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Aqualia Spa
Category: Beauty and Spas Skin Care Skin Care [Edit]
829 3rd Ave2nd Fl
(between 50th St & 51st St)
New York, NY 10022
Neighborhood: Midtown East
(212) 980-8868
- Nearest Transit:
-
Lexington Av/53 St (E, M)
51 St (4, 6, 6X)
5 Av/53 St (E, M)
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- By Appointment Only:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- No
About This Business:
If there's anything we've learned from fashion magazines and reality TV, it's that everyone loves a makeover. But trade Photoshop for everyday lighting… read more »
30 reviews for Aqualia Spa
30 reviews in English
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Review from Elein T.
Brooklyn, NY
2/1/2012
I got a great deal for an eyelash perm here off Lifebooker for $32. This is my 2nd eyelash perm experience so naturally I'll be comparing this to my previous session at CurvyLashes.
Aqualia is on the 2nd floor but easy to find as it has a large window with neon lights. I showed up 30min early but they started on me anyway which was cool. The private room in which the eyelash perm was done was small but adequate, nothing fancy with candles or decorations. But of course there was ambiance music as required for all spas!
For first-timers, the eyelash perming experience here may be intimidating and confusing if no research was done prior. Jennifer did my lashes and she didn't explain the steps of what she was doing but luckily it wasn't my first time so I knew what she was doing and why.
Here are the basics of an eyelash perm:
1. With eyes closed, a small soft curved rod is placed on the eyelid right above the lashline. Each individual lash is separated and bent back to adhere to the rod (either the rod is sticky or a temporary glue is used). So now the eyelashes are in the curled shape on top the rod.
2. Each lash is coated with a perming solution. Let sit for 10-15 minutes.
3. Each lash then is coated with another solution. Let sit for 10-15 minutes.
4. The 2 rods are gently removed and the lashes are cleansed, and a creamy lotion is applied to each eyelid. The whole process takes about an hour.
Like I mentioned, Jennifer barely said anything throughout the process but she did ask me about 3 times "Are you okay so far?" During both of the "setting" periods, she left the room without saying how long she was going to be gone for (it felt like 15 minutes to me). I laid there listening to the ambiance music, of roosters and geese and a babbling brook.
Jennifer also wasn't very gentle during the process of sticking my lashes to the rod. She tugged on my upper and lower eyelids, and pressed the rod down hard onto my upper eyelid. BUT after seeing the results at the end, I understood why she was being extra, I don't want to say, forceful.
The curl of my eyelashes are BEAUTIFUL! My lashes look so much longer and I love it. I would come back here to get it done again (at the $32 price or less), depending on how long this lasts. A typical eyelash perm should last between 2-3 months.
I would recommend coming here for an eyelash perm if you want great results and don't have high expectations of ambiance or customer service. -
Review from Olga F.
Fort Lee, NJ
12/6/2011
I was really lucky to snag a great deal on Lifebooker to this amazing salon!
I went for a mani-pedi and I can I truly say that this is best mani-pedi I have ever gotten. The salon is pretty small but an extensive array of nail polish colors and a relaxing atmosphere totally makes up for it. The staff is really friendly and the person who did my mani-pani, took her time to make sure that my nails looked perfect. I was very pleasantly surprised because in my previous experiences with Lifebooker, the salons usually try to rush you out the door because you're paying half price. Isn't the point of Lifebooker to establish new clientele and spread the word of mouth?
The regular price for a mani-pedi at this salon is about $55 but hey, I think it's worth it if last for an entire week! -
Review from Mikala O.
Manhattan, NY
10/24/2011
World class service. I received a great facial...and will DEFINITELY be going back for another one. I had the Aqualia Signature and it was very well done. My boyfriend and I also had the deep tissue massages - which, I must say, was one of the better ones I have ever had. Definitely will be going back for another massage too.
Super nice staff, and very calm/tranquil atmosphere. Highly recommended. Very reasonable as well. -
Review from Kim W.
Manhattan, NY
1/30/2012
Overall I found the quality of the services to be poor, I will not return.
