Lilac Spa

Awesome !! Super service and Great results for a good price ! LOVE this place ! I had a gel mani and got 3 gels, a regular pedi and 10 min massage for 60 USD, super clean and cute place ! A lot of ColorS to choose from !

I don’t understand how this place has such great reviews. I went in luckily only to get gel removed. I stood in the doorway for a good minute after being said hello to, and then after I was directed to sit down had to wait again until she finally came over to start. Normally I don’t mind a little wait, but there was no one in there! The facility itself didn’t look very clean, and nail salons can be a breeding ground for horrific infections and whatnot so if it doesn’t look clean, I can’t imagine all of their instruments are clean. I can’t speak to the quality of a manicure, but I don’t think I will not be returning to try it out.

If you are a detail oriented person and appreciate good quality, go to Lilac Spa for your gel manicure.
**Value: No chipping, lifting, or peeling for 3 weeks. No exaggeration. I travel frequently for work and never have to worry about my nails. Once the gel manicure is on, it stays.
**Attention to detail: I come back to Lilac because my nails are manicured to perfection. Christine truly takes pride in her work and delivers a flawless gel manicure every time. You will never leave this salon with a hanging cuticle or rough nail edge. During the gel application, Christine paints each nail from base to tip. The manicure lasts because no area of the nail is left vulnerable to chipping or water penetration.
**Bring cash: Lilac encourages cash payment, as most other salons in the area. The staff will suggest using the McDonald’s ATM across the street. The ATM charges only $ 1.29 for withdrawals.
**Best time to go: If you are in a rush, weekdays are best and let them know when you walk in. For a gel manicure + regular pedicure, I usually plan to be there for 90 minutes.
I prefer Lilac’s thorough service because I get my money’s worth out of my gel manicure here. Other salons may get you out of the door faster for the same price, but I promise you — your manicure will not last as long. You’ll see from my pictures, I’m a neutral polish person. Even still, I get compliments on my nails often.

Came here for the first time and my nail tech really did a great job! She nailed it — it’s exactly what I wanted. The shape, the color was nailed it perfectly and it’s beyond my expectations. Try to check this place out & you will truly be taken care of here and your nails will look great.

Great service! Wonderful! Would recommend to everyone! Spa is not fancy, but it’s very clean. Christine took her time cleaning up my nails and made sure I was happy with each step. I loved her attention to detail! This is the best manicure I’ve ever had! I am extremely happy.

Lilac is my go-​to spot for gels. They always do a great job and it lasts much longer chip-​free than most places. Also priced very reasonably!
I recently got powder for the first time (trying to get away from so much UV) and Christine did a STELLAR job — incredible precision and care and it came out so beautiful. She’s such a perfectionist!

**READ THIS REVIEW BEFORE GOING HERE**
I wish I could’ve experience the great manis people are boasting about here but I couldn’t. Why you ask?
Let me tell you my story on how UNPROFESSIONAL these people are.
So I walk in on a Saturday (today) at around 3pm. 2 gel manis and a regular mani. Sure no problem. Pick your color.
What’s the wait? You’re next.
I have to remove gel so the lady wraps my nails. We’re there like 10 minutes. Running super late for an event and very happy to be next.
Enter 3 random chicks. «We called for 3 manis and you said we could come now»
The lady looks at me «sorry, they called. We’ll take you right after them»
WHAT!!! Wwwtttffff??? Bx$&?th whaaaaaaaaat!!!
I literally just got up and walked out. NEVER. NEVER. NEEEVVVAAAAAA have I ever EVER.
If you go here CALL AHEAD. Because even if you wait they will take others with no warning.

Thank you for your great work and your service
Always with a classic smile
My number one place to go for pedicure

I stumbled across Lilac when trying to get a gel mani and pedi before Memorial Day. Christine took her time and did SUCH an amazing job. She made sure everything was even and took her time with the gel application to make sure there were no weird bubbles or uneven streaks. I even let her pick the color and it was a perfect match for my skin tone. I honestly can’t stop looking at them. I’m relatively new to the city and hadn’t found a nail salon that made me want to come back but I’m pretty sure Lilac will be that spot (and I don’t even live in East Village!). I’ll definitely be back!

