Mimisan

I’ve been here a few times before and always had good service. I like that they sterilize their equipment and use non-​toxic polish. In the past I did the basic pedicure and it was $ 30 but I was charged less than that if I paid cash. I just got another pedicure and the technician was pretty rough– I’ve never had my cuticles being trimmed hurt before. She also accidentally cut my toe with the clipper. When I went to pay, she told me it was $ 40 because I hadn’t specified the mini pedicure. It was the exact same pedicure as I’ve always received for $ 30 in terms of duration and service.

They do a good job but for a $ 40 pedi I would expect greener products. They say they use OPI but the chemical smell was really bad.

Mimisan is my new go to spot for my manis and pedis. I’ve tried all nail salons in upper and lower Queen Anne, and Mimisan wins hands (no pun intended!) down. It’s a little pricier than the lower end nail salons, but you get what you pay for. At the last salon I frequented, I quivered at all the chemicals touching me (the acetone soak, chemical products and chemical-​laced hand lotion). I’m a healthy person and buy natural and organic food and products. I needed to find a natural nails salon too!
I love everything about Mimisan! The owner Thuy is so friendly and stylish. The salon has a French vintage theme, and is so well done. The staff is friendly. They run on time. They offer you water or tea upon your arrival. The space is clean and beautiful. It smells fresh (instead of like chemicals). She also sells vintage French finds.
Highly recommended!

Lovely atmosphere and friendly service. Not sure how «sustainable» it really is – didn’t experience anything terribly different than other nail salons. But it was overall very enjoyable and I’d go again!

I’ve been coming here for a long time to get my nails done. I’m pregnant with my second child and a non toxic nail salon is important to me. The staff is friendly, the place is always clean, and I always leave with fab looking nails. Yes, they are more expensive than the typical «chop shop,» but I feel better knowing I am being exposed to less chemicals and I have a much smaller chance of contracting a nail fungus.
I recently received a gift certificate to Julip from a friend and tried it out. I was shocked at their prices. A regular mani/​pedi they call their «porch pedi» was over $ 30 more! I am really happy to have Mimisan in the neighborhood.

This place is wonderful.
It’s lovely, pretty, with comfy chairs.
The manicures and pedicures are great, especially the «signature» ones (it’s worth the splurge if you can to do the paraffin treatment). The people who work here are warm and professional, they use products without nasty chemicals and tools are properly sterilized. I’ve been going regularly since they opened.
I love it!
—I noticed a review below that suggested that sterilizing equipment was standard practice – just a warning – though it IS the law in Seattle, and should be standard practice, there are many places that cut corners and don’t sterilize tools properly. That and not paying people minimum wage is how you get the price of a manicure below $ 20. I know someone who does health inspections and there are violations all over the place with the cheap nail salons. Beware, that discount is not worth an infection.—

Very nice & clean environment with super professional and welcoming staff! I got my brows shaped and waxed, and they did an amazing job! Definitely coming back here!

My go-​to nail salon when I need to feel stylish, pampered, and polished up. Mimisan is more nail spa than nail salon. First up – I love, love love the fact when a nail spa cares about the atmosphere it provides to its clientele — from the Herman Miller lounge chairs for pedicures (!!!) to the Chinoiserie wallpaper to the cozy cork flooring to the white teacups that they serve complimentary tea in – they do care in providing a soothing, chill atmosphere to get yo’ nails did.
The owner, Thuy, makes a point to make chit chat to customers, asking how you are etc. and the nail technicians are all very personable, happy to make small talk or let you sit back and relax in silence. They won’t rush through service to try to get you out. It is pricier than your average nail salon but the amenities you get, cleanliness, and extra attention and care to your nails is so worth it. I love getting my gel manicures done here and w/​eyebrow waxing etc.
Bonus points that they provide JESSICA nail polish which — they say — is supposed to not contain harsh chemicals that other cosmetic brands contain. Bonus: That means the salon/​spa doesn’t smell like nasty chemicals — which is healthier to you, the customer and to their workers.
Extra bonus: If you pay cash, you get a small discount off.

First off, I am from a small town, but I’ve had my nails done all over the country and the prices were pretty steep for me. The atmosphere was nice but unfortunately, the staff were quite rude. I have never in my life been told I had to tip a certain amount for nail services. I went with a group of ladies as part of a bachelorette party and was rung up, tipped a fair amount, and then walked away. About 10 minutes later the woman ringing us up told me they have a policy that groups must tip 20%. No one was aware of the policy ahead of time. I wouldn’t have minded that much except for the way she was saying all of this was very rude. I didn’t raise a fuss because I wanted the day to be a good one for the bride.
I would like to add that since originally posting this review, the owner (I’m assuming) called and refunded a portion of my tip. The gesture is appreciated, however, even our phone conversation was a demonstration in poor customer service.
And now you know what’s funny? Because I didn’t remove this review, the owner charged back the $ 10 addition to the tip a week later! Terrible service.
Since I know they will be reading this, I want to take a moment and let you at Mimisan know that what you provide is a service and an experience. People don’t have to come back if they don’t like what they experience or ever come to see you in the first place for that matter. Therefore, making sure that everyone who comes in to see you has a positive experience is your best guarantee for continued business. I would recommend learning to treat your customers as valuable.