Contrary to what I've read in some other reviews there was not a lot of selection of colors for my manicure, there were a lot of bottles on display but a lot of the colors were repeats or of a similar tone and a lot of them looked old.
As she was applying the color for my manicure I noticed that the consistency was a bit thick, glob-by and consequently after my manicure my nails were taking a very long time to dry. As more customers began to arrive I noticed the staff trying to rush me along to make room for the new arrivals.(there are only two nail stations). I was still under the dryer when my manicurist came over and told me that my nails should be dry, I told her that they were not and I guess to proved me wrong so she could move me along she said `look they're dry' and proceeded to pinch two of my nails ruining my manicure!! What manicurist does that?. . . . . . Of course she fixed them but after a retouch it never looks as good as the initial coat. She rushed the retouch and it looked sloppy and you could still see the dents but she didn't apologize. I then had to start again from scratch under the dryer with nail color that was very slow drying. About five minutes later although I insisted that my nails were still wet a second manicurist moved me so that she could give the dryer to another client. I was not given an option I was moved. When I told her my nails were still wet she didn't seem to care. She then would not help me to get my socks and shoes on which is a standard service when a customer is leaving with nails that are not fully dry. After taking me off of the dryer with nails still wet it's the least they could do. I had to ask three times before a manicurist finally reluctantly came over and helped with my socks but turned and left leaving me to deal with my shoes with my partially wet nails. Of course I ruined my manicure. As I was leaving I brought it to the attention of a staff member that I had felt rushed off of the dryer and was not assisted and thereby ruined my manicure. I showed her my two ruined nails but rather than try to remedy the problem so that I could leave as a satisfied customer she said she would mention it to the manicurist in question and then shut the sliding door in my face. Needless to say I won't be returning. -
Review from Betty B.
Flushing, NY
12/29/2011
I purchased a deal for a brazilian bikini wax + manicure and pedicure. While I have had better brazilian wax experiences, I was pleasantly surprised about the mani/pedi. This was the best mani/pedi experience I have received, and will be coming back soon for another. They took the time and effort to do my toes and nails perfectly, and even assisted in my color selection (they have a lot of colors from opi and essie). The staff was very friendly and accommodating, and even helped put my socks, boots, and jacket on to avoid ruining my new mani/pedi.
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Review from Sascha M.
10/26/2011
One beauty treatment I don't have loyalty to is mani/pedi's. I will try different places. I've been here on a few occasions and they do a solid job but not a great job. They can be a little slow which is annoying if you are in a rush to make dinner ressies. They have a solid color selection and most of the nail techs are pretty decent. Sometimes you might have to wait a little if even if you have made an appointment.
Listed in: High Maintenance Beauty
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Review from Christina L.
Brooklyn, NY
8/31/2011
Went here to get an eyebrow wax after making my appt through LifeBooker. I have been going to the same person back home for years, and so I was reluctant to go to a new place, but it's been a while since I moved and I needed to get them waxed badly!
The place was very cute & clean - when I walked in there was no one at the receptionist desk, however my appointment was right before closing so I imagine they were getting ready to lock up after my session.
The woman who did my eyebrows was fabulous! She made sure I was comfortable, listening as I told her how I wanted them shaped, and was quick and efficient. They look amazing!
I will definitely go here again. -
Review from Chloé R.
New York, NY
8/20/2011
Very friendly masseuse and easy to schedule a massage during my lunch break. Petite, but surprisingly strong, Asian lady led me into a cramped room that sufficiently holds a massage table and that is about it.
Best deep-tissue massage I've had in a while.
I deduct half a star because the masseuse had a bronchial cough every few minutes that disrupted my calm and activated hypochondriac anxiety. She apologized and said she was a little sick that day. Eyuchk, but still a super massage. I've popped some vitamins since then...
I subtract another half star since I could hear the receptionist chatting loudly and other noise during my massage.
For the price and quality, I'd come back for another deep tissue massage.
I must admit, I didn't personally pay for my massage so that may inflate my rating. -
Review from Pete B.
