Forever Nails By Kim

LOOK at those nails! Just look at them! They’re shiny and gorgeous — all thanks to Kim. And that’s already 6 days old — which is amazing because my nail polish usually lasts less than 4 days for me because I’m a polish-​peeler, even when it comes to gel…
So it was kinda hard to find at first because Google tells you she’s at 360 W. Portal Ave. but she’s actually across the street from Bank of America. Awkwardly walk into Americuts and you’ll see Kim set up with her desk behind the last hair station with two black leather chairs. But do NOT try and do walk-​in. She’s so busy and fully-​booked that even if she wanted to take you, she couldn’t. She’s a super busy lady but she’s sweet and nice as well. She gives off a cute/​sweet auntie feel.
I got the gel mani/​pedi for $ 50 and she started off soaking my feet and removing my nail polish. Then she started going IN on my little toes: pushing the cuticles back, cutting, filing, and buffing. I’ve NEVER had any nail salon go in on my nails like that — such detail. But she accidentally cut me as she was filing and buffing away. But it’s just so well-​done and clean-​cut that I couldn’t have done a better job myself. And I’ll definitely be going back to get my toes done every once in a while.
She has tons of pretty colors for gel mani/​pedis and she gives you the MOST time to pick colors. It was kinda interesting how she urged me to try a different color than the one I had picked originally. And it might seem offensive to some people but I appreciated her enthusiasm to beautify my feet and nails. And the result was wonderful.

Kim is great. I really liked her and she does a fine job. I highly recommend her.
She is also so nice. It was my first time trying her and I looked into my wallet to pay her and to my horror I only had $ 12! I thought I had plenty of money in my wallet and did not think to check before running off to her salon. Anyway, because I was so frazzled I ruined my nails and Kim was nice enough to fix them. I told her I owe her money and she said not to worry about it. I went and got money and returned to pay her and even then she said «it didn’t matter». What a kind, understanding woman!

I was very happy with Kim’s service and work. She’s a very nice person. I got a mani-​pedi for my graduation a few weeks ago. The manicure lasted almost 10 days and my pedicure is still great. The prices are amazing, and there’s a student discount!

Forever Nails By Kim (she sits in the back portion of the salon) is excellent! Don’t confuse her with the manicurist that sits in the front.
She provides high-​quality service for my gel manicure and my regular pedicures last a long time. I go every 2 weeks and make an appointment. Of the various places on West Portal, she is the one that both my teens and I like to use.
Don’t let the salon (which needs updating) deter you from using Forever Nails by Kim. She’s great!

When it comes to getting your gel nails did, I highly recommend Kim. She has customers on the regular, so generally she is by appointment only. The phone number listed is her cell, so you can also make an appointment by text.
Please note that there is another nail person at the front of the salon. Kim has her own area in the back.
She is a perfectionist and cares about not only how your nails look, but to minimize any damage from doing gel nails. As you may know, there is a price to pay for going to salons that don’t do gel nails the safe way or if you are like me and start peeling off the gel polish before your next visit.
Kim has interesting techniques as placing fingerless gloves to perhaps prevent as much damage as possible from the UV lights from the nail dryer. She also removes gel nail polish the correct way and doesn’t dip your hands for a long period time in acetone (completely drying your skin) as I’ve experienced in other nail salons.
She also has a sweet personality and often tries to steer me to try a new color as I often stick to the dark and muted tones.
Her hours should read a start time of 9:30AM. The owners of the salon don’t open shop until then.

Kim always does AMAZING work! Also, she is so welcoming and kind. This is the best mani-​pedi place I’ve been to. I will no longer go elsewhere!
Thank you Kim! You are such an expert at your craft! :)
CASH ONLY!

It’s reservation only. Make sure you go to the back that’s where Kim’s station is. It’s a little confusing but there are two different businesses and Kim does the best nails so make sure to make an appointment! I got a gel manicure and a regular pedicure and the total was $ 45, totally worth it and I defiantly recommend it.

Kim is a very sweet woman who obviously loves what she does. She takes her time, pays attention to detail and does an AWESOME job!
Like other people have mentioned, Kim has her space inside Americuts but her station is located all the way in the back of the salon. Don’t get it mixed up! There are other people that do mani/​pedis there as well but they are in the front of the salon. Call for an appointment as she doesn’t take walk-​ins.
If you want an upscale experience, this place is not for you. But if you want a beautiful mani/​pedi — go and see Kim!

I don’t know why people think that this is a good place for nails. It is the worst manicure in my life ! It is so bad that they made a discount for me.

Kim is such a sweet lady. She is a very hard working person. I went in for both a gel manicure and regular polish pedicure today. She did a very nice job. She constantly checked up on me to make sure everything is well. I will definitely come back here again. All the previous Unilocal reviews are right about her service. I don’t usually tip people easily but Kim definitely deserved it !