If I’m going to pay $ 60 for a mani/​pedi I’d like not to bleed. After volunteering why (I hadn’t asked), they are so expensive– (They use mostly organic polishes etc, and they sterilize their equipment– I hadn’t realized the latter was not standard, as every place I’ve gone they have always sterilized their equipment), the girl whose name I have forgotten, not only drew blood while trimming the cuticle around one of my toes but she also cut my big toe nail on my right foot so short it hurts to wear anything but flip flops. Habitude does a much better job in a far more relaxing atmosphere. Yes it’s within walking distance for me, but now that I’ve been there it hurts to walk– I will not be going back

Surprised by the poor reviews I read on here… I really liked this place! bonus points for it being within walking distance of my apartment and the place I work at!
Walked over here on my lunch hour for an appointment and even though my friend and I arrived a good 15 minutes late (lunch ran super late, oops), they sat us right down in our chairs and were very pleasant. The chairs are so comfortable and they have tons of current magazines to read… nothing from October 2010 (which is all i usually find in other nail and hair salons). Loved that they dont use the jetted foot tubs/​massage chair combos (they can suck up and keep bacteria in there forever, ew!), and instead use super comfortable easy chairs and a large bowl of very warm water infused with a bath fizz of some kind. My feet felt soft and supple before thegirl even got her hands on them.
The mani pedi was a very relaxing experience. They girls who do it are really friendly and you can tell they really make an effort to make sure you’re comfortable. They brought us heated neck wraps and jasmine tea and made sure to keep asking us if we needed anything/​if we were comfortable/​if we liked what they were doing. The little massages they give were definitely longer than average and really good to boot! They even use really light fragranced lotion that doesnt make you greasy or give you a tootie-​fruity headache. You wont find a lot of crazy colors here, which is fine by me, but they products they do use are organic, which means no nasty chemical smell in here –hooray!
Loved the boutique-​y interior and the cool makeup line they carry… I’ll definitely be back for one of those cool mineral eye shadow/​liner pencils. Must have!
Will for sure be coming back for my next special occasion… this place is a little too pricey for me to do every week ($ 63 for mani/pedi…not bad but not cheap), but I’ll definitely look forward to treating myself with a little splurge here when I’ve been extra good :)
Thanks Mimisan!

I was weary of coming here after reading the reviews, but I’m glad I did. It’s hard to find places that don’t use the scary jet baths on your feet, that are also not ridiculously expensive (y’know, just kind of expensive), and open on Sundays.
I took my mom for a pedicure for her birthday, and we were both very pleased. We sipped delicious jasmine tea and chatted while our toes were made beautiful. My polish looks great, and the foot and leg massage was SUPER long. I would go back!

Mimisan is a nice change from the regular bargain nail salons. It is definitely more expensive but that is due to the fact that they use all natural/​organic products.
I enjoyed my mani/​pedi-​the chairs were very comfortable and it had a really nice atmosphere. I also liked that it didn’t smell like acetone in the whole place-​it had nice soothing music, etc.
Be warned: the organic/​natural stuff takes a lot longer to dry than regular nail polish-​I didn’t know this and was kind of in a rush after my pedi and ended up smudging my polish (sigh)
Also, I noticed other regular guests were offered a warm neck towel and tea-​but not me.hmm.
Overall a nice salon in QA

I went to Mimisan today for the first time. The salon is totally cute, with cork floors, comfy Eames chairs, and very girly décor. I had the signature pedi, one hour of feet bliss. This included an amazing foot massage that was awesome.
Everyone was very friendly, service was great, I am happy. I am really glad I came here today.

I’m sure the ambiance here is nice but we’re talking about service. I was just told by my fiancé that the gift certificate we purchased for his sister was not honored when she visited today. Not only was it not honored, she was accused of already using it and trying to use it again. Some backstory… The technician made small chitchat with her during her pedicure and asked how she was doing and if she’d been to mimisan before and she said she hadn’t. Everything was great until she went to pay with the certificate and the technician started with the strong accusations — to a 9 month pregnant woman I might add. My SIL insisted it was a gift from her brother and she had never been there before. They wouldn’t hear of it and insisted that she pay (again), and said she had used it the same day it was purchased. Have you ever heard of a gift certificate being used the same day it’s purchased… not crazy but highly unlikely. Now my fiancé has to go over there to prove that the certificate was in fact only PURCHASED on the day they’re accusing my SIL that it was used.
What a way to encourage people to continue to come to your place of business. If I could give this place NO stars I would. I will make sure no one I know ever comes to your service lacking business ever. And I will make sure everyone I know spreads the word as well. Plenty of other cute spas in Seattle that know how to treat people and handle situations such as this with a little more tact.