Manhattan, NY
1/20/2011
I'm not sure what everyone else is talking about regarding the massage. I booked through http://lifebooker.com and got an amazing deal, and my masseuse was excellent (I believe her name was Jess). Definitely one of the better values in town. Maybe the other women there are lacking, but Jess was great.
That said, I also got a manicure and pedicure, and those were extremely mediocre. I've had worse, but I've had much, much better. And maybe I could forgive a mediocre mani/pedi if they actually gave you a somewhat decent foot/hand massage at the end. Isn't that standard? This girl might have pretended to massage me for no more than 30 seconds per hand/foot. So weak. That's the best part! It's a shame, because my visit started off great but I walked away very underwhelmed. I'm giving 4 stars for the massage alone. -
Review from Amanda C.
Elmhurst, NY
10/29/2010
I thought because the reviews were old that maybe things were different and boy was i wrong!! I had such neck/shoulder/lower back pain and I couldn't get a chiropractor appointment and I remember seeing this place had a cheap massage so I thought why not.
The room was small, no problem. My masseuse was so rough on me and not in a good way, I told her several times "OUCH STOP" because it hurt so much. There were no "aroma" oils, I just felt regular oil and it wasn't relaxing at all because she told me that she was from China, used to live in Chinatown but now lives in Brooklyn, she's a single mother, OH how could I forget!!! After she asked me how much money I make (yeah, I didn't tell her the truth) she asked me if I liked shopping and then ended up giving me her entire sales pitch in horrible english about a business she set up to make extra money. Literally, she gave me her iphone on a notepad app and said "write your email, name and number" since I was in such shock from this experience (I couldn't believe this was really happening, it was surreal) I wrote down a bogus email and number.
Long story short, my back is killing me, I felt like I got shot by cannon balls, and I am not signing up for her pyramid scam so I can get "cash back" on my online purchases. O-M-G. seriously???????? -
Review from Belinda K.
Manhattan, NY
4/22/2008
Let me just say I was not impressed by this place. Sure the people were nice and the place smelled really good but after my hour-long "deep tissue" massage I had to ask myself...did I just pay all that money to have a gallon of oil rubbed onto me like a chicken about to be baked?
I decided to try out this place for spaweek due to several reasons...1.) It still had a few available appointments that fit my schedule and 2.) one of the spaweek promotions was a 60-minute deep tissue massage for $50 bucks-- which I think is a pretty good deal in Manhattan.
I'm no spa-queen but I've had a few massages before and plus my ex-bf was a certified masseuse (his parents owned a massage school) so I kinda have basic knowledge about what a REAL massage feels like.
What I got here was definitely not. The Asian lady was nice but I could quickly tell she was not formally trained. She kept slathering me with oil and started to rub it around my skin with no real technique involved. Usually, deep tissue involves a slower motion, less oil, and more pressure point type moves--this was more like a kneading and rubbing massage. In fact, after a while my skin started to kinda feel the friction from all the fast rubbing she was doing to my body...not quite the rest and relaxation I was aiming for from my experience.
Needless to say, I am not going back there again. I've had similar massages before in China but those only set me back a mere 8 to 10 bucks-- not 50 and certainly not for the 75 they usually charge.
Pro: Nice Staff, place smelled great, easy and accessible location
Con: Bad masseuse, cold massage rooms
Bottom Line: Don't come here if you want a real massage -
Review from Jennifer C.
New York, NY
10/22/2009
After a LONG week of work.. my shoulders and neck were killing me up to the point where the only position I felt comfortable in was standing straight up. So I decided to splurge and treat myself to a deep tissue massage at Aqualia. It was a block away from where I lived and a 60 minute massage was only 60-70 bux which I thought was pretty good for the city. Everyone was really nice and I only had to wait about 5 minutes until they took me into the massage room.
I've only been to 3 spas in my life and this room was the most wackiest i've seen yet. At first I couldn't see anything since it was so dark inside but as soon as I turned it on to change (which I regret doing) I saw the bathroom right next to the massage bed.
