t do French, I’ll just do 2 different colors, 2 nails will be black and the other nails will be a plain beige color. I did that to both my hands.
After all was said and done, I was charged $ 3 extra for my nail shape! I was like are you kidding me??? You’re charging me for the shape I already have!!! The owner said its because it’s not a «normal» shape! Wtf does that even mean? Stiletto nails have been around for a while! Then he stated, «I didn’t charge you for 2 colors.» What?!! Yes I used 2 color gel nail polishes but I didn’t get a design, all that was done was it being painted on.
It’s not the $ 3 that they charged me with. I’m very much ok with being charged for the quality and effort they will put into my nails. It’s the fact that I got ripped off and was charged for the nail shape that I already had walking in there.
Lesson learned: don’t just go to any nail salon because it’s convenient and not busy. There are reasons for that! Never again!!!

I’ve only been here once but had a great experience. The staff is very friendly and talkative. The place is up to date and very clean. Prices are reasonable!

I’ve been there a few times and find that they are too pushy with trying to sell you extra services. If I say I want a manicure and pedicure, and reject your offer to sell me the more expensive add on services, just stop asking. But they continue to ask, if I changed my mind I would have said something. Yesterday was really it for me though. I had one person do my manicure, then they switched and had a different person do my pedicure. I tipped the pedicure person more than I would have tipped for a plain pedicure, fully expecting that she would share the tip with the first person. Instead, while I was sitting at the dryer station, the woman that did my pedicure told me that I need to go tip the manicure person. I was so disgusted by that. Never going back! I’ll stick to Joy’s Nails on Crossbay Blvd.

I have only been one time but my experience was awesome!
Michael went out of his way to give me excellent service. I was the last customer of the night, but the whole staff was very friendly. When Michael started working on my nails one if the ladies started giving me a shoulder massage! Then I noticed a sign that stated that you get a five minute massage with a manacure. So I guess that’s one of their current promotions, which is nice! I had a fill and shellac, Michael did a great job. The salon has been recently remodeled because it was so damaged after hurricane Sandy, so it looks really nice– pleasant interior and lighting.

I like this place, they are clean, polite and very fast. The issue I have with them is that they are constantly adding $ 2 for this $ 3 for that, $ 5 for something else all without telling you extra cost and they are a bit pushy about it … If it was not for that I would give them a 4 and continue going there.