I wanted to love this place because the atmosphere rocks and I love the whole non-​toxic, natural thing. But…
How hard is it to do a good manicure? Apparently it’s difficult because I could have done a much better job myself. I find this highly annoying. I’m paying you to get all the callouses (underneath, sides, bottom of foot) and to do some digging, if you know what I mean. Don’t waste your money here!

Organify your nails freaky ladies! On soft white love seats under crystal chandeliers with your feet dipped in bowls of milky fizz. The chipped paint on the walls only add to the old-​world charm meet modern design. You will not find electronic technology here, instead a pioneering leap into the future of natural and ethical nail care.
The owner, Thuy, is intent on informing and educating her clients about how toxic most nail polishes really are. Who knew OPI contained formaldehyde, toluene and phthalates? Thuy did. And she also knew they could cause reproductive and developmental disorders, which is why she named this salon after her daughter Mimi and looks after her clients with a mother’s love.
So when you’re in the mood to pamper yourself, and not potentially harm future offspring, step into this relaxing salon, inhale the sweetness of clean air and rest assured that you are truly in good hands.

I found the staff really friendly and I was relieved to get my nails done without having to listen to bad TV or look at ridiculous picutures of hands holding wads of currency. Everything looked and felt really clean, organized and spa-​like, not words I normally associate with nail salons.
I usually go to a ProNails type place because I’m cheap, but the local places were closed when I decided to get my nails done Saturday. I called Mimisan and they squeezed me in at the last minute.
I didn’t really care about having a «natural» pedicure but I guess that’s a plus.
Also, my toes look great! The nail tech did a good job and gave a great massage without hurting or tickling me.
I’ll be going here from now on, it’s worth the extra money you pay for the experience.

They clearly don’t want my business.
After calling multiple times and constantly getting a machine, I decided to just drop in and see if they take walk-​ins since I live right around the corner. When I walked in the owner looked at me kind of funny and asked if she could help me. I told her I had called a few times and got no answer and was wondering if they took walk-​ins. She replied, looking horrified, «NEVER! NO! No no no.» I then requested an appointment (which was a whole other ordeal) and when we finally agreed upon a time, I told her I saw on Unilocal that you get a free parafin wax with your pedicure if you mention Unilocal.Well, apparently this is a bogus offer since they don’t specify that you can only use it during certain hours on weekdays.
I wanted to like this place, I really did. I love that it is supposed to be all natural and how clean and hygienic it is, but if you suck at customer service, you don’t get my business. Pro Nails on Upper Queen Anne doesn’t suck at customer service, just fyi.

Last fall my friend and I were on our way to Pro Nails when we noticed Mimisan Natural Nail Spa. It looked cute and new so we stepped in. The salon is classy, cozy and nicely decorated — definitely a contrast to the places I usually go! It wasn’t busy but we had to make an appointment and come back 15 minutes later.
I did not get my nails done but sat by my friend the entire time she was being serviced. The technician was nice and also patient, since my friend was being indecisive about the color she wanted. The tech was extremely thorough and my friend’s nails looked fantastic. She’s a bartender and normally doesn’t bother with manicures but she said this held up beyond a night of working AND she got a ton of compliments!
I bought a bottle of polish. I’m not sure how many brands Mimisan carries, but this bottle says «Color Club.» No OPI or the usual suspects because Mimisan labels itself an all natural salon. Here are the first four ingredients in the nail polish: butyl acetate, ethyl acetate, nitrocellulose, acrylates copolymer. Now I’m no chemist, but that doesn’t sound like ground up nuts and berries to me. I’ve used this polish and it seems fine, but I just can’t believe the «natural» claims of the salon or nail polish company. You need chemicals to make nail polish, and you need chemicals to take it off. There may indeed be some products used here that contain fewer or safer chemicals, but I wouldn’t go here thinking you’ll find some sort of miracle organic safe enough to eat nail polish.
Because of the upscale atmosphere and supposed natural products, Mimisan is a little more expensive than the salons I usually frequent. My friend’s mani was $ 20, which is just a little more than we usually pay, but we talked to the owner and she said she under-​priced the service and was going to raise the cost (I just checked the website and a mani is now $ 25). Pedicures are $ 38, which is twice what I usually pay. FYI, the owner asked where we usually go and we told her. She looked concerned and said Pro Nails doesn’t use an autoclave for sterilization. I cannot confirm or deny that, but it is a legitimate concern if it’s true. I’ve never gotten an infection from either Pro Nails location, but maybe I’m just lucky?
I wouldn’t come back to Mimisan because it’s too expensive and I don’t really buy the whole «natural» deal. But my friend’s nails looked great and everyone we came in contact with was friendly and professional. The owner was on the floor, chatting with customers, and you can tell she really cares about the business. So if you’ve got the time and money and want a more indulgent mani/​pedi than you get at the average nail shop, by all means, be my guest! Closed Tuesdays; near grocery stores, Bartell, a couple banks, and plenty of places to eat and get coffee.