My biggest pet peeve in life is sitting/eating/sleeping/standing/etc next to a bathroom. It's just this thing I have where I start getting really nauseous and my gag reflects start going crazy just thinking about a toilet. All of my friends know that the bathroom doors have to be closed at all times and that our table at a restaurant should be no where near a bathroom. So yes the bathroom and massage bed being in the same room was a super minus for me (ESPECIALLY since my head was towards the bathroom ew gross!!!!)
Once the massage started.. the girl (Chinese) was very nice. But she kept on babbling and babbling on about how old she was, how she lived w/ her mother in law, how she had 2 kids, how she came to the states, how one of her clients were so handsome but too quiet, how much she loved Korean food, and how beautiful she thought Korean girls were.. blahb alhb lah!!!!!!! And all I wanted to do was tell her to shutup and focus on my massage!!!
Massage sucked. Masseuse aka pimp was trying to hook me up w/ one of her clients. Nonstop blabber... ugh never going back. Oh and my neck and shoulders were in more pain after the massage since I was stressing out the whole time w/ her nonstop talking -
Review from Leena N.
New York, NY
5/31/2011
After purchasing a deal on Lifebooker, I scheduled eyelash extensions. I asked the esthetician to match my natural length. My eyes were shut so I did not realize that someone else was working on my lashes. Kathy, the manager, made the lashes too long, utterly unnatural looking, and hard. The lashes would of worked well on Halloween.The other salons that Lifebooker has offered eyelash deals with are pretty fab.
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Review from Lani N.
Brooklyn, NY
11/27/2008
Very clean spa, staff speaks English, but wow, I think I had the worst massage of my life. Like Brenda K, my co-worker and I made appointments here during Spa Week ($60 after tax and tip) and left completely unrelaxed.
I actually felt more tense after the massage because I felt so frustrated. The massage was a lot of rubbing. I felt like I was getting an Indian burn on my back! The woman giving me a massage as nice, but she didn't work out any of the tightness in my back. No work with pressure points, just rubbing, lots and lots of rubbing.
I'd perhaps consider this salon to get my nails done, but never again with the massage. -
Review from C P.
Brooklyn, NY
6/9/2011
Just had lash extensions last night from Jenny. It was almost as bad as Browhaus (where I had to have them all removed 2 days later). I've also had lash extensions at JJ, Barbie, WINK.
This place was the most expensive with a discount (Lifebooker) than any other place but the lashes were like every other place and the only difference was you have a private room instead of being in the open with everyone esle. I have booked all of my extensions using discounts from Lifebooker, Yelp, Groupon etc.
I could feel the tweezers scaping near my eyes and she was really rough pressing down on my face and head and prying my eye lid in various unpleasent ways. This has never happened with any other extension procedure. I also had a number of lashes that were glued at strange angles and could see clumps of glue near the corners of my eye. I had to remove a few lashes with tweazers when I got home because they looked terrible. My eyes also watered and were really stinging after I was done. Additionally she almost scaped me and poked my eye while she was removing the tape from my lower lid. I'm concerned they will all fall out within a week!! -
Review from Paige W.
New York, NY
3/30/2011
I wanted to like this place, I really did. Got a deal through lifebooker for a bikini wax...wow..never again! the wax itself wasn't realllllyyyy terrible, but I would not come back. The place is clean and cute, but those are the only compliments I can give. My waxer had to go over places multiple times, leaving my skin super irritated..now comes the worst part: she didn't even clean the left over wax off my skin or put any oil or aloe or ANYTHING soothing on my skin afterwards! I got up and got dressed and felt my pants sticking to my legs the whole way home. Then when paying..they hound you to buy multiple waxing sessions for a cheap rate..I was almost yelling at them that I wasn't interested. I would skip this place for waxing, but the pedicure chairs looked cute so maybe try them out for that? I wouldn't be back though.
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Review from Amy B.
New York, NY
9/11/2011
Booked through lifebooker. I've had my pedicure on for 3 weeks and no chips- normally I get some chips after a week or two. Giving 4 only because the manicure-ist disappeared mid way through for ~15 mins.
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Review from Anna F.