Still love Kim for my nails! Amazing per usual, my pedis seriously last a good WHOLE MONTH (at least) before I have to come back.
Few things I learned, there’s another kim here (which takes walk-​ins), THIS FOREVER NAILS Kim can’t take walk ins because she’s her own business and need a appointment prior, please call her to get a slot in, also no acrylics here, price went up a little.
Most Recent As of Feb. 2016:
Pedi+Mani $ 28
Pedi $ 20
Mani $ 12
Gel Mani $ 25
Gel Pedi $ 30
Gel Mani+Pedi $ 50
Cash Only!

I got lucky. Kim had a cancellation so I got in right away. I walked into Americuts (first time seeing her) and there was another woman doing nails in the front window. Pass her by and go to the back. One chair, stuff piled helter skelter around. Decent selection of colors. Ambiance is irrelevant because her work is impeccable. My feet were beat up by weeks on a beach. She exfoliated and abraded the calluses. $ 20 for an excellent pedicure… money very well spent.

I am very satisfied with my gel mani-​pedi. She took her time, made sure to cut and shape my nails to my liking and she even put on gloves, to protect my hands from the uv! She is clean, and a perfectionist, a must if you’re in the nail industry. Kim gets a 5 star and a new client, I can’t wait to be back for another pamper!
:)

I came here on a whim bc I had some free time after my morning class. I called first to see if Kim was available and luckily was able to make an appointment. The place is your typical Asian salon, very quiet and bland looking with some Asian ladies sitting around talking. I was seated in the back in a massage chair and we got right to it.
Let me start off by saying Kim is a real sweetheart. The first thing she asked me was if I was a student bc she offers a 10% discount to students. Right off the bat I thought that was nice of her to offer. As she was doing her thang, we got a little bit more personal with the conversation. as a mother herself, Kim understands the struggles that college students go thru, which is why she offers the discount. It’s not much, but the thought behind it really does touch your college student heart. She preceded to tell me how she loves it when students work part time jobs bc of the idea that they do what they can to help their parents out with paying for school. When she asked me when I’ll be done with school, I told her I didn’t know and she was very understanding about that. She said that it was okay to take your time with school, especially with a job and if you didn’t know what you want to do at first. being able to talk with an adult about these things left a very admirable lasting impression. I now see Kim as an auntie.
Anyways, besides her amazing personality, Kim did a really beautiful job with my nails. I came in wanting to get acrylics done, but she doesn’t do them. & I haven’t done my nails in over a year bc I was trying to bring the strength back in them so I was perfectly fine with just getting a gel manicure instead. She takes her time so you don’t get the feeling of being rushed like in most places. you could tell she pays attention to detail bc she’ll go back to fix something if she needs to. Idk bout you, but I’m very nit picky bout details and bc most nail salons overlook the little things, I’ve become very picky about where to go for my nails. I’m glad I found Kim, she is perfect for a detailer like me. Im the type to spend the little extra time and care than have a rushed ass nail job. Needless to say, her work left me very satisfied, the most satisfied I’ve ever been in fact.
The whole process took an hour. One con about the place is that Kim doesn’t have her own little station. Upon first impressions, not seeing a table designated for nail jobs kinda made it seem sketch. She has a corner in the back of the salon with two massage chairs & puts a pillow covered by towels on your lap to work as a makeshift table for your hands. I was comfortable, so I didn’t mind it as much.
Overall.
Kim is amazing. Her gel manicure work is almost flawless.
She loves college students. And she likes to laugh. She laughed a few times with me when she asked if her 10% student discount sign was proper English.
I paid $ 22 for the gel manicure, tipped her $ 7 for being an awesome person.
And one important thing is to call before going in! I was lucky she could take me bc her client didn’t show up. It’s by appt only!
I would definitely come back.