I wish I could comment on the quality of this place but I can’t, because after waiting a half hour it wasn’t open at 11:00– when it clearly opens at 10:30.
The other salon in the area didn’t open until 11, so I waited for a bit with one of the employees, who had no idea where the owner was. I feel bad denying the worker a tip, because she was so sweet, but I didn’t have all day to wait.
If they can’t even open remotely on time then I can’t give them any stars.

Seriously, what the f Unilocalers. This is the worst place I’ve ever gotten my nails done and the last place burned my nails by putting the gel on too thick.
She filed my nails so rough that it tore the cuticles and the skin around my toes and fingers. She cut the cuticle that was already shredded and I left with wounds on my hands and feet. It’s been almost a week and one of my toes is still hurting, red, and swollen. The toes were all painted really horribly with jagged edges around the cuticle. Halfway through my manicure one of the other ladies stopped my girl and sent her away to do someone else’s pedicure. She then started my manicure over and did a great job, but couldn’t repair the damage that was already done. Not worth the risk. I will never be back.

I can’t believe this place is highly rated, or rated at all, for that matter! This nail salon, by far, has the worst customer service I’ve ever experienced! The rave reviews here are baffling; they deserve far more negative reviews than good.
My friend and I came in today for the first time and were told the wait would be 20 minutes. My friend didn’t get a pedi until 40 minutes later! AND they even spilled nail polish remover on her phone and didn’t acknowledge their mistake! Then when it was my turn, I asked the lady to help me choose a gel color. She helped for a minute BUT then she snuck away to give another customer a pedi, even though I was there first! I ended up wasting a little over an hour just waiting. Un-f******-believable!
Why would the lady help someone else (who had come in after me) when it was my turn?! Not only was she extremely rude but she didn’t even apologize! None of the employees apologized and just acted nonchalant and apathetic. How is this place even open if they treat customers like sh**?!
Ultimately, I was fed up and left to go to another nail salon. I will never return to this place again and will warn all of my friends and acquaintances of their poor service. I don’t care how well they can do manis and pedis, but if they lack common sense and decency, I refuse to support their business.
So, if you don’t mind waiting an eternity and want to experience the worst of customer service/​human beings, please go here. Otherwise, I suggest going to any other local nail salon with people who will service you with dignity, courtesy, and efficiency.

One of my faves in the city — and I’ve tried a LOT! They know nuances in nail shape (my pet peeve) and are open on a Sunday. Knocked off a star cause there was kind of a longer wait than promised (sure all you city girls know how crucial that precious 20 mins can be) but other than that, fab results!
They also had jazz music on, which was a plus.

Lilac is quickly becoming my go-​to nail salon in NYC!
I’ve been lucky enough to have Jason as my manicurist the last two times I have been there and I love his work. His attention to detail is superb, and while he is quick, he never makes me feel rushed. He is also quite a perfectionist which I really appreciate.
Prices here are extremely reasonable, considering the average cost to get nails done in NYC. Regular manicures are $ 11, gel manicures are $ 30, and gel removals are an additional $ 5 — which is totally worth it considering how much effort it takes to remove at home.
They take walk-​ins, so there really is no need to make an appointment in advance, but I would recommend calling at least a few minutes ahead to see how long the wait time is.
I can’t wait to be back!

I really dislike inequitable service. If I am getting bubbles with soap to soak my feet, the person next to me should get the same too — without us asking. Please stop trying to save a little money by not turning on the jets when that’s what they are there for.
With all nail salon places (with a few exceptions) I guess it all boils down to who you wind up with or the luck of the draw. The person who did my feet and nails was okay, although the foot scrub would barely constitute as a scrub in my book.
All that being said, the price is reasonable for a mani and pedi.