Astoria, Queens, NY
10/13/2009
I went to Aqualia last night for the spa week promotion. I thought $50 for a 60 minutes massage was a great deal. I was expecting a real professional massage but the Asian lady I had, just rubbed and rubbed my skin. I felt worse when I left. She never introduced herself so I have no idea what her name is.
I have massages all the time, on cruises and every country I visit. This is exceptionally the WORST massage I have ever had. I don't think the owners of Aqualia should allow this women to take people's money for a massage. She is a FRAUD! She did not have formal masseuse training and it was obvious with the rubbing that she did on me. I should have asked for her license number. I realized she does not know about the human anatomy. She took a wet towel and stretched my neck with it. Who does that? I am glad to leave that place alive. -
Review from E X.
Manhattan, NY
7/25/2011
Great time!
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Review from Michelle G.
Bronx, NY
7/7/2009
Very clean spa. Staff is very friendly. They offer packages & spa plans which they will try hard to sell you.
I scheduled a mani/pedi thru http://Lifebooker.com during the afternoon of July 3rd. I realize this is a busy 'pre-holiday' day but I figured since it was mid-town and the afternoon it would be ok. WRONG! That morning I received two messages - one asking me to change my apt to half an hour later and another saying nevermind my scheduled time would work afterall. Later that afternoon I received a TEXT MESSAGE asking me if I could push back the apt by half an hour. I was happy to walk around the area so I wrote back that it was ok. When I arrive at my new apt time I was asked if I could please go walk around they were not ready for me, they were short on staff due to the holiday. No I said you already asked me to come later I'll wait here. So I waited about half an hour. When I finally was in the pedicure chair I had an awful experience. Despite telling the technician several times that she was hurting me she continued to do so and even cause me to bleed on 3 toes. Once I can understand but 3?! Clearly you need to slow down and pay more attention to what you are doing. The manicure was fine. Thankfully no pain here.
There is no space to dry your nails. They move the dryers from table to table and even put up a 'snack table' so you can sit in the waiting area to dry. -
Review from Gina C.
Ridgewood, Queens, NY
12/6/2010
I've been going here for close to 3 years now, and they have never let me down. These women really take care of you. Usually I go for waxing (A+ job done by Jenny or Kathy), and sometimes facials (again another great job by Kathy or Rebecca). Sure you get the sales pitch, but can you blame them really? Plus, the Dermalogica line is up there in terms of cleansers.
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Review from Yuka S.
New York, NY
4/13/2009
I tried spa week for massage and facial. I thought the place was clean and comfortable. I don't know the name of the person who did the massage but she did great job for me. I felt so relax and good after the treatment; however, following facial was a nightmare for me. She was nice but very hard and rough on my face. And I know extraction hurts sometime, but it hurts so much which made me feel so uncomfortable. Now my face looks so red from extraction. Usually, it doesn't happen to me after facial. Additionally, she was trying so hard to sell me the package. Of course, I turned down. It is so bad that massage was excellent but I was so disappointed by facial.
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Review from Kay W.
Manhattan, NY
2/27/2011
I don't know if it was just the time that i happened to have gotten an appointment; Friday, February 25th, at 3:00, or not, but I don't relate to whatever negative reviews were submitted. Other than the walls being more thin than most SPAs I've been to (requiring that specialists there keep their voices to a near whisper) I liked the ambiance and I was basically treated like Royalty. I was getting ready for an http://www.atticamembe... event and had gone in for a manicure, pedicure, eyebrow waxing, and a facial. The whole experience was nearly heavenly, especially the massaging through-out the 60 minute facial and the 20 minutes they give you to nap, while a hydrating and cooling mask is doing it's thing, after you've been gently but thoroughly worked on. That, and they were sensitive to my time sensitivity, as I had, had a hair appointment at the my MV Salon, at 2nd Avenue and 76th St., 2 hours later. They kept checking in with me to make sure I'd have enough time. This then bears the question; had I had more time, would I have gotten more Royal treatment. I'll return to find out, and update this review. Cheers!
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Review from Emily S.