Read through for details that other Unilocalers left out –
Kim was very nice, yes. Talented, hell yes. Perfectionist, seems like it. But that’s where it ends.
The place was disgusting. She does not have «her own salon» inside Americuts. She has a corner with 2 chairs, which one was used for storage. Upon arrival I immediately assessed the «salon» & wanted to run out, but I didn’t have the heart to do that to this nice lady. I should’ve though because my health is more important than whether or not I hurt someone’s feeling. Anyway, it’s extremely dirty & I’m warning you not to go in. There was a lady getting a mani before me & after she left, Kim flipped the cushion for me to sit on. Swear… She flipped the cushion! Like wtf how many times have this cushion been flipped? Again, I felt too bad to walk out. I had the perfect chance to leave when I needed to feed my meter (in the middle of her trimming my nails) — I seriously considered it but I was too much of a wuss.
After the trimming, filing, etc. on my right hand, she put on the first coat (I got shellac). Oh, I should mention my nails did not get a soak/​bath. Ugh. Anyway, after the first coat was put on my right hand, she grabbed a pair of dirty ass fingerless Minnie Mouse gloves & put it on my right hand. Yes. Let me say that again. SHE GRABBED A DIRTY ASS DIY FINGERLESS KIDDIE MINNIE MOUSE GOVES & MADE ME WEAR IT. I was screaming inside. She did the same for my left hand, too, of course. She did it since my hands were going into the UV light thingy so I guess she was protecting my skin? Oh, the UV light thingy where you stick your hands in was stacked on top of boxes. Yesss. No tables. Oh!!! And since there tables anywhere… Kim put a DIRTY ASS pillow on my lap as soon as I sat on the flipped cushion. Swear. To. God. That’s how I got my mani — laid my hands on top of this pillow.
I looked to my left — where the other useless chair was — and saw a big ass silver bowl. The kind that Asian parents have for some reason… And I was like, «wow. Is that where other people have put their feet for a pedi?!» I can’t confirm if that’s true, but I wouldn’t be surprised. A bowl, ladies. A bowl.
Plus, the other people in that salon, the hairstylists or whatever, we’re talking pretty loud. Didn’t mind it until one of the ladies walked passed me and BURPED HELLA LOUD & just kept walking past. Like ewww wtf I held my breath for as long as I possible could, but I would’ve fainted if I didn’t take a breath after a few seconds.
Ladies, saving a few bucks isn’t worth this. We can get infections & potentially die!!! DIE! Over some $ 20 nails? Nope! Come on, love yourself more and find some place cleaner. You’re already spending $$$ might as well make it count.
But damn I love my nails. She is pretty good. Just wish it was a legit, clean salon & not a hole-​in-​the-​wall-​dirty-​corner-​chair.
Btw, gel mani is now $ 25. See? An extra $ 5 could get you a place that’s clean and legit!

Kim did a really good job on my nails! She is very friendly and is just so good at what she does! I’m definitely going back. I love my pretty nails :)!

Kim is super sweet. I’ve also noticed that she is a perfectionist with high attention to details and for this reason I had the best nail job done. I can’t recall having such good job with mani-​pedi, even in more expensive nail spas.
That’s def my spot for nails now.

Just went to go get my gel manicure and pedicure and it was amazing ! Kim was sooo friendly and nice ! She was super gentle too ! I’m coming back to Kim she did such an awesome job ! Great prices too !

Fast and sweet, the price can’t be beat. This is not a fou-​fou place. Kim works one chair in the back. She is very pleasant and professional. I’m lucky to live around the corner.
Mani-​Pedi = $ 25.00. Gel mani = $ 20.00
Cash Only

I was in dire need of a pedicure and glad I found this hidden gem thanks to the Unilocalers. Like majority of the reviews say, Kim is awesome! She is so sweet and funny, so my pedicure experience was very comfortable. The salon isn’t super high class, but honestly, I love places that are underrated because I’ve found them to offer the best quality and services. The conversation, massage chair, lemon water bath for my feet, and beautifully painted toes all for $ 17 plus $ 3 tip were above my expectations. I’m definitely coming back for more pedicures and hopefully a manicure when I strengthen my brittle nails!
TIPS:
1) Make sure to call to make an appointment! She runs the business all by herself, so you can imagine how overwhelming it would be to have walk-​ins.
2) Kim’s salon is located within another salon, Americuts. Walk inside and she’ll be at the end of the salon
Ladies and gentlemen, if you want to feel and look fabulous for a great price, make an appointment with Kim! :)

If you have yet to have a perfect nail experience, I would highly recommend you take a seat in Kim’s salon chair. Her prices are incredibly doable, she’s a steal! She’s incredible, a true professional who really knows her stuff. Before I met Kim, it was always a semi-​uncomfortable experience at mediocre salons with rude staff who gossip behind your back (one of many was Richmond nail salon), but now I’m so glad I found Kim who’s not only does incredible work, but is also great company. She’s definitely spoiled me.
Also, like everybody said, she’s currently inside Americuts on West Portal avenue right by the post office. When you call to book your appointment, make sure to call her number (listed above), don’t call Americuts because there’s another woman also named Kim who also does nails.

Visited Kim the first time today, she is lovely and sweet. Gel manicure looks great and i Love my baby pink color! Her attention to detail is a perfection.
Will definitely recommend this place if you need 1hour manicure done professionally. She does not do acrylic.
Schedule appointment beforehand as Kim is the only person working in her business. Clean place, comfortable chairs with option to manage your legs below the knee.
Thanks Kim!