Five Star Nails

Unilocalers take note, it has been renamed Regal Nails (trying to saving you a trip up and down the block with a confused look on your face, like I had).
I really wanted to like this place, and wasn’t even expecting anything flash. I think that I’m still getting used to the nail salons (and prices) here, not like home where $ 50 gets you a spa mani/​pedi with massage and pampering. I would have been happy to pay extra for the frills, as I don’t treat myself to mani/​pedis often, but when I came in it was all kind of rushed and I didn’t know exactly what I was signing on for. There were about 3 customers, and all but one employee were furiously working away. The receptionist pointed to a pedi option on their brochure (which has the prices crossed out and new, higher ones written with pen; let me just have a side rant that I hate that. Just print up one new menu with the correct pricing and tape it to the counter!), and suggested a shellac mani to last 2 – 3 weeks. I was already intending on a shellac mani so no issues there; $ 50 for the bundle.
As I was picking out my colour from the wall (quite a few OPI and a couple other brand lines, no Essie though), a couple came in behind me. They didn’t have a booking (I overheard them talking to the receptionist), however they got sat in chairs before me and I had this feeling that they were a bit more «important» the whole time I was there. Maybe that was me being unfamiliar with this salon and just sensitive. I was sat at a pedi chair, but the foot soak was not filled with water. I thought maybe they’d fill it in a minute… maybe another minute… nope, no pedi pampering for me. I didn’t realise that I picked the lowest of the low options, and that whatever bare bones option I picked was essentially just them changing my nail polish. Fair enough that I should have specified, but as a new customer I didn’t know what I didn’t know, you know? So as I’m sitting in the chair, a girl comes over and starts on my mani. It was weird, because i had to keep stretching my opposite arm across my body and leaning forward, out of reach of the comfy back massager. She didn’t fix my cuticles, and after returning home, I realise she didn’t even file my nails straight. She was really nice though, as were most of the staff.
About halfway through the shellac nail painting (does not deserve the title «manicure» at this point), a girl came over and started on my toes. It was only then I realised I wasn’t getting a foot soak or scrub. Bummer. I would have so gladly paid more to get the treatment I was hoping for. The girl on my feet did fine, though she didn’t look at me until the very end to say «nice colour.» No cuticle help, no dry skin gone, literally just a nail file and change of polish. Unfortunately if I knew that was all it would be, I would have spent $ 10 on a bottle of Essie polish and done it myself at home.
The icing on the disappointment cake though was that when I accidentally dropped a bottle of polish behind a chair, I looked to see where it went and saw HUGE toenail clippings littering the ground between the chairs! Perhaps that had just happened from a customer just before me, but still, I’ve been to a lot of nail places around the world and have never seen giant toenail clippings just chilling between the pedi chairs. That should be cleaned up right after the customer leaves, before the next begins their service.
Maybe this is all just my false expectation — I like to go to get a mani/​pedi to read trash magazines, have some stupid rom-​com-​esque movie on the tv, and veg out. I like my feet done first so I can spend time flipping through the mags, then time at the mani table to let my toes dry and give my arms and hands the attention the are in need of! I thought that maybe I could go back and just pay extra for the better treatment now that I know, but after spying the toenails, I’ll be checking out a different salon next time.

I have been coming to Five Star Nails for two years now and every visit has been great. It is located in the up and coming suburb of Stonefields, making it the perfect nail salon for those living in the Eastern suburbs.
They offer a range of services, including manicures, pedicures, shellac, acrylic nails and waxing. I have only ever had a spa pedicure, but it has always been excellent. It is only $ 35 and very reasonably priced, plus they do the works and you get to sit in a massage chair which provides relaxation while they do wonders on your feet!
They also stock a great range of nail polishes to choose from, mostly of the OPI brand. Nail and gel art is also available — they had some really cool Christmas styles last year!
Service is always friendly and welcoming and you’ll usually get more than one girl working on your feet/​hands (depending on how busy they are), which some may think is weird, but it’s a great way to have a chat to all the staff!
They also offer a great loyalty card service — $ 5 off for every third visit (when you spend $ 25 or more), then on your 15^th visit, you receive $ 10 off.
Highly recommend Five Star Nails in Stonefields — I guarantee it will be a fun and relaxing time!