New York, NY
12/23/2010
I went here last night for a manicure and pedicure and I was impressed. Everyone was kind and courteous, and the space was very calm and clean. I had a very relaxing experience, and I loved that they were playing Loreena McKennitt on the stereo (my nerdy 16-year-old self was in heaven-- I was her biggest fan when I was in high school!) Sometimes I'm a little wary about 2nd floor salons/spas because it can be hard to tell what they're like from the street, but I had a very good experience at Aqualia and I will definitely be back. I live a few blocks away, in an area without a glut of nail salons (probably the only area of Manhattan that's like this!) so I am happy to have found a good neighborhood place. I primarily went here because I got a Lifebooker deal, but I checked out their regular prices and they seemed very reasonable. My only complaint-- and this is a small one -- is that there weren't any magazines in the pedicure area. Usually I use pedicure time to catch up on useless gossip, so I was kind of hoping to see Us Weekly!
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Review from Alaine H.
New York, NY
2/16/2008
Kathy from La Paeu opened up her own spa and the location is really accessible from M103 bus and the 6 train station at 51st st. Its located in bustling midtown but somehow the noise from the street does not carry up into the spa which is a plus. Annoying street noise can really disrupt the relaxation process at a spa. I've been going to Kathy for two years now for regular facials and my skin is a lot different than when I first started. I don't break out anymore, only the occasional pimple every now and then and I always leave from Kathy's chair with glowing skin. I also had a special manicure that lasted for a while because there was some kind of white powder dipped into my fingers and made them stronger.
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Review from Tamara T.
New York, NY
12/11/2009
I LOVE this Spa. The staff is friendly and the place is clean/ well kept. I've only gotten facials here, but Kathy never disappoints. I've been going to her for about a year now and while I'm not as consistent as I probably should be, my skin looks and feels great. I've always had great experiences here and have brought several friends for facials and massages. Hands down great and well priced spa.
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Review from Yvonne C.
New York, NY
4/30/2010
PAINFUL!!!!!!!!!! AND LACK OF EXPERIENCE!! describes my visit there. I walked in without an appointment and requested a 30 minute massage. They sent a nice lady and her nails accidently slipped on the oil and dug into my flesh. Ouch. And she kept on kneading my shoulders so painfully. NEVER AGAIN!
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Review from Annie L.
Brooklyn, NY
10/4/2010
LOVE LOVE LOVE ... the ladies working there were so nice and they knew what they were doing!. Especially Kathy after reading the reviews here I'd thought i might as well try her since people seem to like her. But you guys were right! She was fantastic! The spa was very cozy and relaxing not noisy at all. I got a facial and a massage and my face feels great! My body is definitely less tense and tired than what it used to be. It was a great experience.. RECOMMENDED.!
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Review from Barisa B.
New York, NY
10/16/2009
Terrible experience. I left the spa more tense than when I arrived. The "masseuse" was AWFUL. She jerked me around on the table and bruised my skin. There is no way she has any formal training. It felt more like a 5 year old was pretending to know what she was doing. Ridiculous. My experience exactly resembles the review left on 10/13 by Anna F. I wish I had read that before I made the appt. I wish I could leave negative stars.
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Review from D C.
New York, NY
8/27/2009
I'd first like to agree with other reviewers, that the women there are friendly in general, and it's a nice spa atmosphere. I first learned of this salon on Lifebooker, and booked a manicure. The manicure was pretty decent so I booked one more, and then for whatever reason let them persuade me to buy a 3 manicure series. I noticed overtime though that the manicures didn't last as long as I would have liked, like they would start to chip after 3 days (To me a great manicure lasts, with minimal chipping, for a week). Also for one of the manicures I realized after that the lady never cleaned behind my fingernails. However the last manicure I had really helped me decide to never return. I didn't really like the way my nails were shaped, however still tipped the lady $1. She seemed to have a major problem with my tip, and proceeded to tell me what she is supposed to get for tips, which was such a turn off. I told her I've had much better manicures, and if she didn't want the tip I could take it back and leave her with nothing. In the end I gave her the tip, but let her know it's rude to tell people what they should tip, especially when the manicure was not that great, and actually started to chip after 2 days!