Not bad for it’s price, but could have been better.
I really was craving a nice mani to «treat my self», and knowing how pricey New York can be, I thought Unilocal would be useful for finding some decent salons. There are some fancy places here in Manhattan!
Lilac Spa caught my eye because it claimed to have gel nail manis for less than $ 30! What a deal! I decided to go with my friend on a Saturday morning before heading out to a nice dinner in the Village.
This place is really small, and they have a fairly large amount of nail colors and polish companies to choose from-​despite its small location. There were already two girls (near our age) being attended to, so my friend and I sat at chairs near the window. I was a little disappointed at how LONG we waited until somebody finally came to us and asked what we wanted to do. There were only two workers, and apparently the third girl was out for lunch (she came much later). We waited a good 45 minutes-​1 hour to finally settling in.
I decided to get a simple gel mani with a simple design (space art I saw on Pinterest). The lady who did mine claimed it as «easy», and set to work on my nails-​quickly buffing, cleaning, etc. Once she set to work on the actual gel nail, I was a little disappointed that she clearly lacked design skills. After a few failed attempts, I politely asked her to paint them without any design at all. This wasted a good 20 minutes (bummer).
On the other hand, my friend waited a little longer for the second lady. She decided to get a presto gel mani and decided also on a design from Pinterest. The lady who attended to my friend was attentive and very detail-​oriented. Amazing! She was much faster as well. I should have gotten her name… but based on reviews, I’m assuming it was Christine!
Together, our manis came out to $ 32 (including tax and tip) each. I thought it wasn’t bad but fairly and personally a little disappointed since mine wasn’t as good as my friend’s. My nails are still great, but I definitely wanted a neater design. Not sure if we’ll be back (based on how long the wait was and the design mess-​up), but Lilac’s definitely a go if you want a cheap deal. I would recommend to call in advance to make an appointment!

3.5 weeks ago, I was excited to get my very first gel manicure and chose Lilac Spa based on the Unilocal reviews. And it’s true — there is NO CHIPPING! So here comes a first world problem: my nails outgrow the manicure after 2 weeks. (I am letting them grow out since I heard removing them will damage the nails and trimming your nails does not chip the manicure either. I might Pinterest some ideas later on how to cover up the new nail area.)
Lilac Spa is on the 2^nd floor of a building in the East Village, on the same block as the two Indian restaurants with heavy Christmas lights. The place was empty at 5:30pm but mid-​way through my manicure, this tiny little spa filled up and all 4 stations were occupied! Their gel manicures are popular! They also have a wide selection of colors and are constantly adding more to their shelf. One lady was painting a sample set of new colors and curing them under one of their portable LED (or was it UV?) lights when I arrived.
My technician was very meticulous and detailed. She took her time in buffing the nails, removing the cuticles, and painting my nails. I received 1 base coat, 2 coats of color, and 2 top coats with a short curing step in between each coat. She added cuticle moisturizing oil at the very end and gave me a brief hand massage before wiping my hands with a hot towel. The girl next to me asked for 3 coats of color and her technician happily obliged. They have great customer service!
I don’t know too much about nail prices but I’m assuming $ 31.50 (post-​tax, even with cash payment) is cheap for a gel manicure? The color looks so beautiful and glossy. I couldn’t stop staring at my fingers for the first week or so haha.
P. S. The BEST part is, they’re all Chinese but speak English and did not pressure me into speaking my broken Chinese.

What a little gem in East Village!
Hands down the best manicure I’ve ever had, and I had my nails done multiple times in Canada, in San Francisco and in some European countries. Christine has done an incredible job and left me over the moon happy with my manicure (and pedicure). She is very meticulous and filed and cut my nails, cut the cuticles and applied the polish with impressive preciseness and perfection. Definitely recommend this place and her in particular!

One of the only salons where my gel manicure will last for more than a week.
My pet peeve is that people don’t paint your nail all the way and then a week goes by with my normal nail growth and I need a touch up or a re-​paint. The technicians here do not do this to you. They paint VERY precisely down to each cuticle.
The actual salon is tiny and shows some wear and tear but clean. The selection could use some expansion but I always find something.
They also do pedicures that I haven’t been so impressed with (keeps smudging despite 1 hour of drying.
Expect to wait for a long time during peak hours which are some Saturday nights apparently.

Incredible service and a beautiful nail job. I got gel nails for the first time and I couldn’t have had a better experience. They were extremely well-​priced as well! ($ 31)
The lady who was going my nails was incredibly kind. She took her time and was very meticulous when shaping and painting my nails. I’ve never seen anybody take such care. The entire process took around 50 minutes and a mini massage was included at the end.
I went on a Sunday afternoon and it was almost empty. I did call ahead just in case. My only qualm was that they seemed to be missing a few colors that I had wanted at first and pushed me towards other ones instead. Not that big of a deal.
Overall, I am extremely happy about the end product and will definitely be coming back!